Head-disk interface dynamic instability due to intermolecular forces

This paper presents a nonlinear dynamic analysis of the head-disk interface for sub- 5 nm flying air bearing sliders. It is found that by including intermolecular forces between the slider and disk, the dynamic stability of the slider is dramatically compromised. It is shown by a bifurcation diagram that a slider can easily be forced into unstable motions. It is also shown that the experimentally observed flying-height hysteresis, intermittent instability, and "snapping" from stable to unstable proximity can be explained by intermolecular forces.