International Business Machines Corporation

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.v.

Laurence S Samuelson

Lee K Dorius

John M Harker

Sanford A Bolasna

Stephen L Eichblatt

Timothy C O'Sullivan

Yongjian Sun

Howell B Schwartz

Pei Cheh Chen

Omar Eduardo Montero Camacho

Robin Lynn Almes

Michael J Murtagh

A method for increasing etch depth uniformity in ion milling process in a wafer manufacturing process encompasses loading designated regions of a production pallet with carriers containing wafers to be ion milled. These designated regions have been predetermined to exhibit similar and preferred depths of etching. Non-designated regions of the production pallet are then loaded with dummy carriers and the wafers are ion milled.

Method and apparatus for increasing uniformity in ion mill process

A disposition process involves a part proceeding through a sequence of fabrication steps. The process involves obtaining a specified parameter for the part at an individual fabrication step; measuring the specified parameter of the part at the individual fabrication step; obtaining a final specified parameter for the part upon completion of the sequence of fabrication steps; and disposing the part at the individual fabrication step. Disposing the part uses a calculation of probability of the part meeting the final specified parameter.

On-line process specification adjusting and component disposing based on predictive model of component performance

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods of evaluating processes for manufacturing components. In one embodiment, an average probability of a first component to fail is calculated based on a measurement of a parameter where the first component was built using a new process. Another average probability of a second component to fail is calculated based on a measurement of the parameter where the second component was built using an existing process. A process index is calculated by determining a difference between the average probabilities for the second component and the first component. An estimation is made as to whether the new process is better than the existing process based on the process index.

Method for evaluating processes for manufacturing components

A negative-pressure air bearing slider structure includes a slider surface disposed adjacent to a data storage medium, and a leading edge relative to the motion of the data storage medium. A U-shaped rail with a closed end facing the leading edge and an open end facing the trailing edge is formed on the slider surface. The closed end of the U-shaped rail extends laterally across less than the width of the slider surface. In a first set of embodiments, there is a single U-shaped rail centered between two side rails. In a second set of embodiments, there are two U-shaped rails, each disposed along a respective side of the slider surface.

Negative pressure air bearing slider

A shallow etch at the trailing edge rail that allows the slider to fly closer to the recording medium and exhibit less sensitivity to roll. The slider includes a support structure and at least one rail having side edges and an air bearing surface raised above the support structure. At least one of the rails comprises a magnetic element disposed on the support structure. The edges of the rail adjacent to the magnetic element are etched to minimize the fly height of the magnetic element over the disk while preventing collision of the rail with the disk during roll conditions. The etched features of the rail create relieved trailing edge portions where the edges of the rail adjacent to the magnetic element are lower than the air bearing surface but are higher than the support structure. The shallow etch in the air bearing surface minimizes the difference between the minimum mechanical slider/disk spacing and the magnetic head/disk spacing which in turn allows optimization of transducer spacing. The edges of the air bearing surface adjacent the magnetic element are shortened by reactive ion etching or ion milling.

Method of making shallow etch air bearing surface features for optimized transducer spacing

An air bearing slider having at least one air bearing pad with a trailing edge shaped to provide the desired flying height profile. The air bearing includes a slider body having leading and trailing edges, an air bearing surface and a first surface recessed with respect to the air bearing surface. Furthermore, the air bearing slider includes at least one compression region. The air bearing surface includes at least one air bearing pad having diverging side edges, a leading edge and a trailing edge. The leading edge of each air bearing pad is positioned substantially adjacent to a compression region. The trailing edge of each air bearing pad has a curvature shaped to provide a desired flying height profile of the air bearing slider.

Trailing edge rail shaping

Slider with negative pressure air bearing

Shallow etch air bearing surface features for optimized transducer

Negative pressure air bearing

Air bearing sliders having landing pads to provide a smooth contact surface during shock or loading and unloading. The contact surface is smoother than the etched surface area of the slider. The air bearing slider includes a support structure, an air bearing surface disposed on the support structure above the etched surface area and facing the moving recording medium, for providing a pressurization plane for providing lift to the slider, and a landing pad, coupled to the support structure, for providing a contact surface, wherein the contact surface of the landing pad is smoother than the etched surface area. The contact surface of the landing pad may be below or within the pressurization plane of the air bearing surface. A landing pad may be disposed at an outer corner of the slider to provide a smooth contact surface during skew conditions. The landing pad may also be formed in conjunction with the formation of air bearing surface features such as TPC steps, stepped tapers or trailing edge rail shaping.

Landing pads for air bearing sliders and method for making the same

A diverging rail edge geometry for an air bearing slider. The air bearing slider provides reduced sensitivity to skew and roll static attitude without contributing to significant increases in cost and complexity. A support structure is formed with an air bearing surface having at least one air bearing rail, pad or other structure disposes thereon. The air bearing pad or rail is formed having at least one edge diverging from the side edges of the support structure. The edges of the rails may also be curved.

Method and apparatus for providing diverging rail edge geometry for air

Disclosed is a negative pressure air bearing slider having at least one trailing edge pocket defined by a generally U-shaped rail open to the trailing edge of the slider, and at least one leading edge pocket defined by a generally U-shaped rail open to the leading edge of the slider. Also disclosed is a method for determining an optimal width for a leading edge pocket of predetermined length and depth to provide a flat fly height profile in combination with a trailing edge pocket of predetermined dimensions. For a given trailing edge pocket configuration, width optimization is achieved by constructing a number of prototype sliders, each having a unique leading to trailing edge pocket width ratio; measuring the inner and outer diameter fly heights for each prototype to obtain ID and OD fly height profile curves; and determining a leading edge pocket width corresponding to the point of intersection of the curves.

Negative pressure slider with optimized leading pocket for profile

Disclosed is a negative pressure air bearing slider having at least one trailing edge pocket defined by a generally U-shaped rail open to the trailing edge of the slider, and at least one leading edge pocket defined by a generally U-shaped rail open to the leading edge of the slider. Also disclosed is a method for determining an optimal width for a leading-edge pocket of predetermined length and depth to provide a flat fly height profile in combination with a trailing edge pocket of predetermined dimensions. For a given trailing edge pocket configuration, width optimization is achieved by constructing a number of prototype sliders, each having a unique leading to trailing edge pocket width ratio; measuring the inner and outer diameter fly heights for each prototype to obtain ID and OD fly height profile curves; and determining a leading edge pocket width corresponding to the point of intersection of the curves.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Laurence S Samuelson