The present disclosure includes systems and methods for using a comparator-based, relaxation oscillator circuit to detect capacitance of a capacitor formed between a metallic feature in a read/write head and a metallic feature in a storage medium.

An audit device according to one embodiment includes a substrate; at least one test element coupled to the substrate; a connector adapted for coupling the at least one test element to leads of a cable; and a probe for detecting at least one of: voltage across and current through the at least one test element. One test element is coupled to a group of leads of the connector. All positive polarity leads of the group of leads are coupled together on the substrate, and all negative polarity leads of the group of leads are coupled together on the substrate, such that the test element is coupled across the positive and the negative coupled leads of the group of leads of the connector. The test element is coupled across pairs of leads of the cable when the cable is coupled to the connector. Additional systems and methods are also presented.

A head assembly for a magnetic tape storage device includes a head and a flexible circuit connected to the head. The flexible circuit includes a gripping portion, an end including electrical contacts for the head, conductors extending from the electrical contacts, and ink patterned onto the electrical contacts and gripping portion to form electrical paths therebetween. The ink conducts electrostatic charge from the electrical contacts and conductors to a grounded user in response to skin of the user contacting the ink.

A head assembly for a magnetic tape storage device includes a head and a flexible circuit connected to the head. The flexible circuit includes a gripping portion, an end including electrical contacts for the head, conductors extending from the electrical contacts, and ink patterned onto the electrical contacts and gripping portion to form electrical paths therebetween. The ink conducts electrostatic charge from the electrical contacts and conductors to a grounded user in response to skin of the user contacting the ink.

An apparatus includes a slider body of a disk drive. The slider body is electrically coupled to a plurality of end bond pads. A voltage applied to one more of the end bond pads sets a surface potential of the slider body.

Electrostatic discharge protection can be afforded to a data recording head in accordance with various embodiments. A data recording head may consist of a circuit having a preamp ground connected to a ground substrate via a ground trace. The ground trace can consist of a first leg connected to the ground substrate and a second leg with an open connection extending from a dice line.

Electrostatic discharge protection can be afforded to a data recording head in accordance with various embodiments. A data recording head may consist of a circuit having a preamp ground connected to a ground substrate via a ground trace. The ground trace can consist of a first leg connected to the ground substrate and a second leg with an open connection extending from a dice line.

A head assembly for a magnetic tape storage device includes a head and a flexible circuit connected to the head. The flexible circuit includes a gripping portion, an end including electrical contacts for the head, conductors extending from the electrical contacts, and ink patterned onto the electrical contacts and gripping portion to form electrical paths therebetween. The ink conducts electrostatic charge from the electrical contacts and conductors to a grounded user in response to skin of the user contacting the ink.

An apparatus includes a slider body of a disk drive. The slider body is electrically coupled to a plurality of end bond pads. A voltage applied to one more of the end bond pads sets a surface potential of the slider body.

A magneto-resistive (MR) sensor protection circuit is disclosed, for the protection of an MR sensor. The MR sensor may have a safe operating voltage range, a normal operating voltage range within the safe operating voltage range, and two terminals coupled to a read channel circuit, including a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The MR sensor protection circuit may have positive and negative protection threshold voltage ranges. The MR sensor protection circuit may also have a plurality of N-channel field-effect transistors (NFETs) that are coupled to the positive terminal and to the negative terminal, and configured to, in response to a voltage between the two terminals being within either the positive or the negative protection threshold voltage range, limit the voltage between the terminals by shunting current between the positive terminal and the negative terminal.