Abstract: A method for smoothing a medium includes depositing a magnetic layer onto a base, depositing an overcoat layer onto an outer surface of the magnetic layer, and burnishing an outer surface of the overcoat layer. Further, the method includes at least one of (i) directing a first ion beam comprised of first energetic ions toward the outer surface of the magnetic layer at a first shallow grazing angle and smoothing the outer surface of the magnetic layer via etching engagement between the first ion beam and the outer surface of the magnetic layer; and (ii) directing a second ion beam comprised of second energetic ions toward the outer surface of the overcoat layer at a second shallow grazing angle and smoothing the outer surface of the overcoat layer via etching engagement between the second angled ion beam and the outer surface of the overcoat layer.

Abstract: A surface agent includes two end portions and a middle portion disposed between the end portions. The end portions include a terminal section and a midsection. The terminal section includes at least one surface active functional group. The midsection includes at least one perfluoroethyl ether unit. The middle portion includes at least one perfluorobutyl ether unit.

Abstract: A magnetic media disk has a substrate; a recording magnetic media on the substrate; and an overcoat on the recording magnetic media, the overcoat comprising a Si-based layer on the recording magnetic media, and a Ti-based layer on the Si-based layer. The magnetic media disk may be rotatably mounted to an enclosure in a hard disk drive.

Abstract: A surface agent includes two end portions and a middle portion disposed between the end portions. The end portions include a terminal section and a midsection. The terminal section includes at least one surface active functional group. The midsection includes at least one perfluoroethyl ether unit. The middle portion includes at least one perfluorobutyl ether unit.

Abstract: A surface agent includes two end portions and a middle portion disposed between the end portions. The end portions include a terminal section and a midsection. The terminal section includes at least one surface active functional group. The midsection includes at least one perfluoroethyl ether unit. The middle portion includes at least one perfluorobutyl ether unit.

Abstract: A method for smoothing a medium includes depositing a magnetic layer onto a base, depositing an overcoat layer onto an outer surface of the magnetic layer, and burnishing an outer surface of the overcoat layer. Further, the method includes at least one of (i) directing a first ion beam comprised of first energetic ions toward the outer surface of the magnetic layer at a first shallow grazing angle and smoothing the outer surface of the magnetic layer via etching engagement between the first ion beam and the outer surface of the magnetic layer; and (ii) directing a second ion beam comprised of second energetic ions toward the outer surface of the overcoat layer at a second shallow grazing angle and smoothing the outer surface of the overcoat layer via etching engagement between the second angled ion beam and the outer surface of the overcoat layer.

Abstract: A magnetic media disk has a substrate; a recording magnetic media on the substrate; and an overcoat on the recording magnetic media, the overcoat comprising a Si-based layer on the recording magnetic media, and a Ti-based layer on the Si-based layer.

Abstract: A surface agent includes two end portions and a middle portion disposed between the end portions. The end portions include a terminal section and a midsection. The terminal section includes at least one surface active functional group. The midsection includes at least one perfluoroethyl ether unit. The middle portion includes at least one perfluorobutyl ether unit.

Abstract: A disk that is identified as defective in a manufacturing process is reused for conditioning a deposition tool that deposits a magnetic material onto disks. After the disk has been identified as defective, a surface of the disk is cleaned in a cleaning tool to remove a lubricant material using a dry etch process. The cleaned disk is moved from the cleaning tool into the deposition tool. The deposition tool is conditioned by depositing the magnetic material onto the cleaned surface of the disk. Because the disk has been cleaned, reusing the defective disk to condition the deposition tool does not contaminate the deposition tool.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic disk overcoat for perpendicular magnetic recording media comprises three layers. The initial layer comprises a dense mixture of both SiCx and SiNy compounds. The intermediate layer is a relatively dense high energy carbon process and the outer layer is sputtered CNx. The overall thickness of the overcoat is less than about 35 ?. The overcoat has the desired lubricant interaction with the elements that comprise the magnetic layers adjacent to the overcoat. Adjusting the SiC/SiN ratio in the overcoat eliminates potential negative interaction with the magnetic layers of the disk.

Abstract: A hard disk drive slider comprises an overcoat layer, which covers an air-bearing surface of the slider. The overcoat covers an exposed surface of a tunneling magnetoresistance transducer. An adhesion layer is coupled with the overcoat layer and the air-bearing surface. The adhesion layer comprises a compound of nitrogen. The compound of nitrogen reduces noise in read data from the tunneling magnetoresistance transducer.

Abstract: A hard disk drive slider comprises a tunneling magnetoresistance transducer, which comprises an insulator barrier. A nitrogen atom from a nitrogen atmosphere occupies an oxygen atom vacancy within the insulator barrier, such that noise in read data from the tunneling magnetoresistance transducer is reduced.

