Abstract: A medium having high medium S/N and excellent corrosion resistance is achieved. In one embodiment, an adhesion layer, a soft magnetic layer, an intermediate layer, a magnetic recording layer, and a protective layer are deposited, in order, on a substrate. The soft magnetic underlayer consists at least of two soft magnetic layers, the first soft magnetic layer formed on the recording layer side being composed of an amorphous alloy containing 85 at. % or less of Co, and the second soft magnetic layer formed on the substrate side being composed of an alloy containing more than 85 at. % of Co.

Abstract: A method, according to one embodiment, includes forming a lubricant film on a magnetic disk having at least a magnetic recording film above a substrate, and a protective film above the magnetic recording film, and wiping the lubricant film while rotating the substrate, e.g., at about 3.0 m/s to about 3.5 m/s by pressing a pad against a wiping cloth e.g., at a loading speed of about 12 mm/min to about 36 mm/min e.g., under a pressure of about 3 gf/mm2 to about 9 gf/mm2. The pad has a convexly curved surface in contact with the wiping cloth, and the wiping cloth is disposed so as to oppose the lubricant film. The method also includes pressing a cleaning tape which includes abrasive grains against the substrate on which the protective film and lubricant film are formed while rotating the substrate to remove protrusions. Apparatuses and forming the layers are also described.

Abstract: A magnetic-recording-disk test-head. The magnetic-recording-disk test-head includes a slider, a test pad and a slider-surface-shape control mechanism. The slider includes a leading edge and a trailing edge. The test pad is disposed at a trailing-edge side of the slider and is configured to remove and to detect asperities on a magnetic-recording disk. The slider-surface-shape control mechanism is configured to change a shape of an air-bearing surface of the slider and is disposed at a leading-edge side of the slider.

Abstract: A disk drive. The disk drive includes a plurality of head-sliders, an actuator, a plurality of clearance adjustment sections, and a controller. Each head-slider includes a slider and a magnetic-recording head on the slider for accessing a disk for storing data. The plurality of head-sliders is secured to the actuator that is configured to move the plurality of head-sliders concurrently. Each clearance adjustment section corresponds to each head-slider of the plurality of head-sliders and adjusts a clearance of the corresponding head-slider. In addition, the controller is configured to position the actuator by servo control with a first head-slider selected from the plurality of head-sliders, to change a clearance of a second head-slider different from the first head-slider by controlling a clearance adjustment section of the second head-slider to bring the second head-slider into contact with a disk, and to detect the contact to measure the clearance of the second head-slider.

Abstract: A magnetic-recording-disk test-head. The magnetic-recording-disk test-head includes a slider, a test pad and a slider-surface-shape control mechanism. The slider includes a leading edge and a trailing edge. The test pad is disposed at a trailing-edge side of the slider and is configured to remove and to detect asperities on a magnetic-recording disk. The slider-surface-shape control mechanism is configured to change a shape of an air-bearing surface of the slider and is disposed at a leading-edge side of the slider.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention help to improve corrosion resistance and durability by providing a functional diamond like carbon (DLC) protective layer for a perpendicular magnetic recording medium using a granular magnetic layer. According to one embodiment, when a DLC protective layer that protects a granular magnetic layer of a perpendicular magnetic recording medium is formed using a CVD method, the thickness of a first layer on the granular magnetic layer is set to 7.5 to 25% of the total thickness of the protective layer and a hydrogen content of the first layer is set to 33 to 38%, the thickness of a second layer is set to 50 to 85% of the total thickness of the protective layer and a nitrogen content of the second layer is set to 3 to 7%, and the thickness of a third layer located at the outermost side of the protective layer is set to 7.5 to 25% of the total thickness of the protective layer and a hydrogen content of the third layer is set to 25% or less.

Abstract: A disk drive. The disk drive includes a plurality of head-sliders, an actuator, a plurality of clearance adjustment sections, and a controller. Each head-slider includes a slider and a magnetic-recording head on the slider for accessing a disk for storing data. The plurality of head-sliders is secured to the actuator that is configured to move the plurality of head-sliders concurrently. Each clearance adjustment section corresponds to each head-slider of the plurality of head-sliders and adjusts a clearance of the corresponding head-slider. In addition, the controller is configured to position the actuator by servo control with a first head-slider selected from the plurality of head-sliders, to change a clearance of a second head-slider different from the first head-slider by controlling a clearance adjustment section of the second head-slider to bring the second head-slider into contact with a disk, and to detect the contact to measure the clearance of the second head-slider.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium with a granular magnetic recording layer excellent in corrosion resistance is provided. In one embodiment, after formation of, on a non-magnetic substrate, an NiTa adhesion layer, a soft magnetic layer, a Ta intermediate layer, an Ru intermediate layer, and a Co alloy granular magnetic recording layer, hydrogen (H2) plasma processing is applied to the surface of the Co alloy granular magnetic recording layer. Then, a DLC protective film layer is formed and a lubricant layer is coated.

