Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A hard disk drive head operates in close proximity and dynamic contact with a rapidly spinning rigid disk surface, the head including a transducer with a magnetically permeable path between a poletip disposed adjacent to the disk surface and a magnetoresistive (MR) sensor situated outside the range of thermal noise generated by the surface contact. The magnetically permeable path is the same as that used to write data to the disk, eliminating errors that occur in conventional transducers having MR sensors at a separate location from the writing poletips. Moreover, the magnetically permeable path is preferably formed in a low profile, highly efficient “planar” loop that allows for manufacturing tolerances in throat height and wear of the terminal poletips from disk contact without poletip saturation or poletip smearing. The MR layer is formed in one of the first manufacturing steps atop the substrate, so that the MR layer has a relatively uniform planar template that is free from contaminants.

Abstract: An electromagnetic disk drive system including a rigid disk and electromagnetic read/write head structure and elongate flexure structure which cooperatively offer unique features and performance in the head/disk interface region. The head structure and flexure structure, in one form of the invention, are unitary and integrated and in another form are articulated. Both forms of the invention perform with substantially continuous dynamic contact with the recording surface of the disk, and both are characterized by a low effective mass and low contact force between the head and disk surface.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A hard disk drive has a head with a read element adjacent to a write element, with the write element extending closer to the disk than the read element so that the write element is close to the disk for writing sharp patterns and the read element is removed from the disk to avoid wear and thermal asperities. The write element is encompassed with diamond-like carbon (DLC) to allow at least occasional dynamic contact with the disk while the read element, which includes a magneto resistive material, is disposed in a recessed area and may be covered with a thin coating of DLC to avert corrosion. The disk may have a multilayer granular media for low-noise, high-strength perpendicular data storage. Perpendicular data storage may also be provided by keeping the write element in such close proximity to the media that perpendicular write fields predominate, while perpendicular signals from the media are favored by the read element.

Abstract: Compact, high-speed, low-mass, rotary actuator structure (and a related method) for manipulating the position of a read/write transducer in a disk-drive system. The actuator includes a motor with a winding distributed in such a fashion that circumscribes, or alternatively semi-circumbounds, the rotary axis of the actuator, thus to assist in providing appropriate mass balance. Electrical connections to this winding, and to other components carried for motion by the actuator structure, extend in a low-torque fashion on and substantially coincidentally along the rotary axis of the actuator.

Abstract: A low-mass head/flexure/conductor assembly for reading and writing information with respect to a rigid magnetic recording disk. The assembly includes a read/write transducer unit, an elongate flexure, and gimbal structure interconnecting and articulating the transducer unit and the flexure for selected, limited relative roll and pitch, without relative yaw. Conductive ribbons that form part of the gimbal structure also form part of the conductive circuit provided in the assembly. The assembly has an effective mass of no more than about 1.5-milligrams. Plural, hardened, wear-resistant feet are formed on the transducer unit for enabling sliding contact with the recording surface in a disk. The flexure may be formed of various materials, including both ceramic and nonceramic materials, and may carry applied damping material in order to control certain resonance and servo-performance characteristics.

Abstract: An electromagnetic disk drive system including a rigid disk and electromagnetic read/write head structure and elongate flexure structure which cooperatively offer unique features and performance in the head/disk interface region. The head structure and flexure structure, in one general form of the invention, are unitary and integrated and in another general form are articulated. Both forms of the invention perform with substantially continuous contact with the recording surface of the disk, and both are characterized by an overall effective mass no greater than about 1.5-milligrams.

Abstract: A low-mass head/flexure/conductor assembly for reading and writing information with respect to a rigid magnetic recording disk. The assembly includes a read/write transducer unit, an elongate flexure, and gimbal structure interconnecting and articulating the transducer unit and the flexure for selected, limited relative roll and pitch, without relative yaw. Conductive ribbons that form part of the gimbal structure also form part of the conductive circuit provided in the assembly. The assembly has an effective mass of no more than about 1.5-milligrams. Plural, hardened, wear-resistant feet are formed on the transducer unit for enabling sliding contact with the recording surface in a disk.

Abstract: A unitary micro-flexure structure and a method of making the same, wherein the structure takes the form of an elongate dielectric flexure body having a mounting end and a free end, and which is adapted for cantilevered disposition, wherein the body takes a form which is constructed entirely from thin-film deposition and patterning processes involving the deposition of a metal oxide, and further wherein the body has a topography which is at least partially determined by etch-removable boundary-defining structure.

