A protection film is layered over the trailing or outflow end surface of a slider
body in a head slider for a recording medium drive. A head element is embedded
within the protection film. The head element generates heat in response to the
supply of an electric current. The heat causes thermal expansion of the protection
film. The tip end of the head element thus excessively approaches the recording
disk beyond the medium-opposed surface of the head slider. The flying height of
a protection protuberance is set smaller than a flying height of the head element
even when the protection film suffers from thermal expansion. The protection protuberance
is allowed to trace an orbit closer to the recording medium than the orbit of the
head element. The protection protuberance is allowed to collide against obstacles
on the recording medium in front of the head element.
