Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, comprises steps of providing a non-magnetic substrate for a magnetic medium, the substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone; and forming a pattern of recesses in the substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone by embossing utilizing a stamper having a surface including a negative image pattern of said pattern of recesses. Embodiments of the invention include magnetic media comprising a non-magnetic substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone, said substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone comprising an embossed pattern of recesses. In addition, the data zone of the substrate surface may include an embossed servo pattern formed simultaneously with the embossed pattern of recesses formed in the landing zone.

Abstract: A disc drive having a multi-phase acceleration procedure is disclosed. The multi-phase acceleration procedure accelerates a data storage disc in the disc drive from an initial rotational velocity to a final rotational velocity. As the disc reaches the final rotational velocity, a read/write head operable to access data on the disc is moved by a servo control system from a landing zone to a data region on the disc. An air bearing between a slider of the read/write head and the surface of the disc is created due to the final rotational velocity of the spinning disc. The read/write head may also be moved from the landing zone as the disc reaches an early exit rotational velocity. As such, the multi-phase acceleration procedure continues accelerating the disc until the final rotational velocity to guarantee that the air bearing is maintained between the head and the disc.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, comprises steps of providing a non-magnetic substrate for a magnetic medium, the substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone; and forming a pattern of recesses in the substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone by embossing utilizing a stamper having a surface including a negative image pattern of said pattern of recesses. Embodiments of the invention include magnetic media comprising a non-magnetic substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone, said substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone comprising an embossed pattern of recesses. In addition, the data zone of the substrate surface may include an embossed servo pattern formed simultaneously with the embossed pattern of recesses formed in the landing zone.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring the fly height of a head flying over a disc in a disc drive is disclosed. A head is vertically spaced from a rotating disc surface by an air bearing surface. The disc has one or more radial grooves in the surface of the disc. As the disc rotates, the radial grooves on the disc pass under the head and induce a perturbation in the signal. By measuring the perturbations in the signal caused by the grooves in the disc surface, and by processing the measurement signal, a vertical spacing signal proportional to the vertical spacing between the disc and the head can be obtained.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a disc drive load/unload ramp incorporates a disc drive compatible lubricant as the mold releasing agent. A mold having a load/unload ramp cavity is sprayed with a predetermined amount of disc drive compatible lubricant so that the finished load/unload ramp exhibits a predetermined thickness of lubricant. Alternatively, a known amount of disc drive compatible lubricant is combined with the load/unload ramp polymer during the melting stage of the molding process to yield a load/unload ramp exhibiting a predetermined thickness of lubricant. In either case, the lubrication of the load/unload ramp is integrated into the fabrication process in order to obtain a one step finished pre-lubricated product.

Abstract: Dispersing and reducing wear of a rotatable disc surface using a stimulated take off process to accelerate formation of an air bearing between a read/write head and a non-textured circumferential landing zone of a rotatable disc surface of a disc drive by accelerating the non-textured circumferential landing zone of the rotatable disc surface to a rotational operating speed through application of a current to a spindle motor assembly securing the rotatable disc surface while stimulating a head stack assembly with a reciprocating lateral displacement effectuating a tracing of a radially varying path across and around the circumferential landing zone of the rotatable disc surface by the read/write head accelerating formation of the air bearing between the read/write head and a non-textured circumferential landing zone, thereby dispersing and reducing wear of the rotatable disc surface.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, comprises steps of providing a non-magnetic substrate for a magnetic medium, the substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone; and forming a pattern of recesses in the substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone by embossing utilizing a stamper having a surface including a negative image pattern of said pattern of recesses. Embodiments of the invention include magnetic media comprising a non-magnetic substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone, said substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone comprising an embossed pattern of recesses. In addition, the data zone of the substrate surface may include an embossed servo pattern formed simultaneously with the embossed pattern of recesses formed in the landing zone.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, comprises steps of providing a non-magnetic substrate for a magnetic medium, the substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone; and forming a pattern of recesses in the substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone by embossing utilizing a stamper having a surface including a negative image pattern of said pattern of recesses. Embodiments of the invention include magnetic media comprising a non-magnetic substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone, said substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone comprising an embossed pattern of recesses. In addition, the data zone of the substrate surface may include an embossed servo pattern formed simultaneously with the embossed pattern of recesses formed in the landing zone.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, comprises steps of providing a non-magnetic substrate for a magnetic medium, the substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone; and forming a pattern of recesses in the substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone by embossing utilizing a stamper having a surface including a negative image pattern of said pattern of recesses. Embodiments of the invention include magnetic media comprising a non-magnetic substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone, said substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone comprising an embossed pattern of recesses. In addition, the data zone of the substrate surface may include an embossed servo pattern formed simultaneously with the embossed pattern of recesses formed in the landing zone.

Abstract: A head slider apparatus, to be attached to a magnetic head in a magnetic disc drive, for preventing bimodal stiction by preventing tipping of the head slider on its rear edge by forcing tipping of the head slider towards one of the head slider's corners. Subsequently, the head slider also mitigates any resultant stiction related to the corner tipping of the head slider that may occur. The head slider apparatus has a diamond-shaped pattern of four pads. The diamond-shaped pattern of the pads directs tipping of the head slider towards its corners. The head slider also has pads positioned in each corner of the head slider to address any resultant stiction caused by the corner tipping.

