Novel measurements of flying height and attitudes using Michelson laser interferometry

Applications of the Michelson laser interferometry to the measurement of head-disk spacing were presented. This method utilized the phase comparison of two kinds of fringe patterns formed over slider and disk surfaces simultaneously based on the Michelson interferometry. One of the applications was a measurement of spacing variations of heads while sliding in contact with actual disks. As an extended application, a flying height measurement through glass disks was demonstrated.