Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording head includes a magnetic pole, a stacked body, and a first non-magnetic layer. The stacked body includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the magnetic pole, and a non-magnetic intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The first non-magnetic layer is provided between the second magnetic layer and the magnetic pole, and contacts the magnetic pole and the second magnetic layer. The first magnetic layer has a first thickness and a first saturation magnetic flux density. The second magnetic layer has a second thickness and a second saturation magnetic flux density. A second product of the second thickness and the second saturation magnetic flux density is larger than a first product of the first thickness and the first saturation magnetic flux density.

Abstract: An optical disk drive is provided. The optical disk drive includes a first carrying member disposed on a base, and a second carrying member disposed on an upper cover. The first carrying member has a first optical pick-up head and a spindle motor. The second carrying member has a second optical pick-up head and a clamper rotatably disposed on the second carrying member. The clamper and the spindle motor together clamp an optical disk.

Abstract: An optical disk drive with multiple optical pick-up heads is provided. The optical disk drive includes an upper cover, a base, a first carrier member, a second carrier member, a first limiting member, and a second limiting member. The base is disposed under the upper cover. The first carrier member disposed on the base and has a first optical pick-up head. The second carrier member is disposed on the upper cover and has a second optical pick-up head. The first limiting member is used for disposing the first end of the second carrier member on the upper cover. The second limiting member is used for disposing the second end of the second carrier member on the upper cover. The length of the first limiting member is larger than that of the second limiting member.

Abstract: A hard drive carrier includes a frame to receive a hard drive. The frame includes a front and a side, and a handle connects to the front. The hard drive carrier engages with a hard drive bay to hold the hard drive carrier in the hard drive bay at a first insertion depth when the handle is in a closed position. The first insertion depth is selected to prevent a hard drive connector from engaging with an enclosure connector on a backplane of the hard drive bay. The hard drive carrier further engages with the hard drive bay to hold the hard drive carrier at a second insertion depth when the handle is in the closed position. The second insertion depth is selected to engage the hard drive connector with the enclosure connector.

Abstract: A motor drive device has a spindle motor driver adapted to receive electric power from a power supply line to drive a spindle motor; an isolation switch adapted to connect and disconnect an application terminal of a power supply voltage to and from the power supply line, and a current monitor adapted to monitor a first current flowing into the isolation switch.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk comprising a plurality of data tracks defined by servo sectors. Each servo sector comprises a periodic preamble recorded at a first frequency, servo data, a periodic reference pattern recorded at a second frequency different from the first frequency, and at least one servo burst. A servo sector is processed by processing the periodic preamble to extract the servo data, demodulating the servo burst in response to the periodic reference pattern, generating a position error signal based on the extracted servo data and the demodulated servo burst, and measuring a fly height of the head based on the periodic reference pattern.

Abstract: There is provided a spindle motor including: a shaft including a body portion having a fixing recess formed on a lower portion thereof, a flange portion extending in an outer radial direction from an upper portion of the body portion, and a first insertion portion extending downwardly from the flange portion in an axial direction; a lower thrust member including a fixed portion inserted into the fixing recess, a disk portion extending from the fixed portion in an outer radial direction, and first and second protrusion portions extending from the disk portion in the axial direction; a base member coupled to the second protrusion portion; and a rotating member forming a bearing clearance with the shaft and provided to be rotatable with respect to the shaft.

Abstract: The invention provides a resin component used within a memory disk drive device and a highly reliable memory disk drive device using the resin component, the resin component having excellent flame resistance and minimal outgas. A resin component used inside a memory disk drive device (1), the resin component being an insulating bushing for protecting a lead of a motor (2) when the lead is connected to a circuit board; a carriage (4) being molded integrally with a coil for driving a swing arm (3) provided with a pickup head (3a) for reading or writing information on a memory disk on a distal end thereof, and the carriage adapted for balancing the weight of the swing arm (3); or a ramp (5) for retracting the pickup head (3a) when the memory disk stops. The resin component is a resin article molded from an amorphous resin, a crystalline resin, or a liquid crystal polymer resin, the molded resin article having 30 ppm or less outgas when measured by a prescribed method.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is disclosed in which, on a non-magnetic substrate 1, at least an orientation control layer that controls orientation of a layer immediately above and a vertical magnetic layer in which an easy axis of magnetization is mainly vertically oriented with respect to the non-magnetic substrate are laminated. The orientation control layer includes an Ru-containing layer containing Ru or Ru alloy, and a diffusion prevention layer provided on the Ru-containing layer on the side of the vertical magnetic layer, is made of a material having a melting point of 1500° C. or higher and 4215° C. or lower and formed by a covalent bond or an ionic bond, and prevents thermal diffusion of Ru atoms of the Ru-containing layer.

