HEAD SLIDER, ITS MANUFACTURING METHOD, AND HEAD SLIDER GLINDING DEVICE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a storage medium driving device capable of surely detecting contact between a protective film and a storage medium when a head element protrudes. SOLUTION: A head slider includes a non-magnetic insulating film 32 overlaid on the outflow end surface of a slider body 31. The non-magnetic insulating film 32 includes a read element 51 and a write element 52 embedded therein. A read gap and a write gap are covered with a protective film 47 in the surface of the non-magnetic insulating film 32. When a power is supplied to a heater 66, a protrusion 67 is formed by the heat. A flat ground surface 68 is formed at the tip end of the protrusion 67. The ground surface 68 has a larger area to contact with a storage medium 14 during a so-called zero calibration. The ground surface 68 instantaneously sticks to the surface of the storage medium 14. This results in generation of a slight vibration of the head slider 22. Contact can reliably be detected between the head slider and the storage medium in response to the vibration. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT