Abstract

Traditional optical flying-height testers use only the normal-incidence reflectivity of the interface between the read–write slider and a glass disk surrogate. We propose a tester that fully analyzes the complex amplitude reflectivity of the interface, including the polarization-dependent complex phase. The new approach is more accurate and repeatable and has no loss of precision at zero flying height. Further, the same instrument directly measures the complex index of refraction for the slider material in situ, obviating the need for a separate metrology step with an ellipsometer.

© 1996 Optical Society of America

Determining the optical constants of read-write sliders during flying-height testing

Peter de Groot, Ara Dergevorkian, Tod Erickson, and Russell Pavlat
Appl. Opt. 37(22) 5116-5125 (1998)

Scanning laser differential-heterodyne interferometer for flying-height measurement

Bryan Kok Ann Ngoi, Krishnan Venkatakrishnan, and Bo Tan
Appl. Opt. 39(4) 578-584 (2000)

Read/write performance and reliability of a flying optical head using a monolithically integrated LD–PD

Hiroo Ukita, Yasuyuki Sugiyama, Hiroshi Nakada, and Yoshitada Katagiri
Appl. Opt. 30(26) 3770-3776 (1991)

Comparison of the Phase Metrics DFHT IV and Zygo Pegasus 2000 fly height testers

Corley W. Strunk, Christopher C. Zahn, and Paul J. Sides
Appl. Opt. 40(25) 4507-4513 (2001)

Optical properties of alumina titanium carbide sliders used in rigid disk drives

Peter de Groot
Appl. Opt. 37(28) 6654-6663 (1998)