Abstract: A magnetic junction is described. The magnetic junction includes a pinned layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a free layer. The magnetic junction may also include an additional nonmagnetic spacer layer and an additional pinned layer opposing the nonmagnetic spacer layer and the pinned layer. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is between the pinned layer and the free layer. The free layer is configured to be switchable using a write current passed through the magnetic junction. The free layer is also configured to be thermally stable in a quiescent state and have a reduced thermal stability due to heating from the write current being passed through the magnetic junction. In some aspects, the free layer includes at least one of a pinning layer(s) interleaved with ferromagnetic layer(s), two sets of interleaved ferromagnetic layers having different Curie temperatures, and a ferrimagnet having a saturation magnetization that increases with temperature between ferromagnetic layers.

Abstract: Various embodiments concern a gimbaled flexure having a dual stage actuation structure comprising flexure which comprises a gimbal. The gimbal comprises at least one spring arm and a tongue connected to the at least one spring arm. The dual stage actuation structure further comprises a motor mounted on the gimbal, the motor comprising a top side and a bottom side opposite the top side, the bottom side of the motor facing the flexure. The dual stage actuation structure further comprises a damper located between the motor and the flexure, the damper contacting the tongue and the bottom side of the motor. The damper comprises one or both of elastic and viscoelastic material. Various other features of a dual stage actuation structure are provided.

Abstract: There are provided a spindle motor and a hard disk drive including the same, the spindle motor including a lower thrust member fixed to abase member; a shaft fixed to the lower thrust member; a sleeve disposed on the lower thrust member and rotatably installed with respect to the shaft; and a rotor hub coupled to the sleeve to rotate in conjunction therewith, wherein the lower thrust member has an insertion protrusion protruding upwardly in an axial direction and inserted into a fixing groove formed in a lower end of the shaft upwardly in the axial direction.

Abstract: In a positioning and driving system including a rotating magnetic disk, a magnetic head slider that floats above the surface of the magnetic disk and writes data to and reads data from a track provided on the magnetic disk, an actuator that positions the magnetic head slider in a radial direction of the magnetic disk, and an amplifier that supplies electrical power to the actuator in accordance with the input signal and performs a driving operation, provided is the configuration of an electrothermal actuator driving system that obtains continuous displacement over the entire required operating range with respect to changes in an input voltage by using only one amplifier and that is incorporated into a feedback control system and is suitable for high-speed and high-precision positioning.

Abstract: A thin film piezoelectric element of the present invention includes a substrate and a piezoelectric thin film stack formed on the substrate. The piezoelectric thin film stack includes a top electrode layer, a bottom electrode layer and a piezoelectric layer sandwiched between the top electrode layer and the bottom electrode layer, wherein the piezoelectric layer includes a first piezoelectric layer and a second piezoelectric layer whose compositions have different phase structures. The present invention can obtain high piezoelectric constants, enhanced coercive field strength and good thermal stability, thereby enabling larger applied field strength without depolarization and achieving a large stroke for its applied device.

Abstract: There are provided a rotating member assembly and a spindle motor including the same. The rotating member assembly includes: a rotating member including a shaft and a hub fixed to an upper portion of the shaft, wherein perpendicularity of the hub with regard to the shaft at a position spaced apart from the center of rotation of the shaft in an outer diameter direction by an axial length or more for which the shaft is fitted into the sleeve is less than double a distance of a gap of a bearing clearance formed by fitting the shaft into the sleeve.

Abstract: A production method of a magnetic recording medium of the present invention includes: a step of forming a magnetic layer (2) on a non-magnetic substrate (1); a step of forming a dissoluble layer (3) on the magnetic layer (2); a step of forming a mask layer (4) on the dissoluble layer (3); a step of patterning the dissoluble layer (3) and the mask layer (4) to a shape corresponding to a magnetic recording pattern (2a); a step of performing a partial modification or removal of the magnetic layer (2) by use of the patterned mask layer (4); and a step of dissolving the dissoluble layer (3) with a chemical agent so as to remove the dissoluble layer (3) together with the mask layer (4) formed thereon from the top of the magnetic layer (2), wherein the magnetic recording medium has the magnetically-separated magnetic recording pattern (2a).

