Slider used to access data on rotating disk in hard disk drive, including heating element as vertical micro-actuator coupled to deformation region including read-write head and to expansion chamber, plate thermally coupled to heat sink. Slider further includes vertical control signal stimulating heating element coupled to film to alter vertical position, and expansion chamber, plate, and heat sink minimizing thermal pole tip protrusion. Flexure finger including micro-actuator assembly for coupling to slider, and possibly providing vertical control signal to heating element. Head gimbal assembly including flexure finger coupled to the slider. A head stack assembly including at least one of the head gimbal assemblies coupled to a head stack. Hard disk drive including head stack assembly. The invention includes manufacturing the slider, the head gimbal assembly, the head stack assembly, and the hard disk drive, as well as these items as products of the invention's manufacturing processes.