Seagate Technology Incorporated

Chung-Yuang Shih

Jialuo Jack Xuan

Xiaohua Shel Yang

Zhengda Pan

Vidya K Gubbi

Thanh Duc Nguyen

Youming Liu

Paul Stephen McLeod

Shanghsien Alex Rou

Kuo-Hsing Hwang

Mark Anthony Shows

Jie-Ming Yu

Alexander Boris Khazanov

Taesun Ernest Kim

Method for laser-scribing brittle substrates and apparatus therefor

Combined laser-scribing and laser-breaking for shaping of brittle substrates

Selective deposition of a layer of a material, such as a thick protective overcoat, onto a selected substrate area, such as the inner or CSS landing zone, is achieved using a sputtering target assembly comprising a target/cathode having a planar sputtering surface including an erosion track area, a collimating shield positioned proximate the sputtering surface and surrounding at least a portion of the erosion track area, the collimating shield including an inwardly facing wall, and a blocking shield centrally positioned over the surface of the target/cathode and including an outwardly facing wall, wherein the inwardly facing wall of the collimating shield and the outwardly facing wall, wherein the inwardly facing wall of the collimating shield and the outwardly facing wall of the central blocking shield form an open-ended collimating channel for directing sputtered particles onto the selected substrate area.

Sputtering target assembly and method for depositing a thickness gradient layer with narrow transition zone

A magnetic recording medium is formed with a distribution of laser micromachined servo-marks in the form of pits or indentations with an attendant reduction in servo-tracking area and increased data-recording speed. Embodiments include laser texturing to form a radially extending linear or arcuate series of circular or elliptical pits across the data zone. The micromachined servo-marks are detected by mechanical or electrical means and denote the beginning and end of magnetically recorded servo-information in a data track, thereby enabling accurate and timely positioning of the read/write head by the servo-controller of the hard drive.

Magnetic recording medium with laser-formed servo-marks

Laser-scribing brittle substrates along a curvilinear path is effected by impinging and moving at least two laser light beam spots along the substrate surface, the first spot preheating the substrate and the second smaller spot heating the substrate to the laser-scribing temperature below the softening temperature of the substrate. Embodiments include forming dual spots employing a crystal material or employing dual fiber optic cables each optically linked to a lens. In another embodiment, three spot lasers spots are formed employing a three-spot diffractive lens, the third spot formed behind the second laser-scribing spot and heating the surface to a temperature lower than the laser-scribing temperature. Embodiments further include laser-scribing substantially circular glass, ceramic or glass-ceramic substrates for magnetic recording media.

Laser-scribing brittle substrates

A magnetic recording medium is formed with enhanced tribological performance by applying a raw, unfractionated lubricant having a wide molecular weight distribution over a disk surface and treating the deposited lubricant with a laser light beam to effect in-situ fractionation of the lubricant to a very narrow molecular weight distribution. Embodiments of the present invention also include laser treating a deposited lubricant to increase the thickness of the bonded lube layer.

Laser-assisted in-situ fractionated lubricant and a new process for surface of magnetic recording media

A sputtering target assembly for depositing onto a selected substrate area comprises a target/cathode having a planar sputtering surface including an erosion track area, a collimating shield positioned proximate to the sputtering surface, surrounding at least a portion of the erosion track area, and including an inwardly facing wall, and a blocking shield centrally positioned over the surface of the target/cathode and including an outwardly facing wall, wherein the inwardly facing wall of the collimating shield and the outwardly facing wall of the central blocking shield form an open-ended channel for directing sputtered particles onto the selected substrate area. A method for utilizing the target assembly for selectively depositing a thicker protective overcoat layer on the inner CSS or landing zone relative to the outer data zone of disk-shaped recording media is provided.

Stiction failure of a magnetic recording medium is reduced by forming a lubricant topcoat having a first thickness over the landing zone greater than a second thickness over the data zone, with a sharp transition step having an angle of at least about 70&deg; with respect to a line perpendicular to the surface. Embodiments include depositing a lubricant topcoat at a substantially uniform thickness and reducing the thickness of the lubricant topcoat over the data zone by about 20% to about 80% employing a laser light beam to volatilize the lubricant.

Magnetic recording medium with laser-formed differential zone lubrication

A magnetic data storage medium is provided that has a substrate surface with regularly spaced, continuous ridges and grooves thereby to enhance the magnetic layer crystallization orientation. Data storage tracks extend longitudinally along the ridges, the grooves between adjacent ridges providing separation between data tracks on either side of each ridge. To form the substrate surface a focused laser beam is continuously applied to the substrate in a path of generally circumferential direction on the disk surface between inner and outer radii of a data storage zone while the substrate is rotated at a relatively constant first speed and the focused beam is moved radially at a relatively constant second speed.

Laser textured magnetic surface micro-ridges/grooves to enhance magnetic recording performance

A laser-optical wave mixing technique is provided for forming a high density textured data zone in an efficient and accurate manner. A single coherent laser beam of wavelength &lgr; is split into two beams with roughly the same intensity. These two beams are then overlapped with a cross angle of 2&thgr; and focused at the disk surface, resulting in an intensity grating thereon. The intensity grating creates a wave-form pattern consisting of a series of high-energy laser beam lines that will heat the target surface and make surface topographical changes accordingly.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Chung-Yuang Shih