Miniaturised friction force measuring system for tribological research on magnetic storage devices

In this paper a silicon head slider suspension with integrated piezoresistive friction force sensors is presented. This device can be used for tribological research on magnetic rigid disk storage devices. Both the tangential and radial friction forces between the slider and disk, as well as a friction induced moment, can be measured simultaneously. Furthermore the normal load on the head slider can be measured. The paper focusses on design considerations and the realisation process of the suspension. Friction measurements are included to illustrate the feasibility of the system