Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for measuring thermally induced electric resistance changes in thermally assisted magnetic recording are disclosed for monitoring laser light output in thermally assisted magnetic recording disk drives. An electrical lead is coupled to a read/write head element. A first electrical resistance in the read/write head element is measured. The read/write head is heated by a laser and a second electrical resistance in the read/write head element is measured. The electrical resistance may be monitored at regular intervals when the read/write head element is on the ramp or the electrical resistance measurements may be continuously monitored as the read/write head flies over the magnetic media.

Abstract: Components for, and assembly of, a thermally assisted recording device involve a laser mounted to a recording head slider. The output from the laser is directed into an optical waveguide, which delivers the laser light to the media to be written. Several challenges with thermally assisted recording are enabled by the use of a laser carrier, which holds and protects the small, relatively fragile laser and serves as a partial heat sink for the power generated by the laser. The laser, carrier and slider are bonded and can be interconnected as a unit to a suspension constituent to a hard disk drive (HDD) device.

Abstract: Components for, and assembly of, a thermally assisted recording device involve a laser mounted to a recording head slider. The output from the laser is directed into an optical waveguide, which delivers the laser light to the media to be written. Several challenges with thermally assisted recording are enabled by the use of a laser carrier, which holds and protects the small, relatively fragile laser and serves as a partial heat sink for the power generated by the laser. The laser, carrier and slider are bonded and can be interconnected as a unit to a suspension constituent to a hard disk drive (HDD) device.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for measuring thermally induced electric resistance changes in thermally assisted magnetic recording are disclosed for monitoring laser light output in thermally assisted magnetic recording disk drives. An electrical lead is coupled to a read/write head element. A first electrical resistance in the read/write head element is measured. The read/write head is heated by a laser and a second electrical resistance in the read/write head element is measured. The electrical resistance may be monitored at regular intervals when the read/write head element is on the ramp or the electrical resistance measurements may be continuously monitored as the read/write head flies over the magnetic media.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamically controlling the position of a hard drive head is disclosed. The system includes a hard drive slider comprising a first substrate, a second substrate coupled to the first substrate wherein the second substrate comprises a plurality of flexures wherein at least one of the flexures is responsive to an applied current, the flexure expanding in response to the current; and a third substrate coupled to the second substrate comprising vias to provide said current to the flexure. Embodiments of the invention can be used in contact and non contact recording situations and for absorbing mechanical vibrations.

Abstract: A method for fabricating recording head sliders made from silicon substrates, is described. A Silicon wafer with a SiO2 overcoat is provided, and a layer of material which is resistant to Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) is deposited on the SiO2 overcoat. A patterned layer of material which is resistant to Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) is deposited on the layer of DRIE-resistant material to form a primary mask. RIE is used through the primary mask to pattern the SiO2 overcoat layer and the layer of DRIE-resistant material. The primary mask is then removing to expose the layer of DRIE-resistant material which has now been patterned to form a secondary mask. DRIE is then used through the secondary mask to cut the Si wafer into pieces. Finally, the secondary mask is removed.

Abstract: A lapping plate has photolithographically defined patterns that are electroplated to produce lands with well-defined channels. By choosing a particular geometry, the retention force is significantly reduced over prior art options, while still retaining a high land area fraction. In some versions, the material is electroplated onto sufficiently thin substrates to allow conformation to a curved vacuum chuck. This configuration provides a very large reduction in retraction force when compared to smooth, flat lapping plates. In addition, the substrate used to form the lapping plate has reduced thickness, and a vacuum chuck is used to pull the thin, flat lapping plate against it to define the curvature. This allows the lapping plate to be charged by a flat charging ring. The substrate used is typically glass and has been sputter-metallized on both sides. The resist is then patterned, leaving an exposed pattern in the metallization on both sides.

Abstract: A lapping plate has photolithographically defined patterns that are electroplated to produce lands with well-defined channels. By choosing a particular geometry, the retention force is significantly reduced over prior art options, while still retaining a high land area fraction. In some versions, the material is electroplated onto sufficiently thin substrates to allow conformation to a curved vacuum chuck. This configuration provides a very large reduction in retraction force when compared to smooth, flat lapping plates. In addition, the substrate used to form the lapping plate has reduced thickness, and a vacuum chuck is used to pull the thin, flat lapping plate against it to define the curvature. This allows the lapping plate to be charged by a flat charging ring. The substrate used is typically glass and has been sputter-metallized on both sides. The resist is then patterned, leaving an exposed pattern in the metallization on both sides.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to provide a retract circuit that can correspond to the tendency toward miniaturization and low supply voltage. When drive supply voltage Vcc is applied, a retract circuit charges a retract condenser Cr with boosted voltage Vup, equal to three times Vcc, generated by a booster circuit. Then, if the drive supply voltage Vcc is cut off and a VCM driver stops, the retract circuit detects power-off with a power OFF sense circuit, and provides retract delay time by a retract delay circuit. Furthermore, when the retract delay time elapses after the drive power supply is turned off, the retract driver switches the switching circuits on, discharges the retract condenser, charged at the boosted voltage, supplies discharge current to a voice coil, and retracts the head assembly.