Abstract: A method for producing a magnetic recording medium which includes: forming a magnetic layer on a non-magnetic substrate; forming a dissolution layer on the magnetic layer; forming a mask layer on the dissolution layer; patterning the dissolution layer and the mask layer so as to have a pattern corresponding to a magnetic recording pattern; partially modifying or removing a part of the magnetic layer and the mask layer not covered with the dissolution layer; and dissolving the dissolution layer and removing the dissolution layer together with the mask layer which is on the dissolution layer from the surface of the magnetic layer. The dissolution layer is formed by coating a solution containing an organic silicon compound dissolved in an organic solvent on the magnetic layer, and solidifying the coated chemical solution in the step in which the dissolution layer is formed on the magnetic layer.

Abstract: A hard disk drive and a disk base are disclosed with the disk base including a first face configured to form a disk cavity for the spindle motor, disk(s) and a voice coil motor and a second face configured to couple with a controller Printed Circuit Board (PCB) including at least one integrated circuit. Both faces are include a hub for mounting the spindle motor and surrounded by an outer wall. The first face and/or the second face include at least one partial rib extending from the hub or the outer wall partway to the other. The partial ribs are configured to position the integrated circuit and stiffen the disk base and hard disk drive from mechanical shocks, such as dropping the unit including the hard disk drive. A handheld device is disclosed including at least one of the disclosed hard disk drives with improved reliability to mechanical shocks.

Abstract: A method for moving magnetic heads in a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus, which comprises the steps of writing high-frequency signals in the magnetic recording/reproducing tracks; and then, either (i) conducting DC erasing or AC erasing to inspect extra pulse signals reproduced from the erased tracks, or (ii) inspecting concurrently occurring signals of missing pulse and spike pulse, which are reproduced from the written signals, whereby minute protrusions on a surface of the tracks were detected. Reading and writing of information are conducted while the magnetic heads are moved in a manner controlled so that reading and writing of information in specific tracks having defects is avoided. This method enhances reliability and life of the magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus.

Abstract: The preferred embodiments of the present invention are devices and processes for producing high resolution lithography or pattern formation on the nanometer scale, using a voltage-biased probe that is slider-mounted along with, or separate from but linked to, a magnetic read head within a HDD mechanism. The probe is guided and positioned over a target layer by the motion of the read head which is, itself, guided by signals from servo tracks on a magnetic layer that activate an electromechanical servomechanism within the HDD. An electric field produced by the probe is capable of modifying the surface of the target layer over which the probe flies either directly, or by current induced or thermally induced effects. Targets such as amorphous or crystalline silicon can be hydrogen passivated and the electric field will produce oxidized or anodized lines with nanometer resolution.

Abstract: A disk for a hard disk drive. The disk includes a recording layer that is supported by a substrate and a stabilization layer that is anti-ferromagnetically coupled to the recording layer. Because the recording and stabilization layers are anti-ferromagnetically coupled the net magnetization is the difference in magnetization of the two layers. The stabilization layer has a Curie temperature that is lower than a Curie temperature of the recording layer. As temperature increases the magnetization properties of the stabilization layer will have a greater change than the same properties of the recording layer. The net magnetization, coercively and nucleation field of the recording and stabilization layers can be designed to vary less with increasing temperature than disk of the prior art.

Abstract: A DVD player with language learning function using a general DVD as an audio source of language learning. The DVD player includes a DVD play unit for playing the audio and video of the DVD and outputting a subtitle picture and display information for the subtitle picture according to a play control signal, a text identifying unit for receiving the subtitle picture and converting the subtitle picture into text data, a text-to-speech unit for receiving the text data and converting the text data into synthesized voice signal, and a control module for receiving the display information of the subtitle picture and generating the play control signal according to the display information and a learning mode selected by the user. Thus, the DVD player of the invention does not need specific audio source media.

