Seagate Technology Incorporated

Seagate Technologies, Inc.

Kevin John Grannen

Jing Gui

Xiaoding Ma

Mark Anthony Shows

Jeffrey Arthur McCann

Michael Joseph Stirniman

Zine Eddine Boutaghou

Jason Wayne Riddering

Huan H Tang

Samuel John Falcone

Bing Zhang

Roger K Malmhall

Chuan Gao

Li-Pang Wang

Be Van Ho

Ion beam-deposited, nitrogen-doped C:H films having substantially lower resistivities than undoped ion beam-deposited C:H films and suitable for use as hard, abrasion-resistant overcoat layers for magnetic recording media, such as hard disks, are formed by supplying a mixture of hydrocarbon and nitrogen gases to an ion beam generator. Nitrogen atom content of the films is controlled to within from about 5 to about 25 at. % by appropriate selection of the ratio of hydrocarbon gas flow to nitrogen gas flow. The resultant IBD i-C:HN films exhibit a reduced tendency for charge build-up thereon during hard disk operation by virtue of their lower resistivity vis-&#xe0;-vis conventional a-C:H materials.

Thin-film magnetic recording media with dual intermediate layer structure for increased coercivity

Ion beam-deposited, nitrogen-doped C:H films having substantially lower resistivities than undoped ion beam-deposited C:H films and suitable for use as hard, abrasion-resistant overcoat layers for magnetic recording media, such as hard disks, are formed by supplying a mixture of hydrocarbon and nitrogen gases to an ion beam generator. Nitrogen atom content of the films is controlled to within from about 5 to about 25 at. % by appropriate selection of the ratio of hydrocarbon gas flow to nitrogen gas flow. The resultant IBD i-C:HN films exhibit a reduced tendency for charge build-up thereon during hard disk operation by virtue of their lower resistivity vis-&agrave;-vis conventional a-C:H materials.

Nitrogen-doped hydrogenated carbon films by ion beam deposition

A material, preferably a magnetic data storage disc, includes a carbon layer covering at least a portion of a magnetic substrate and a crosslinked fluoropolymer layers covering at least-a portion of the carbon layer. The crosslinked polymer layer has a thickness less than about 40 angstroms, and the carbon layer has a thickness less than about 100 angstroms. Preferred fluoropolymers include, for example, perfluoropolyethers. In some embodiments, the crosslinked fluoropolymer layer has a thickness at one point on the carbon layer greater than the thickness crosslinked fluoropolymer layer at another point on the carbon layer. The crosslinking generally is performed by irradiating the lubricant material on the carbon layer.

Thin films of crosslinked fluoropolymer on a carbon substrate

A device for increasing the incident energy of an ion for coating a disc in an ion beam deposition process. The ion beam deposition process is performed in a chamber with the disc to be coated disposed therein. An ion source, having a voltage level, is introduced into the chamber for generating an ion beam for depositing ions on the disc. A bias contact is coupled to the disc and a power supply is coupled to the bias contact. The power supply applies a voltage level to the bias contact that is less than the voltage level of the ion source thereby creating a negative bias voltage between the disc and the ion source. This negative bias voltage causes the incident energy of the ion to increase. As a result, the optimal incident energy can be achieved using a lower original energy.

Biased ion beam deposition of high density carbon

A disc drive includes a base and a disc rotatably attached to the base. The disc drive also includes an actuator assembly rotatably attached to said base and a device for moving the actuator assembly. The actuator assembly carries a slider. A slider for a disc drive adapted to interface with the surface of the disc. The surface of the disc is provided with an overcoat having a specific hardness. The slider has a leading edge, a trailing edge, and an air bearing surface positioned between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The slider includes a plurality of slider integrated pads, at least some of the slider integrated pads having a hardness which is greater than the hardness of the disc surface. All the slider integrated pads may be harder than the hardness of the disc surface or at least a group of slider integrated pads located near the trailing edge of the slider are harder than the hardness of the disc surface.

Wear durability using high wear-resistant slip pads

Stable operation of an ion beam deposition (IBD) station forming part of a multi-station apparatus and formation therein of a tribologically robust DLC-type i-C:H ultra-thin protective overcoat for high recording density magnetic media are achieved by pulsing (i.e., limiting) the flow of a hydrocarbon source gas to the ion beam source to deposition intervals between substrate transfer/pressure cycling. Embodiments include utilizing a circularly-shaped, closed drift, end Hall type ion beam source as part of a multi-process station apparatus, wherein undesirable arcing of the ion beam source during substrate transfer is eliminated, or at least substantially reduced, as a result of the pulsed supply of hydrocarbon source gas to the ion beam source.

Ion beam deposition of diamond-like carbon overcoats by hydrocarbon source gas pulsing

Magnetic recording medium having a nitrogen-doped hydrogenated carbon protective overcoat

A device for reducing the contamination of a disc being coated during an ion beam deposition process. The ion beam deposition process is performed in a chamber having an upper portion and a lower portion with the disc being disposed in the lower portion of the chamber. An ion source is introduced into the lower chamber for generating an ion beam for depositing ions on the disc. In the upper portion of the chamber is a pump for creating negative pressure in the chamber. A portion of the ion beam contacts the pump forming contaminants on the pump which cause the contamination of the disc. A baffle assembly is disposed in the chamber between the pump and the ion source. Said baffle assembly includes a baffle that reduces the portion of the ion beam contacting said pump thereby reducing the forming of contaminants on the pump. The baffle assembly also includes a baffle cap disposed above the disc so that when the contaminants dislodge from the pump, the baffle cap prevents the contaminants from contaminating said disc.

Shield design for IBC deposition

The signal-to-noise ratio of a magnetic recording medium having a thin magnetic layer is improved by adjusting the deposition conditions of the underlayer so that the magnetic layer is pseudo-epitaxially grown with a substantially uniform sub-micron-scale morphology. Uniform sub-micron-scale morphology can be attained by strategic selection of the underlayer and magnetic layer materials, and by controlling the underlayer deposition conditions so that the magnetic layer is epitaxially grown by a growth mechanism which is predominantly layer by layer. In an embodiment of the present invention, an underlayer comprising an alloy of chromium with vanadium, titanium or manganese, or an underlayer comprising a nickel-aluminum alloy, is sputter deposited at a pressure less than about 10 mTorr, substrate temperature greater than about 300.degree. C. and substrate bias greater than about 300 V, and a cobalt magnetic layer is epitaxially grown thereon, predominantly layer by layer.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Kevin John Grannen