Abstract: A method, according to one embodiment, includes forming a lubricant film on a magnetic disk having at least a magnetic recording film above a substrate, and a protective film above the magnetic recording film, and wiping the lubricant film while rotating the substrate, e.g., at about 3.0 m/s to about 3.5 m/s by pressing a pad against a wiping cloth e.g., at a loading speed of about 12 mm/min to about 36 mm/min e.g., under a pressure of about 3 gf/mm2 to about 9 gf/mm2. The pad has a convexly curved surface in contact with the wiping cloth, and the wiping cloth is disposed so as to oppose the lubricant film. The method also includes pressing a cleaning tape which includes abrasive grains against the substrate on which the protective film and lubricant film are formed while rotating the substrate to remove protrusions. Apparatuses and forming the layers are also described.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention help to improve corrosion resistance and durability by providing a functional diamond like carbon (DLC) protective layer for a perpendicular magnetic recording medium using a granular magnetic layer. According to one embodiment, when a DLC protective layer that protects a granular magnetic layer of a perpendicular magnetic recording medium is formed using a CVD method, the thickness of a first layer on the granular magnetic layer is set to 7.5 to 25% of the total thickness of the protective layer and a hydrogen content of the first layer is set to 33 to 38%, the thickness of a second layer is set to 50 to 85% of the total thickness of the protective layer and a nitrogen content of the second layer is set to 3 to 7%, and the thickness of a third layer located at the outermost side of the protective layer is set to 7.5 to 25% of the total thickness of the protective layer and a hydrogen content of the third layer is set to 25% or less.

Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the invention realize a perpendicular magnetic record medium with a high media S/N and excellent corrosion resistance. In a perpendicular magnetic record medium in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention prepared by forming an adhesion layer, an underlayer, a seed layer, an intermediate layer, and a recording layer sequentially on a substrate, the seed layer is specified to have a laminated structure consisting of a first seed layer and a second seed layer. The first seed layer consists of an amorphous alloy containing Cr and the second seed layer consists of an amorphous alloy predominantly composed of Ni with an fcc structure.

Abstract: A medium having high medium S/N and excellent corrosion resistance is achieved. In one embodiment, an adhesion layer, a soft magnetic layer, an intermediate layer, a magnetic recording layer, and a protective layer are deposited, in order, on a substrate. The soft magnetic underlayer consists at least of two soft magnetic layers, the first soft magnetic layer formed on the recording layer side being composed of an amorphous alloy containing 85 at. % or less of Co, and the second soft magnetic layer formed on the substrate side being composed of an alloy containing more than 85 at. % of Co.

Abstract: This magnetic recording medium is characterized in that in the magnetic recording medium having a magnetic layer on a non-magnetic substrate by intercalating at least an under layer, the proportion of functional groups per 100 carbon atoms in a diamond-like carbon protective layer mainly composed of carbon for protecting the magnetic layer exceeds 20%. The bonding force between the protective layer and the lubricating layer of the magnetic recording medium is increased so that under high speed rotation, a decrease in the lubricating layer is not caused so as to provide a magnetic recording apparatus having high reliability.

Abstract: The present invention restricts defect density on the magnetic disk based on predetermined polishing conditions by applying a magnetic field to the entire surface of a magnetic disk in a direction vertical thereto, rotating the magnetic disk, loading a magnetic head to the magnetic disk, reproducing signals from the magnetic disk, processing the reproduced signals by a waveform analyzer, counting pulse waveforms of 0.9 times or more a servo-bit length at ½ threshold value of an average output, and measuring the defect density on the magnetic disk giving an undesired effect on the I/O performance of the magnetic disk drive. In a case of a magnetic recording medium using a vertical magnetic recording system, even with fine defect of magnetic layer, a servo pattern cannot be judged correctly. This provides degradation of the I/O performance of increasing the time necessary for reading out large capacity data, lowering the performance of the entire magnetic disk drive.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider in which a leading pad is projected in a thicknesswise direction of the slider, in comparison with a trailing pad so as to reduce vibration caused by contact between a flat medium surface of a disc and the slider carrying thereon a magnetic head, to reduce variation in flying height caused by wavy unevenness of the medium surface, and to reduce variation in atmospheric pressure around the slider, thereby it is possible to enhance the recording density and the reliability of the magnetic head slider while reducing the costs thereof. Further, a magnetic disc unit using the above-mentioned magnetic head slider.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium with a granular magnetic recording layer excellent in corrosion resistance is provided. In one embodiment, after formation of, on a non-magnetic substrate, an NiTa adhesion layer, a soft magnetic layer, a Ta intermediate layer, an Ru intermediate layer, and a Co alloy granular magnetic recording layer, hydrogen (H2) plasma processing is applied to the surface of the Co alloy granular magnetic recording layer. Then, a DLC protective film layer is formed and a lubricant layer is coated.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a magnetic disk manufacturing method for efficiently removing, in a tape cleaning process of a magnetic disk surface in which scratches tend to occur, fine protrusions that serve as a flying hindrance, allowing no glide noise to occur, and suppressing minor damages (scratches) that are given to the magnetic disk surface and cause a read signal error. In one embodiment, the magnetic disk manufacturing method is characterized in that a surface of a pad facing a cleaning tape is formed with protrusions and indentations.

Abstract: A head slider has small friction force even if the head slider comes in contact with a magnetic disk having a smooth surface at high speed. The vibration is also low and wear resistance is high. The head slider is provided with plural air bearing surfaces for floating over the magnetic disk or one or more lubricant bearing surfaces for smoothly gliding over the magnetic disk. A slope angle on the front side of the bearing surface in the traveling direction of the head slider is larger than a slope angle on the rear side of the bearing surface in the vicinity of a contact part of the bearing surface that may come in contact with the magnetic disk.

Abstract: A magnetic disk to which is applied a first lubricating agent formed as (where p=0 or an integer of at least 1, q=0 or an integer of at least 1, and X=1-5), and over which is applied a second lubricating agent formed as HOCH2CF2(OC2F4)p(OCF2)qOCF2CH2OH (where p=0 or an integer of at least 1, q=0 or an integer of at least 1.

Abstract: A low cost and highly reliable lubricating technique is realized by using a lubricant having an average molecular weight in the range of 900 to 2500. The lubricant is efficiently supplied to inner portions of a magnetic disk apparatus utilizing heat generated during operation of the apparatus. The method of assembling the apparatus is not affected since it is not necessary to provide a separate lubricant supply mechanism.