Abstract: A magnetic recording medium using a nonmagnetic interlayer in between a Cr-base underlayer and a Co magnetic layer is disclosed. The nonmagnetic interlayer comprises Co1−&agr;−&bgr;−&ggr;−&zgr;Cr&agr;X&bgr;Y&ggr;Z&zgr;. X is a material selected from Ni or Fe so as to substitute a portion of Cr composition. Y is a material selected from materials which can form a solid solution with at least one of list materials consisting of Ni, Fe, Co, and Cr. The Y materials added in the interlayer is to adjust the lattice mismatch of interface between the interlayer and the underlayer to a magnitude so that the interlayer formed on the underlayer at least is a texture layer, an epitaxial layer is best preferred. However, Z is a material which is insoluble with any of above list materials, Cr, Co, X, and Y in a solid state so as to form precipitates, thereby inhibiting the grain growth. In a preferred embodiment, the &agr;, &bgr;, &ggr;, and &zgr; are about 25-41%, 0.1-5%, 0.1-5%, and 0.

Abstract: Apparatus for detecting defects in a magnetic disk includes a read head including multiple read elements for reading multiple tracks of the disk. Read signals produced by the read elements are received by certifier circuit portions for determining whether any of the read signals includes an indication of a defect in the disk. A monitoring circuit monitors the read elements to detect a malfunctioning read element. The read head position is controlled so that a malfunctioning read element is not used.

Abstract: The present invention provides a texture measuring method of a hard disk plate. The method comprises performing a laser etching process to form a pinhole at each of a plurality of predetermined positions in a predetermined area on the hard disk plate, measuring the pinhole at each of the predetermined positions to obtain a first measurement value, performing a mechanical texturing process on the predetermined area of the hard disk plate to form circular textures on the predetermined area, and measuring the pinhole at each of the predetermined positions to obtain a second measurement value wherein the first and second measurement values are used to determine the extent of texturing performed on the predetermined area of the hard disk plate.

Abstract: This invention relates to a slow pull dryer comprising a rectangular water tank and a wave eliminator. The water tank has four vertical side-walls and a bottom plate with a water hole for filling hot water wherein the hot water filled in the water tank can spill out of the water tank from the top side of one predetermined side-wall. The wave eliminator is installed at the bottom of the water tank. The lower side of the wave eliminator has a rectangular recess facing downward, and the upper side of the wave eliminator has a line-shaped opening in parallel with the predetermined side-wall. The hot water from the water hole flows into the recess and its flowing speed is slowed down in the recess. The line-shaped opening allows the hot water in the recess flow upward into the upper portion of the water tank and form a panel-shaped vertical water flow.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for forming a lubricant layer of differing thickness on distinct zones of a maonetic disk of a hard disk drive without heating, inert gas plasma and UV-radiation or E-beam exposition. According to the present invention. an overcoat layer with distinct zones of differing thickness is first sputtered on the disk surface by using distinct masks under different sputtering conditions. A lubricant layer is then uniformly coated on the overcoat layer. Since a part of lubricant is bonded to the overcoat to form a bonded lubricant layer and the thickness of the bonded lubricant layer relates to the overcoat layer's property, a free lubricant layer with zoned thickness is consequently formed, which the free lubricant layer consists of the leftover lubricant. The zoned lubricant layer of the invention hence decreases the flying stiction.

Abstract: A glide head with mounted PZT sensor is used to obtain a glide avalanche curve. The glide head is subsequently gradually decreased until the signal is extremely high. First, at least one resonance frequency of the glide head is determined. The frequency component of the PZT glide signal to each specific irregular peak is analyzed by using the speed of the glide head divided by the bump spacing, multiplied by a factor, m, where m is an integer number. The next step of the present invention is to determine a glide avalanche break point of the recording medium. Then, the glide avalanche point is determined in the region which is between the irregular peaks and the extremely high signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to high-coercivity magnetic recording media used in a hard disk drive. The magnetic recording medium comprises a nonmagnetic substrate, a seed layer comprising NiAl alloy sputtered onto the substrate, a sublayer comprising CrV alloy sputtered onto the seed layer, a magnetic layer comprising CoCrPtTaNb alloy sputtered onto the sublayer, and a carbon overcoat sputtered onto the magnetic layer. The magnetic recording medium of such a structure has improved signal-to-noise ratio, coercivity, overwrite capability, and orientation ratio thereby greatly improving the storage density and read/write capacity of the magnetic recording medium. Furthermore, the coercivity of the magnetic layer of CoCrPtTaNb alloy according to the present invention can be as high as 4000 Oersteds even without the use of the NiAl seed layer.