Abstract: A method for detecting manufacturing marks on sputtered disks includes rotating the disk three hundred and sixty degrees. As the disk rotates, a sensor is used to detect a quantity of manufacturing marks formed on the outer edge of the disk. If there are less than four manufacturing marks on the edge of the disk, a signal is sent to a warning device to indicate that the disk is defective. The lack of a manufacturing mark is an indication that a gripper used to hold the disk within the sputtering chamber during the sputtering process is bent or otherwise misaligned. As such, a signal is also sent to the warning device to indicate that the grippers within the sputtering chamber must be inspected.

Abstract: A disk for a disk drive uses a circular platter having first and second sides and a circumferential edge. The circumferential edge of the disk has four symmetrically spaced apart shadows and a fifth or additional shadow that gives the disk an asymmetrical shadow signature. The fifth shadow is offset relative to the other shadows, which have congruent arcuate lengths and separation. The fifth shadow has an arcuate length that is about half as long as those of the other shadows, and is closely spaced adjacent to one of the other shadows. The asymmetric shadow signatures of the disk is used to precisely determine both the circumferential position of the platters and their planar orientation (i.e., A-side or B-side). For example, when the disk is mounted on a tool spindle and rotated, an optical detector detects the pattern of the shadows and feeds the data to a computer system. The rotational position of the spindle also is relayed to the computer for coordinating the processing of the rotating disk.

Abstract: A disk for a disk drive uses a circular platter having first and second sides and a circumferential edge. The circumferential edge of the disk has four symmetrically spaced apart shadows and a fifth or additional shadow that gives the disk an asymmetrical shadow signature. The fifth shadow is offset relative to the other shadows, which have congruent arcuate lengths and separation. The fifth shadow has an arcuate length that is about half as long as those of the other shadows, and is closely spaced adjacent to one of the other shadows. The asymmetric shadow signatures of the disk is used to precisely determine both the circumferential position of the platters and their planar orientation (i.e., A-side or B-side). For example, when the disk is mounted on a tool spindle and rotated, an optical detector detects the pattern of the shadows and feeds the data to a computer system. The rotational position of the spindle also is relayed to the computer for coordinating the processing of the rotating disk.

Abstract: A method for detecting manufacturing marks on sputtered disks includes rotating the disk three hundred and sixty degrees. As the disk rotates, a sensor is used to detect a quantity of manufacturing marks formed on the outer edge of the disk. If there are less than four manufacturing marks on the edge of the disk, a signal is sent to a warning device to indicate that the disk is defective. The lack of a manufacturing mark is an indication that a gripper used to hold the disk within the sputtering chamber during the sputtering process is bent or otherwise misaligned. As such, a signal is also sent to the warning device to indicate that the grippers within the sputtering chamber must be inspected.