Abstract: A method of performing data/information recording and retrieval utilizing a multilevel patterned magnetic medium, comprises providing a magnetic recording system including a read/write head and a multilevel patterned magnetic recording medium including a plurality of spaced apart data/information storage elements each comprising a stacked plurality n of magnetic recording cells with different magnetic properties and magnetically decoupled from overlying and/or underlying cells; providing relative movement between the write head and magnetic recording medium; and writing to the medium by supplying the write head with a modulated write current comprising a plurality n of pulses of different magnitudes while the head passes over each element, thereby applying n different magnetic field strengths to each element, the write current including a first pulse of magnitude sufficient to write to a first cell of each element having a highest magnetic coercivity of said cells, and n?1 succeeding pulses of progressively s

Abstract: A head slider suppresses variation in a floating amount of the head slider, floating over a discrete medium, even when the floating amount is small. Among a plurality of pads of the head slider, the shape of the pad provided on the outflow end portion is formed of a wedge shape having a width narrowing toward the air outflow end. Thus, the pressure distribution can be improved, and the air pressure can be averaged. Accordingly, it becomes possible to suppress the variation in the floating amount caused by the discrete medium groove, enabling stable floatation. Moreover, because the stable floatation with a small floating amount can be attained, high-density recording/reproduction can be achieved with accuracy.

Abstract: Data characterizing a read/write head of a hard disk drive is produced in a burn-in process. The method includes measuring the flying height of the head at a first temperature in a burn-in chamber, measuring the flying height of the head at a second temperature in the burn-in chamber, postulating a linear relationship between the flying height and the temperature of ambient air using values of the flying height measured at the first and second temperatures, and estimating the flying height of the head at a third temperature using the linear relationship. The elevation of the read/write head is then controlled based on data representing the values of the flying height as measured at the first and second temperatures and as estimated for the temperature. In particular, the amount of electric power supplied to an FOD heater of the head is controlled based on the data generated during the burn-in process.

Abstract: In a method of fabricating a suspension, a suspension has first and second opposing surfaces and includes a flexure, a load beam, a mounting arm, and traces. The flexure is coupled to a proximal end of the load beam, and the mounting arm is coupled to a distal end of the load beam. The traces are coupled to the flexure. A suspension property to be altered is identified. A value of the unaltered suspension property is measured. An altered value of the suspension property is determined. The flexure, the load beam, or the mounting arm of the suspension, or a combination thereof, is coated with at least one layer of at least one film to alter the identified suspension property from the measured value to the predetermined altered value.

Abstract: Described herein are various embodiments of an electronic information storage apparatus and an associated method and system. For example, according to one illustrative embodiment, a disk drive comprises a base and at least one disk that are rotatably attached to the base. The at least one disk can include a burnished and lubricant-free outer surface. The disk drive can also include an actuator coupled to the base. The actuator can comprise a read/write head that is positionable in a reading/writing relationship with the at least one disk to define a lubricant-free space intermediate the read/write head and the outer surface. The disk drive can further include a read/write head loading and unloading ramp that is attached to the base. The ramp can include a ramp surface that is positioned proximate a periphery of the at least one disk.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a storage medium, a transducer positioned adjacent to the storage medium and along an axis, and first and second support members connected to the transducer at positions that are spaced apart in the direction of the axis.

Abstract: A magnetic recording head includes a recording magnetic pole, and a spin oscillation device including a first magnetic layer having at least one magnetic material layer, a second magnetic layer having at least one magnetic material layer, and a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer are antiferromagnetically coupled and/or magnetostatically coupled to each other. The first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer are laminated in a direction generally parallel to a medium facing surface and generally parallel to a side surface of the recording magnetic pole intersecting with the medium facing surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for positioning a transducer relative to a track of a data storage medium and inducing lateral modulation of transducer the relative to the track. An element of the transducer is actuated toward the storage medium during the lateral modulation, and atomic interaction is detected between the element and the storage medium because of a change in a response to the lateral modulation of the transducer due to the atomic interaction.

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive apparatus includes a magnetic disk, a ramp mechanism, a pair of magnetic head sliders each having an MR read head element, and a load/unload mechanism for retracting the pair of magnetic head sliders to the ramp mechanism under unloading states and for putting the pair of magnetic head sliders back to face front and back surfaces of the magnetic disk respectively under loading states. The ramp mechanism has head resting portions and a pair of permanent magnets. The pair of magnetic head sliders respectively resting in the head resting portions in a manner to face to each other during unloaded states. The pair of permanent magnets generates a closed loop magnetic field applied to the pair of magnetic head sliders rested in the respective head resting portions. The magnetic fields applied to the respective magnetic head sliders are in opposite directions along the track width of the magnetic head sliders.