Abstract: The fabrication of the overcoat layer starts with a low energy ion beam to avoid magnetic layer implantation problems, followed by higher deposition energies where the higher energy atoms are implanted into the previously formed lower energy overcoat layer, rather than the magnetic layer. The energy gradient ion beam deposition process therefore results in a thin overcoat layer that is denser than a comparable layer formed by low energy magnetron sputtering, and which overcoat layer provides good mechanical and corrosion protection to the magnetic layer, without degrading the magnetic properties of the magnetic layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for compensating waveforms, spectra, and profiles derived therefrom for effects of drift is disclosed. The present invention removes the effects of drift from a sequential series of waveforms obtained from a waveform-source device, or spectra, from a spectrometer, to produce for output a sequential series of drift-compensated waveforms, or spectra, respectively. In addition, the present invention performs a factor analysis, or alternatively a linear-least-squares analysis, on an array of the drift-compensated waveforms, or spectra to provide a set of drift-compensated principal factors; and, generates drift-compensated scaled target-factor profiles from a profile trajectory lying within a space of the set of drift-compensated principal factors. In addition, in the case of spectra, the invention provides for conversion of the drift-compensated scaled target-factor profiles to drift-compensated compositional profiles.

Abstract: A method for sputtering a thin film protective layer with improved durability is disclosed. The method reduces kinetic energy of the ions of the overcoat material during the initial period of deposition to form a buffering interface which reduces the interpenetration of the atoms of the protective layer into the underlying film. In the method of the invention the sputtering of the overcoat preferably begins with zero (or very low) voltage applied to the underlying film resulting in minimal ion implantation in the underlying film. The “high energy” phase of the process begins with increases in the magnitude of the negative bias voltage applied to the underlying film. The higher energy imparted to ions in the plasma result in a denser and harder film being formed over the initial buffer layer. The protective layer preferably comprises carbon and nitrogen.

Abstract: The fabrication of an overcoat layer starts with a low energy ion beam to avoid magnetic layer implantation problems, followed by higher deposition energies where the higher energy atoms are implanted into the previously formed lower energy overcoat layer, rather than the magnetic layer. The energy gradient ion beam deposition process therefore results in a thin overcoat layer that is denser than a comparable layer formed by low energy magnetron sputtering, and which overcoat layer provides good mechanical and corrosion protection to the magnetic layer.

Abstract: In the energy gradient ion beam deposition technique of the present invention, the fabrication of the overcoat layer starts with a low energy ion beam to avoid magnetic layer implantation problems, followed by higher deposition energies where the higher energy atoms are implanted into the previously formed lower energy overcoat layer, rather than the magnetic layer. The energy gradient ion beam deposition process therefore results in a thin overcoat layer that is denser than a comparable layer formed by low energy magnetron sputtering, and which overcoat layer provides good mechanical and corrosion protection to the magnetic layer, without degrading the magnetic properties of the magnetic layer. Where a magnetic media hard disk of the present invention is utilized within a hard disk drive, the thinner overcoat layer allows the magnetic head of the disk drive to fly closer to the magnetic media layer, thereby facilitating an increase in the areal data storage density of the hard disk drive.

Abstract: A method for sputtering a thin film protective layer that allows the protective layer (overcoat) to be ultra-thin with improved durability over prior art films is disclosed. The method reduces kinetic energy of the ions of the overcoat material during the initial period of deposition to form a buffering interface which reduces the interpenetration of the atoms of the protective layer into the underlying film. In the method of the invention the sputtering of the overcoat preferably begins with zero (or very low) voltage applied to the underlying film resulting in minimal ion implantation in the underlying film. The “high energy” phase of the process begins with increases in the magnitude of the negative bias voltage applied to the underlying film. The higher energy imparted to ions in the plasma result in a denser and harder film being formed over the initial buffer layer. The protective layer preferably comprises carbon and nitrogen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for compensating waveforms, spectra, and profiles derived therefrom for effects of drift is disclosed. The present invention removes the effects of drift from a sequential series of waveforms obtained from a waveform-source device, or spectra, from a spectrometer, to produce for output a sequential series of drift-compensated waveforms, or spectra, respectively. In addition, the present invention performs a factor analysis, or alternatively a linear-least-squares analysis, on an array of the drift-compensated waveforms, or spectra to provide a set of drift-compensated principal factors; and, generates drift-compensated scaled target-factor profiles from a profile trajectory lying within a space of the set of drift-compensated principal factors. In addition, in the case of spectra, the invention provides for conversion of the drift-compensated scaled target-factor profiles to drift-compensated compositional profiles.

Abstract: A method for sputtering a thin film protective layer that allows the protective layer (overcoat) to be ultra-thin with improved durability over prior art films is disclosed. The method reduces kinetic energy of the ions of the overcoat material during the initial period of deposition to form a buffering interface which reduces the interpenetration of the atoms of the protective layer into the underlying film. In the method of the invention the sputtering of the overcoat preferably begins with zero (or very low) voltage applied to the underlying film resulting in minimal ion implantation in the underlying film. The “high energy” phase of the process begins with increases in the magnitude of the negative bias voltage applied to the underlying film. The higher energy imparted to ions in the plasma result in a denser and harder film being formed over the initial buffer layer. The protective layer preferably comprises carbon and nitrogen.