Effect of Slider Bias Voltage and Humidity on Wear and Contact Potential

The effect of slider bias voltage and humidity on wear at the head/disk interface is investigated. Wear of thermal flying height control sliders is studied as a function of head/disk bias voltage, relative humidity, and heater power. The electrostatic force and the contact potential at the head/disk interface is monitored before and after head wear using the noncontact Kelvin probe method.