Abstract: A head slider for a magnetic disk drive is provided. The head slider includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, an inner diameter side and an outer diameter side of an air bearing surface. The head slider further includes a first recess on the air bearing surface of the head slider, a second recess on the air bearing surface of the head slider wherein the second recess is deeper than the first recess and a third recess on the air bearing surface of the head slider wherein the third recess is deeper than the second recess and is disposed within the second recess, forming a first pocket.

Abstract: A micro-machined vibration-damping device comprises a patterned visco-elastic polymer and a substrate for receiving the patterned visco-elastic polymer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a tradeoff between reliability and performance for a disk drive. According to one embodiment, a first measurement at a first thermal fly height control (TFC) heater level that provides low reliability for a parameter and a second measurement at a second TFC heater level that provides low performance for the parameter are determined. The first measurement and the second measurement are used to determine if there is a third TFC heater level that at least satisfies a criteria for the parameter whereby the tradeoff between the reliability and the performance for the disk drive is enabled.

Abstract: A recording medium having content stream data recorded thereon and a recording and reproducing apparatus provided therefor. On the recording medium, content stream data is recorded as a stream object formed of one or more stream object units, each having a predetermined size and one or more stream packs. Each of the stream packs has an application time stamp indicating reproducing time information and a plurality of application packets in which the content stream data is packed. Each of the stream object units, excluding the last stream object unit, has at least one entire application time stamp. Thus, search information on all of the stream object units is correctly obtained, and program searching is carried out without error.

Abstract: A head stack assembly includes a suspension that supports a head that records information in or reproduces the information from a recording medium, a base plate that attaches the suspension to an arm that rotates the suspension, and a suspension substrate provided onto the suspension and electrically connected to the head, the suspension substrate having a long tail having a bending part near the base plate.

Abstract: A Pre-Contact Signal Detector (PCSD) used to predict contact between read-write head and disk surface. A preamplifier may include the PCSD. A main flex circuit may include the preamplifier. A head stack assembly may include the main flex circuit. An embedded circuit may use a pre-contact alert circuit, which may also be included in the PCSD and/or the preamplifier, also the main flex circuit, the head stack assembly. A hard disk drive may include the head stack assembly communicating with the embedded circuit. Manufacturing methods for these and their products of the manufacturing processes, including the program system.

Abstract: A suspension including a supporting layer, a conductive layer, and a dielectric layer. The conductive layer is formed as a plurality of traces. The supporting layer is formed of a rigid material to support the conductive layer. The dielectric layer is formed between the supporting layer and the conductive layer and is formed of a dielectric material with a permittivity of 1.0 to 3.0 F/m. Thus, a loss of a high frequency signal during the transmission of electrical signals can be prevented and the writing/reading performance of a hard disk drive apparatus can be improved.

Abstract: A base plate serving as a base portion of a motor has a plurality of coil-receiving portions in regions corresponding to a plurality of teeth and coils, respectively. Each coil-receiving portion receives a lower portion of a corresponding coil. The axial thickness of the base plate and that of the motor can be reduced by forming the base plate by pressing. The base plate is provided with a projection formed thereon. The projection extends generally in a direction perpendicular to a center axis of the motor between the coil-receiving portions. The projection is arranged to cross a line connecting closest portions of two coil-receiving portions to each other. Thus, a portion of the base plate having the lowest strength is reinforced and therefore the strength of the base plate is increased.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a drive motor which has a rotatable hub fitted with a recording medium and rotates the recording medium, and a disk-shaped clamper which is attached to the hub and holds the recording medium. The damper has a center aperture formed on a central axis of rotation of the drive motor and at least one positioning hole eccentric to the central axis of rotation. The clamper is fixed to the hub by a fixing screw driven into the hub through the center aperture. The hub has a support surface opposed to the damper and an annular engaging groove formed in the support surface to be coaxial with the central axis of rotation and opposed to the positioning hole, the engaging groove being configured to be engaged with a fixing pin which is passed through the positioning hole of the clamper.

Abstract: An information recording medium on which are recorded substantial data and reproduce control information for reproducing the substantial data, wherein the reproduce control information includes first reproduce control information required for reproducing the substantial data in all available reproduce patterns, and second reproduce control information required for reproducing the substantial data in a portion of the available reproduce patterns.

