Komag Corporation

Hmt Technology Corporation

Fmc Corporation

Wd Media, LLC

Other

Bruce M Harper

Ronald J Billett

Christopher H Bajorek

Toshiyuki Max Saito

Hoang Viet Nguyen

Tony T Chiu

Jurgen H Strasser

Bruce M Wright

Andrew M Homola

Ming M Yang

Michael A Russak

Thomas E Roberts

James L Chao

Veikko K Viitanen

Shinji Takane

Zhaoguo Jiang

Edmund M Monberg

An imprint embossing alignment system. In one embodiment, the system includes a die having a bottom surface, an embossing foil positioned above the bottom surface, and a mandrel, to receive the substrate, having a rod portion that extends through a central portion of the die. The system also includes a ball bushing positioned around the rod portion and a ring portion positioned between the ball bushing and the embossing foil to hold a precise alignment of a centerline of the rod portion and a centerline of the embossing foil.

Imprint embossing alignment system

A method of aligning die and stamping substrate for nano-imprint lithography is described. The method includes aligning the die by linearly displacing the die along a first axis using a first flexure member and pressing the die along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis while maintaining coupling of the die with the first flexure member.

Method of aligning a die and stamping a substrate for nano-imprint lithography

A method for aligning a disk with an imprinting surface is described. In one embodiment, the method includes passively aligning an imprinting surface with the disk and imprinting the disk with the imprinting surface. A first air-bearing mandrel freely guides a first centerline of the disk into coincident alignment with a second centerline of the imprinting surface.

Disk alignment apparatus and method for patterned media production

Isothermal imprint embossing system. In one embodiment, the system includes a heater to pre-heat a disk substrate to an embossing temperature, a die assembly with an embossing foil to imprint the embossable film disposed on the disk substrate, and a heat tunnel disposed between the heater and the die assembly to maintain the embossing temperature.

Isothermal imprint embossing system

A press system that reduces contamination of workpieces and/or compliant members used in die assemblies of the press from the pressing process. The die assemblies may utilize annular or hole-less stampers in which the compliant member is sealed in the die assembly. The compliant member may have be annular having a cavity at approximately its center. A gap may be generated at the cavity of the compliant member between a constraint member and the stamper. The gap, for example, may be filled with a plug to prevent significant distortion of the stamper over a hole of a disk shaped workpiece due to the pressure induced force generated by the press system. An outer diameter ring surrounding a workpiece may be used to prevent collapse of the stampers outside the diameter of the workpiece to insure uniform pressing out to the outer diameter of the workpiece.

Die set having sealed compliant member

A die for a press system. The die may include a stamper and a housing, having a cavity disposed therein, coupled to the stamper. The die may also include a gasket disposed within the cavity. The gasket may be coupled to the stamper at a position above a workpiece to be imprinted by the stamper.

Die set utilizing compliant gasket

A die press is described. In one embodiment, the die press includes an alignment mechanism having one or more flexure members coupled to a die to maintain coupling with the die during a pressing operation.

Press die alignment

An apparatus and method for balancing a disk are described. A balance ring may be a circular band for placement along the inner diameter of a disk. On the outer diameter of the balance ring, one or more clamp structures may extend outward to attach the balance ring to the inner diameter of a disk. The inner diameter of the balance ring may have a number of protuberances that, when trimmed, establish a new rotational center of the disk/balance ring coincident with the mass center. The disk and balancing ring may be mounted on a disk balancing system to determine a mass center and trim the protuberances, accordingly, to establish adjust the rotational center of the disk/balance ring to be coincident with the mass center. The protuberances may be trimmed using, for example, laser energy.

Balance ring

An apparatus and method for aligning a disk with an imprinting surface are described. In one embodiment, the apparatus has a die which includes an air-bearing mandrel having a tapered nose to engage an ID of the disk, a circular imprinting surface having a centerline concentric with the air-bearing mandrel, and an air-bearing cavity to position the disk. The axial movement of the top die towards the bottom die guides the ID of the disk into coincident alignment with the centerline of the top die.

One aspect of the present invention provides a removable cartridge device having an elastically deformable, protective enclosure containing a data-storage medium. A normally closed opening or slit extends along a front edge region of the enclosure. The opening is expandable from the closed condition to an opened condition upon application of a compressive force from opposing lateral sides of the enclosure. In the closed condition, the enclosure substantially shields the medium from contaminants in the external environment. In the opened condition, a transducer may enter the enclosure, through the expanded opening, to address the medium. Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for accessing a data-storage medium housed within a resiliently flexible, protective enclosure having a normally closed front edge region. According to one embodiment, the enclosure is compressed at opposing lateral side-edge regions, thereby causing upper and lower confronting surfaces of the enclosure to arc outward to form an opening along the front edge region of the cartridge. A transducer can be inserted through the opening in order to address the medium.

Removable cartridge for data-storage medium

A disc-handling apparatus for supporting a magnetic disc during material deposition and for transporting the disc into and out of a deposition station is described. The apparatus has a holder that supports a disc at three contact points by a support and a pair of arms, such that the disc is positively gripped by at least three contact points.

Disc-handling apparatus

An apparatus and method for laser texturing of magnetic recording media are described. The apparatus includes an optical assembly, containing first and second mirrors, which are rotated and optionally shifted during a texturing operation. This optical assembly directs a pulsed laser beam onto a series of focused spots on the surface of a magnetic disk, creating a desired pattern of texturing while maintaining a constant focus of the beam at the surface of the disk.

Laser texturing apparatus employing a rotating mirror

An apparatus for laser texturing the inner annular region of a substrate is described. The apparatus includes a Bernoulli holder for supporting the disc at a fixed distance from a support face in the holder, and a laser beam for directing a pulsed laser beam on the substrate's inner annular region. Also included is an optical assembly for varying the position of such a spot on such inner annular surface region of the substrate.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Bruce M Harper