Abstract: A magnetic recording system includes a patterned medium comprised of land areas and trough areas, a write element which writes the data to the patterned medium, and a read element which reads the data from the patterned medium and servo information from the troughs. The land areas store data and the trough areas inhibit storage of data. The read element is wider than the write element.

Abstract: A disk drive system including a disk having a contact surface and a slider having a surface with a pattern of features is described. The disk's contact surface is textured with protrusions that roughen surface. The distance between the protrusions on the disk is less than the distance between the features on the slider surface.

Abstract: A head and disk system for use in a disk drive is disclosed. The head includes a slider having a surface that contacts the disk. This disk contacting surface of the slider is textured with pads, bumps, an etched surface or an otherwise roughened surface. The contact area of the disk has a greater roughness than a data zone. The head disk system exhibits acceptable stiction. Additionally, low glide avalanche over the CSS zone, thus enabling low fly height, is achieved.

Abstract: A marking system is provided for thin film magnetic disks in which the laser texturing stage in the manufacturing process for magnetic disks is used to form a single track marking zone. In this marking zone, information about the disk is serialized and stored in the form of long and short laser features, representing bits in a binary code. The length of the marking zone can be used to indicate additional information about the disk.

Abstract: A head and disk system for use in a disk drive includes a slider having a surface that contacts the disk. This disk contacting surface of the slider is textured with pads, bumps, an etched surface or an otherwise roughened surface. The contact area of the disk has a greater roughness than a data zone. The head disk system exhibits acceptable stiction. Additionally, low glide avalanche over the CSS zone, thus enabling low fly height, is achieved.

Abstract: A monitoring device is used to monitor the performance of a burnishing apparatus that uses a burnishing tape. The monitoring device monitors the contact between the burnishing tape and the disk. The monitoring device may include an acoustic emission sensor, e.g., a piezo-electric transducer, that is mounted on the elements that press the burnishing tape into contact with the disk. Elastic waves that are produced by the contact between the burnishing tape and the disk propagate through the pressure applying element, received by the sensor and are converted into electric signals. The electric signals from the sensor are converted into amplitude signals in the time domain and/or signals in the frequency domain. Alternatively, the monitoring device may measure the elastic waves propagating through the disk, the tension on the burnishing tape, and/or the frictional force between the burnishing tape and the disk.

Abstract: A burnishing tape apparatus includes pads that press the burnishing tape against the surfaces of the disk to be burnished. The pads are mounted on pad holders that are biased to press the pads against both sides of the disk. Tape guides are used to apply tension to the burnishing pad when the pads are moved away from the disk. When the pads are away from the disk tape guides hold the burnishing tape away from the pads so that the burnishing tape may be indexed without damaging or dislodging the pads. As the pads are moved into contact with the disk, the tape guides release the tension on the burnishing tape while the centering guides ensure that the burnishing tape is centered on the pads. By releasing tension on the burnishing tape, the pads are permitted to press the approximate center of the burnishing tape against the surfaces of the disk without deforming in an uncontrolled manner.

Abstract: A dresser for a grinder having at least one rotatable platen and at least one grinding stone includes a frame and at least one abrasive block for contacting the grinding stone. The grinding stone is mounted to the platen which rotates about a vertical axis. The abrasive block extends across the grinding stone. The frame of the dresser is mounted proximate the platen and remains stationary while the grinding stone rotates. The abrasive block contacts the rotating grinding stone, thereby dressing the grinding stone.

Abstract: A calibration disk for calibrating the fly height of a head, includes spaced circumferencial bands on the disk extending in a concentric fashion from adjacent an outer diameter of the disk to near an inner diameter of the disk. Each of the bands include radial and circumferencial spaced asperity emulating bumps having a population sufficient to produce a constant and continuous output signal from a glide head when the glide head flies lower than a maximum height of the bumps. The height of the bumps within individual bands are substantially uniform, and the average heights of the bumps in each band differ from each other. The configuration of the bumps on the calibration disk advantageously avoids errors caused by disk waviness, runout, and contamination. Further, using the differing heights of the bumps on the calibration disk, a glide head can be calibrated on the glide tester without using an independent fly height measurements for the glide head.

Abstract: In this invention, an ultra thin layer of CoCr alloy nucleation layer is sputtered at an extremely low deposition rate above a predominantly (200) oriented Cr film followed by a CoCrPt based alloy sputtered film at higher rates and moderate temperatures. This structure creates a media which has very high Hc, and excellent PW50, low noise and excellent low TNLD values. By using this technique, the CoCrPt magnetic film achieves excellent in-plane crystallographic orientation, and high Hc is achieved with minimal amount of Pt addition to the magnetic film. The method allows very fine grain structure of cobalt to be formed which contributes to good signal to noise ratio. A fine grain structure combined with chromium segregation between the grains improve the signal to noise ratio even more. A high degree of in-plane c-axis orientation is achieved in the cobalt layer which provides very high hysteresis loop squareness which helps to improve the OW and TNLD.

Abstract: A memory disk having a central opening and planar sides for receiving magnetic media on both of the sides is bounded by a cylindrical outside diameter peripheral edge and chamfered edges extending between each of the planar sides. The peripheral edge is clamped by a disk processing chuck including a disk retainer mount having a central disk support for mounting a circular disk edge bounding the central opening and a mount cylindrical beveled edge receiving an outside diameter chamfered edge of the disk. A ring in the retainer mount includes a multiplicity of spaced radial fingers extending cylindrically around the ring, each finger having a distal end extending to a first position outboard of the disk peripheral edge. The distal ends are moveable inwardly to a second position by an inflatable bladder acting simultaneously against all the fingers, placing the distal end tips into clamping contact with the disk peripheral edge mounted on the retainer mount.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic disk comprises the step of depositing a metallic layer on a glass substrate and laser texturing the metallic layer. The magnetic disk is then completed by deposition of (a) an underlayer such as Cr or sputtered NiP, (b) a magnetic layer such as a Co or Fe alloy, and (c) a protective overcoat such as ZrO.sub.2, carbon or hydrogenated carbon. By providing the above-mentioned metallic layer, laser texturing can now be used in conjunction with glass substrates.

