Air-bearing surface (ABS) is an important part on a slider head that can make a slider fly over the disk
media which is composed of suitable patterns and etched steps. The various ABS are designed for
controlling a variable amount of a positive pressure which generate a force to push the slider away from
disk and negative pressure which generate a force to pull the sliders towards the disk when there is a
balance between a push force and a pull force on slider head it will keep the slider head fly with a certain
distance over the disk so that to perform “read” and “write” functions.
In order to create ABS on sliders, lithography process and dry etching process are required. A General
lithography process of the slider fabrication is following these processes sequence; 1.) Laminated dry film