Abstract: A control IC is mounted on a circuit board and is used for driving both a one-inch stepper motor and a half-inch stepper motor. The control IC includes at least a number of pads required for driving the half-inch stepper motor. When the control IC drives the one-inch stepper motor or the half-inch stepper motor, the saturation voltage, the arrangement of the pads having the same functions for driving the one-inch stepper motor and the half-inch stepper motor, and the read/write constants for reading and writing from/into a floppy disk are set to be equal for both the one-inch stepper motor and the half-inch stepper motor.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for storing data which employ a hard disk memory media which is operably supported within a cartridge shell to form a disk cartridge. The disk cartridge can be employed in the manner of a tape cartridge wherein the disk cartridge can be stored in a communicatively isolated condition until required for read/write operations whereupon the disk cartridge can be communicatively linked to another device which transmits data to, or receives data from, the disk cartridge. The disk cartridge can adhere to a given tape cartridge form factor so as to enable both tape cartridges and disk cartridges to be employed together in a single automated library system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a disk cartridge, which can be accurately positioned with respect to a drive device for accessing a disk medium. The disk cartridge provided with a case rotatably accommodating a disk medium therein, an arcuate side wall which is directed forward when the case is loaded into the drive device, and a shutter member formed on at least one surface of the case, for opening or closing an opening for access to the disk medium. An engaging portion is provided at a side wall to engage with a sensor member disposed in the drive device for accessing the disk medium so as to record or reproduce information thereon.

Abstract: A hydrostatic bearing assembly, with an integral rotating-shaft hydrodynamic pump, adapted for use as a stiff zero static-friction actuator pivot bearing for the head-stack assembly of a disk drive data storage apparatus. The zero static-friction pivot bearing avoids all “limit cycling” and “sticking” problems arising from static bearing friction during micro-tracking operations. The motor-driven hydrodynamic pumping element is disposed coaxially to the zero static-friction hydrostatic bearing element in a single assembly adapted for use as an actuator pivot bearing. The hydrodynamic pumping element and the hydrostatic bearing element both use a plurality of spaced-apart radial journal-bearing layers and a plurality of axial thrust-bearing layers to provide stiffness in all directions at any rotational velocity.

Abstract: A system and method for determining when data stored in a data storage device is becoming unreliable. A list of trigger events is maintained, either on the media, or on a host processor, and the number of trigger events pertaining to data retrieval errors is also maintained either on the disc media or on the host processor. Based upon the trigger events and the running totals, the disc media is scanned for errors from time to time and the error detecting algorithm can change depending upon the respective trigger totals.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetic disc apparatus comprising a vertical two-layered magnetic recording (MR) medium and a mono-pole/MR composite head or ID/MR composite head, wherein the vertical two-layered magnetic recording medium includes a vertical magnetization film formed on an undercoat soft magnetic film having no magnetic domain wall structure. This eliminates the fatal defect of a conventional vertical two-layered medium that an undercoat soft magnetic film domain wall is easily shifted by an external magnetic field generated by motors for disc rotation and head positioning, causing demagnetization of the recording magnetization to lower the output. The magnetic disc apparatus according to the present invention enables to obtain a high output stability.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic disk comprises the steps of depositing NiP (20) on a substrate (22); depositing NiNb (24) on the NiP; and laser texturing the NiNb. "Sombrero" shaped texture features are more easily formed on the substrate/NiP/NiNb structure than a substrate/NiP structure. The disk is completed by depositing an underlayer (e.g. sputtered Cr or NiP), a magnetic layer (e.g. a Co alloy) and a protective overcoat (e.g. by hydrogenated carbon).

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium comprising a non-magnetic substrate and a magnetic layer and a protective layer which are formed on the non-magnetic substrate in that order, wherein a substance(s) as a single component or a plurality of components, which constitute a liquid continuously supplied to the surface of said protective layer, are adsorbed on or react with the surface of said protective layer to form a lubricating film having low frictional properties and low wearing-out properties. The present invention can realize negligible friction and wear resistance even in severe sliding at a very slightly kept-off or completely contacted state by continuous supply of a liquid lubricant prepared by adding a fluoro compound and an extreme pressure agent or an oiliness agent to a solvent to the surface of a disc, and can provide a magnetic recording reproducer having excellent sliding-resistant characteristics.

Abstract: An axial compact direct drive for a storage disk comprises a stator, a rotor carrying a hub for receiving storage disks and a bearing arrangement. The bearing arrangement is disposed at a radially external edge of the hub to rotatably support the hub against axial and radial movement. The rotor is electrically driven at locations in the center of the stator or at locations surrounding the stator.