Abstract: Compact, high-speed, low-mass, rotary actuator structure (and a related method) for manipulating the position of a read/write transducer in a disk-drive system. The actuator includes a motor with a winding distributed in such a fashion that it circumscribes the rotary axis of the actuator, thus to assist in providing appropriate mass balance. Electrical connections to this winding, and to other components carried for motion by the actuator structure, extend in a low-torque fashion on and substantially coincidentally along the rotary axis of the actuator.

Abstract: An integrated head/flexure/conductor structure for the reading and writing of information with respect to a relatively moving medium, such as a disk or drum, and a method for manufacturing the same. The proposed structure takes the form of a micro-dimension, elongate, dielectric flexure body, and embedded within such body both magnetic read/write pole structure, and electrical coil and conductor structure operatively associated with the pole structure. The flexure body and the embedded constitutes are formed on an atom-by-atom basis utilizing one or more conventional material-deposition processes. The method of the invention is employable, as well, to create, for example, various read/write structural components or units which may be less than a fully integrated read/write head/flexure/conductor structure.

Abstract: An integrated head/flexure/conductor structure for the reading and writing of information with respect to a relatively moving medium, such as a disk or drum, and a method for manufacturing the same. The proposed structure takes the form of a micro-dimension, elongate dielectric flexure body, and embedded within such body both magnetic read/write pole structure, and electrical coil and conductor structure operatively associated with the pole structure. The flexure body and the embedded constituents are formed on an atom-by-atom basis utilizing one or more conventional material-deposition processes. The method [proposed by the invention] includes orthogonal-plane processing steps that facilitate formation of the magnetic pole structure in a way enhancing dimensional control.

Abstract: An integrated head/flexure/conductor structure in a system for the reading and writing of information with respect to a relatively moving, contacted medium, such as a disk or drum, and a method for manufacturing the same. The proposed structure takes the form of a micro-dimension, elongate, dielectric flexure body, and embedded within such body both magnetic read/write pole structure, and electrical coil and conductor structure operatively associated with the pole structure. The flexure body and the embedded constituents are formed on an atom-by-atom basis utilizing one or more conventional material-deposition processes.

Abstract: An integrated head/flexure/conductor structure for the reading and writing of information with respect to a relatively moving medium, such as a disk or drum, and a method for manufacturing the same. The proposed structure takes the form of a micro-dimension, elongate, dielectric flexure body, and embedded within such body both magnetic read/write pole structure, and electrical coil and conductor structure operatively associated with the pole structure. The flexure body and the embedded constituents are formed on an atom-by-atom basis utilizing one or more conventioanl material-deposition processes.

Abstract: An integrated unitary micro-burnishing head structure for use with the surface of rigid magnetic recording media. In one type of embodiment, the proposed head structure includes a single elongate flexure body to one end of which is joined a media-contacting abrader head which may take any one of several different preferred shapes. In another embodiment, plural elongate flexure bodies are disposed in a comb-like array carrying abrader heads at one set of free ends, and joined adjacent their opposite ends through a common joinder structure.

Abstract: An integrated head/flexure/conductor structure for the reading and writing of information with respect to a relatively moving medium, such as a disk or drum, and a method for manufacturing the same. The proposed structure takes the form of a micro-dimension, elongate, dielectric flexure body, and embedded within such body both magnetic read/write pole structure, and electrical coil and conductor structure operatively associated with the pole structure. The flexure body and the embedded constituents are formed on an atom-by-atom basis utilizing one or more conventional material-deposition processes.

Abstract: A magnetic head assembly including a slider (15) for supporting a magnetic transducer (12) adjacent the surface of a recording media (14) on an air film, said slider including an air bearing member (26) having a peripheral wall (38) extending toward said media and presenting a substantially equal cross sectional area to the air film moving with the media as the head is skewed slightly relative to the oncoming air film.

Abstract: A slider for flying along a recording surface and carrying a recording head (19,20) for recording data, comprising an air bearing region (12,14) to create a positive pressure region tending to support the slider, and a negative pressure region (21) tending to hold the slider close to the recording surface, with buffer pads (27,28) and grooves (25,26) between the positive and negative pressure regions to create a neutral pressure zone separation.