Abstract: Sputtering method for producing amorphous hydrogenated carbon thin films with high sp.sup.3 content. By sputtering the carbon with a pulsed DC power supply having high voltage peaks, a carbon film with remarkably high sp.sup.3 bonding fraction can be obtained. Previously, carbon films with a very high sp.sup.3 fraction film with content as high (e.g. as 80%) could only be produced by methods such as filtered cathodic arc deposition or chemical vapor deposition methods (CVD) such as plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) and ion-beam deposition operating at some narrowly defined range of deposition conditions. It is very advantageous to use sputtering to create a high sp.sup.3 content film, since sputtering is more manufacturable and has higher productivity compared to CVD or ion-beam deposition methods. The resultant carbon film has excellent durability and corrosion resistance capability down to very low thickness.

Abstract: A Co--Pt based magnetic alloy which has been doped with a relatively high amount of nitrogen, e.g., at or above 1 at. % is obtained having high coercivity, for example in the range of 1400 Oe or above, and an increased signal-to-noise ratio as compared to the same Co--Pt based alloy which has not been doped with nitrogen. The alloy is vacuum deposited, for example, by sputtering, and the nitrogen may be introduced from the sputtering gas or from the sputtering target. Other low-solubility elements providing the grain uniformity and isolation include: B, P, S, C, Si, As, Se and Te.

Abstract: An end effector for loading and unloading a magnetic information storage circular disk on a grinder carrier surface includes an effector block, an annular vacuum cup, including vacuum apertures, attached to and extending from the block and a vacuum source for attaching the cup to the disk. The annular cup surrounds and abuts against a periphery of a central aperture of the disk. A disk-carrying effector further includes a series, preferably three, of spaced vacuum cups extending radially outwardly of the annular vacuum cup. The overall effector is placed into abutment with radially outward portions of the disk surface and used to reliably unload a ground disk from a grinding surface. The spaced vacuum cups compensate for any non-planarity of the disk to be picked up caused by uneven wear of the grinder surface upon which the disk rests.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic disk comprises the step of depositing a metallic layer on a glass substrate and laser texturing the metallic layer. The magnetic disk is then completed by deposition of (a) an underlayer such as Cr or sputtered NiP, (b) a magnetic layer such as a Co or Fe alloy, and (c) a protective overcoat such as ZrO.sub.2, carbon or hydrogenated carbon. By providing the above-mentioned metallic layer, laser texturing can now be used in conjunction with glass substrates.

Abstract: A Co--Pt based magnetic alloy which has been sputtered with an oxide or nitride of a primary constituent of the magnetic layer, e.g., CoO below about 10 at. %, provides improved coercivity, squareness, and reduced noise as compared to magnetic alloys with oxygen introduced by other methods. The alloy is vacuum deposited, for example, by sputtering, and the oxide or nitride may be introduced from the sputtering target from which the magnetic layer materials come or from a separate sputtering target. Examples of such oxides and nitrides include CoO, Co.sub.2 0.sub.3, Co.sub.3 O.sub.4, CrO.sub.2, Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, WO, CoN, Co.sub.2 N, TiN, TaN, CrN, NiN, etc.

Abstract: A memory media tester uses a dynamic threshold margin between the sensor signal produced by a sensor and a threshold level. The dynamic threshold margin is generated as a function of a DC signal generated by converting the sensor signal to a DC voltage, where the sensor signal is composed of a noise level and signal spikes. The rate of change of the DC converted signal is controlled in order to prevent the DC converted signal from being significantly affected by the signal spikes. The dynamic threshold margin may be produced as a dynamic threshold level, a dynamically amplified output signal, or both. The sensitivity of the dynamic threshold margin may be electronically adjusted. The dynamic threshold margin automatically adjusts to changes in the DC converted signal, such as when there is a change in the surface roughness of the media, or when the sensor loses sensitivity.

Abstract: Formation of laser texture features simultaneously on the target surfaces of each side of magnetic recording disk is facilitated by optical and mechanical components permitting excellent balance of optical power between each target surface, excellent matching of the radial position of laser texture features between each target surface, and excellent focusing of laser beams on each target surface. Polarization of the source laser beam may be used to controllably balance and direct a single source beam into individual beam paths for each target surface. Handling, automation complexity, and manufacturing time is thereby reduced.

Abstract: A robotic end effector for loading and unloading a magnetic information storage circular disk on a grinder or polisher carrier surface includes an effector block, an annular vacuum cup, including vacuum apertures, attached to and extending from the block and a vacuum source for attaching the cup to the disk. The cup surrounds and abuts against a periphery of a central aperture of the disk. A bore in the block conveys pressurized air through the cup axial interior, through the disk central aperture to overcome surface tension (stiction) between the carrier surface or platen of the grinder or polisher and the disk underside during unloading. A disk-carrying effector is aligned by including a lens surrounded by a ring of light-emitting diodes directed to fiducial holes on the carrier surface providing for a comparative reflection of light from the diodes by dark holes and a light colored carrier surface.