Abstract: A method of contouring a surface portion of a head for a disc drive includes positioning the head over a park zone of a disc and rotating the disc while maintaining the head positioned substantially over the park zone to produce a contour on the surface portion of the head. A disc drive includes a disc rotatably mounted on a spindle motor mounted on a base and an actuator assembly mounted adjacent the disc, the actuator assembly having an actuator arm including a distal end supporting a head over a surface of the disc. The head includes a head surface portion facing the disc surface, wherein the head surface portion has been contoured by positioning the head over a park zone on the disc and maintaining the head positioned substantially over the park zone of the disc while rotating the disc for a selected time so as to burnish the head surface portion.

Abstract: A gamma irradiated load/unload ramp for a disc drive, the load/unload ramp having a hardened surface that increases the wear properties of the ramp, i.e., reduces debris formation in the disc drive housing that results from the sliding interaction between the load/unload ramp and actuator arm. Typically, the load/unload ramp is hardened through the absorption of about 0.05 to 0.5 Mrad radiation. A method of reducing debris formation in a disc drive having a load/unload ramp includes treating the load/unload ramp with gamma radiation.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring the fly height of a head flying over a disc in a disc drive is disclosed. A head is vertically spaced from a rotating disc surface by an air bearing surface. The disc has one or more radial grooves in the surface of the disc. As the disc rotates, the radial grooves on the disc pass under the head and induce a perturbation in the signal. By measuring the perturbations in the signal caused by the grooves in the disc surface, and by processing the measurement signal, a vertical spacing signal proportional to the vertical spacing between the disc and the head can be obtained.

Abstract: A disc drive having a multi-phase acceleration procedure is disclosed. The multi-phase acceleration procedure accelerates a data storage disc in the disc drive from an initial rotational velocity to a final rotational velocity. As the disc reaches the final rotational velocity, a read/write head operable to access data on the disc is moved by a servo control system from a landing zone to a data region on the disc. An air bearing between a slider of the read/write head and the surface of the disc is created due to the final rotational velocity of the spinning disc. The read/write head may also be moved from the landing zone as the disc reaches an early exit rotational velocity. As such, the multi-phase acceleration procedure continues accelerating the disc until the final rotational velocity to guarantee that the air bearing is maintained between the head and the disc.

Abstract: Dispersing and reducing wear of a rotatable disc surface using a stimulated take off process to accelerate formation of an air bearing between a read/write head and a non-textured circumferential landing zone of a rotatable disc surface of a disc drive by accelerating the non-textured circumferential landing zone of the rotatable disc surface to a rotational operating speed through application of a current to a spindle motor assembly securing the rotatable disc surface while stimulating a head stack assembly with a reciprocating lateral displacement effectuating a tracing of a radially varying path across and around the circumferential landing zone of the rotatable disc surface by the read/write head accelerating formation of the air bearing between the read/write head and a non-textured circumferential landing zone, thereby dispersing and reducing wear of the rotatable disc surface.

Abstract: A gamma irradiated load/unload ramp for a disc drive, the load/unload ramp having a hardened surface that increases the wear properties of the ramp, i.e., reduces debris formation in the disc drive housing that results from the sliding interaction between the load/unload ramp and actuator arm. Typically, the load/unload ramp is hardened through the absorption of about 0.05 to 0.5 Mrad radiation. A method of reducing debris formation in a disc drive having a load/unload ramp includes treating the load/unload ramp with gamma radiation.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a disc drive load/unload ramp incorporates a disc drive compatible lubricant as the mold releasing agent. A mold having a load/unload ramp cavity is sprayed with a predetermined amount of disc drive compatible lubricant so that the finished load/unload ramp exhibits a predetermined thickness of lubricant. Alternatively, a known amount of disc drive compatible lubricant is combined with the load/unload ramp polymer during the melting stage of the molding process to yield a load/unload ramp exhibiting a predetermined thickness of lubricant. In either case, the lubrication of the load/unload ramp is integrated into the fabrication process in order to obtain a one step finished pre-lubricated product.

Abstract: An apparatus for minimizing corrosion product build-up within a disc drive incorporates a non-corrosive gas hermetically sealed within the disc drive and a diaphragm chamber that allows the constrained non-corrosive gas to respond to changes in pressure and temperature. The diaphragm chamber includes a diaphragm that partitions the diaphragm chamber into a top and bottom chambers. The top chamber has an aperture for communicating with the external environment and the bottom chamber has an aperture for communicating with the internally constrained non-corrosive gas. The diaphragm is non-permeable and made of an elastic material that responds to changes in air volume or mass on either side of the partition so that the pressure inside the hermetically sealed disc drive is constant throughout the life of the device. The diaphragm chamber can be located inside or outside the disc drive and can be integrally formed within the top cover of the disc drive.

Abstract: A disc drive load/unload ramp incorporates a coat of hardened film, the hardened film providing a surface that is more wear resistant and less likely to result in debris formation during normal disc drive use. The hardened surface material, which includes, but is not limited to, DLC, silicon nitrite and titanium carbide, is deposited by sputtering techniques. A disc drive compatible lubricant layer is added to the hardening film to reduce friction. A method of reducing debris formation in a disc drive having a load/unload ramp includes first depositing a hardened film on the load/unload ramp followed by depositing a lubricant layer on the hardened film.