a disk surface asperities tester including a glidehead member having a piezoelectric sensor fabricated directly on the glidehead member . the piezoelectric sensors are useful in applications utilizing 70 %, 50 %, 30 %, or smaller glideheads . the invention discloses a method for manufacturing sensors utilizing microchip fabrication techniques to form the piezoelectric sensors directly on glidehead surfaces , including standard al 2 o 3 . tic glideheads . the fabricated piezoelectric sensors are used in combination with signal processors to detect and analyze asperities in a disk drive surface .