Censtor Corporation

Seagate Technology Incorporated

Michael A Baldwinson

Harold J Hamilton

Keith R Berding

Michael H Azarian

Garrett A Garrettson

Christopher S Gudeman

Dimitre A Latev

Robert D Hempstead

Kaynam Chun

James P Hennessy

Kenneth K Tang

Mark W Parcher

David T Gutowski

Alexander P Payne

Darren Todd Imai

William C Cain

Randolph S Gluck

Michael E Devillier

David D Roberts

Timothy W Martin

Richard D Anderson

Kwang K Kim

Anthony A Jarrami

Shinichi M Tanaka

An electromagnetic read/write system includes a contact interface formed by a pole-structure-carrying wear pad and a recording surface. The uppermost portion of the recording surface is characterized by a buffed, generally planarized topography. Lower elevations of the recording surface may be texturized or untexturized. Various methods of producing such an interface are described. The interface of the present invention provides dramatically improved longevity, i.e, wear performance through long term read/write operation.

Hard drive system interface between a disk surface and a transducer contacting the surface during communication

Flexure/transducer structure employable in an electromagnetic information storage and retrieval system wherein mechanical load-bearing responsibilities and electrical-current-carrying responsibilities are merged into and shared by common structure. The invention subject matter is useable in systems characterized by contact operation, as well as by quasi-contact and noncontact operations, in relation to the recording surface in an information recording medium.

Transducer/flexure/conductor structure for electromagnetic read/write system

A transducer for a hard disk drive system has a planar magnetic core and a pair of poletips that project transversely from the core for sliding contact with the disk during reading and writing. The transducer is formed entirely of thin films in the shape of a low profile table having three legs that slide on the disk, the poletips being exposed at a bottom of one of the legs for high resolution communication with the disk, the throat height of the poletips affording sufficient tolerance to allow for wear. The legs elevate the transducer from the disk sufficiently to minimize lifting by a thin air layer that moves with the spinning disk which, in combination with the small size of the thin film head allows a low load and a flexible beam and gimbal to hold the transducer to the disk. The transducer includes a loop shaped core of magnetic material that ends at the poletips, the core extending further parallel than perpendicular to the disk surface and preferably being formed of a plurality of slightly spaced ribbons of magnetic material in order to increase high frequency permeance. A high magnetic saturation layer may be formed adjoining the gap in at least the trailing poletip, in order to avoid saturation at the poletips during writing. The dimensions of the yoke adjacent to the poletips are also designed to avoid saturation at the poletips by saturating at a lower flux in the yoke than the poletips. The close relationship between the transducer and the media of the disk affords high density magnetic data storage and retrieval.

Planar magnetic ring head for contact recording with a rigid disk

A operationally contacting hard disk drive system has reduced friction due to lower capillary adhesion between the disk surface and a transducer in a substantially continuous sliding relationship with the surface. The disk surface has an adhesion-reducing texture that includes a microscopic RMS roughness in a range between about 1.5 and 5.5 nanometers, or a number of asperities having a mean plane to peak height in a range between about 6 and 50 nanometers. The roughness may increase in a radially graded fashion to compensate for the increased linear velocity and concomitant frictional power loss near the outer diameter of the disk. It is important that the uppermost reaches of the textured surface are smooth but not flat in order to obtain lasting low friction operation, which is accomplished by constructing the surface with a highest approximately one percent having an average radius of curvature in a range between 2 microns and 100 microns. An area of the slider in apparent contact with the disk surface is preferably less than 1000 square microns, and a ratio between this nominal area and the mean to peak height is less than 0.3 meters. The slider may also include a substantial thickness of partially wetting material in contact with the disk, or may alternatively be textured with deep grooves or materials having differing wear rates, in order to provide reduced frictional adhesion despite wear of the slider.

Low friction sliding hard disk drive system

An interactive device for lapping transducers has a body with an abrasive surface that communicates with the transducers in order to provide information for controlling the lapping and testing the transducers. The lapping body is preferably shaped as a disk, drum or tape, and communicates with the transducer using a type of signal that the transducer is designed to read and/or write. Thus for lapping a magnetic head or slider to be employed in a hard disk drive, the lapping body contains a magnetic medium layer that is either prerecorded or written by the head during lapping, while the signal received by the head is monitored and analyzed by a processor in order to determine, in part, when to terminate lapping. A series of transducers can be simultaneously lapped while individually monitored, so that each transducer can be removed from the lapping body individually upon receipt of a signal indicating that transducer has been lapped an optimal amount. Transducers for employment in drive systems can also be tested for performance characteristics by utilizing lapping bodies having surface characteristics similar to those found in the drive system.

Interactive device for lapping transducers

An interactive system for lapping transducers has an abrasive surface that communicates with the transducers in order to provide information for controlling the lapping and testing the transducers. The lapping body is preferably shaped as a disk, drum or tape, and communicates with the transducer with a type of signal that the transducer is designed to read and/or write. Thus for lapping a magnetic head or slider to be employed in a hard disk drive, the lapping body contains a magnetic medium layer that is either prerecorded or written by the head during lapping, while the signal received by the head is monitored and analyzed by a processor in order to determine, in part, when to terminate lapping. A series of transducers can be simultaneously lapped while individually monitored, so that each transducer can be removed from the lapping body individually upon receipt of a signal indicating that transducer has been lapped an optimal amount. Transducers for employment in drive systems can also be tested for performance characteristics by utilizing lapping bodies having surface characteristics similar to those found in the drive system.

Interactive method for lapping transducers

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Michael A Baldwinson