Abstract: A trapezoidal shaped silicon slider is described in the present invention. The slider has a first parallel surface larger than a second parallel surface, thereby generating a built-in positive pitch with respect to a recording medium when the slider is incorporated into a hard disk drive. The slider further includes round edges at the first parallel surface, longitudinal holes within its body, non-planar slanted side surfaces, and a rounded leading edge. The silicon, trapezoidal slider is fabricated using a deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) technique.

Abstract: A trapezoidal shaped silicon slider is described in the present invention. The slider has a first parallel surface larger than a second parallel surface, thereby generating a built-in positive pitch with respect to a recording medium when the slider is incorporated into a hard disk drive. The slider further includes round edges at the first parallel surface, longitudinal holes within its body, non-planar slanted side surfaces, and a rounded leading edge. The silicon, trapezoidal slider is fabricated using a deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) technique.

Abstract: A solder balltape comprised of an elongated tail with a ball of solder formed at one end. A plurality of the balltape structures are positioned on a carrier strip of solder. The balltape is positioned in contact with a transducer pad on a magnetic read/write slider and an electrical lead pad. A pulse of focused laser radiation is directed at the ball part of the balltape and a right angle fillet joint is formed. A subsequent laser pulse or a sharpened blade is used to remove the tail from the newly formed fillet joint.

Abstract: A solder balltape comprised of an elongated tail with a ball of solder formed at one end. A plurality of the balltape structures are positioned on a carrier strip of solder. The balltape is positioned in contact with a transducer pad on a magnetic read/write slider and an electrical lead pad. A pulse of focused laser radiation is directed at the ball part of the balltape and a right angle fillet joint is formed. A subsequent laser pulse or a sharpened blade is used to remove the tail from the newly formed fillet joint.

Abstract: A motor based on the wobble motor provides pure rotary motion and can be used as a spindle motor for very small disk drives. The primary components of the motor are fabricated using thin film processes. The rotor has inner and outer rings that are interconnected by flexible members, such as semicircularly-shaped spring elements, with the rings and flexible members being formed of the same material. The rotor resides within the wobble motor stator elements that are circumferentially spaced on a substrate. The inner rotor ring is supported by a bearing structure that may be a ball bearing assembly or a pin bearing comprising a post and a restraining cap. The outer rotor ring functions as the wobble motor rotor and rolls around the inside of the stator as the stator elements are sequentially electrostatically activated. The flexible members act as a transmission to convert the wobble motion of the outer rotor ring to pure rotary motion of the inner rotor ring.

Abstract: A film comprising fullerene molecules or their derivatives, preferably C.sub.60 or C.sub.70 fullerene molecules, is used as a lubricating film between two bearing surfaces. In a particular embodiment, a data recording disk file with the film deposited on the disk surface has improved properties of static friction and wear resistance at the head-disk interface.

Abstract: A contact member for thermocompression bonding in integrated circuit packaging has on a conductor end a uniform texture deformable layer with a hardness value in the range of that of soft gold which is approximately 90 on the Knoop scale and with a rough surface morphology having ridges with approximately 1 micrometer modulation frequency and a depth between ridges of from 1/4 to 1/2 that of the average integrated circuit pad. The deformable layer is produced by plating gold in a strong electronegative plating bath within a range of 0.03 to 0.05 mA/sq.mm. current density. Plating apparatus, for plating different areas, with different electronegative conditions, with separate independently powered anodes, is provided.

Abstract: A system for testing chips uses a patterned tape having a patterned array of cantilevered contact leads. The tape serves as an interface between the chip under test and a testing unit by providing conductive leads from the I/O terminals on the chip to an off-chip measuring system. The leads on the array may have balls, tips or other shapes on the end to provide contact with the terminals and compensate for height differences. The tape is a single frame or has a series of arrays each positioned around an opening where the chip will be located when a particular pattern is positioned over that chip for test. The pattern on the tape may be the same array or a different array. The tape is indexed to a new pattern when the old one is damaged or no longer needed. Alignment with the chip is by optical sensing and physical pin movement. The tape may have a flap protruding into an aperture and deflectable to provide for planar contact of the leads to the device under test.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printing process enables a two-color printer having only binary printing capability to produce high-quality monochrome grey-scale output having, for example, up to 100 grey levels in a 3.times.3 super-pixel through the use of a second toner comprising a mixture of opaque black, opaque white, and clear toner. A layer of the second toner is applied so as to overlie the first toner layer on the substrate, the first toner comprising black toner. The composition of the second toner may be, for example, 9 percent opaque black toner, 9 percent opaque white toner, and 82 percent clear toner. Another embodiment extends this concept to the high-quality, enhanced grey-scale printing of a color other than black.

Abstract: A contact member for thermocompression bonding in integrated circuit packaging has on a conductor end a uniform texture deformable layer with a hardness value in the range of that of soft gold which is approximately 90 on the Knoop scale and with a rough surface morphology having ridges with approximately 1 micrometer modulation frequency and a depth between ridges of from 1/4 to 1/2 that of the average integrated circuit pad. The deformable layer is produced by plating gold in a strong electronegative plating bath within a range of 0.03 to 0.05 mA/sq.mm. current density. Plating apparatus, for plating different areas, with different electronegative conditions, with separate independently powered anodes, is provided.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printing process enables a two-color printer having only binary printing capability to produce high-quality monochrome grey-scale output having, for example, up to 100 grey levels in a 3.times.3 super-pixel through the use of a second toner comprising a mixture of opaque black, opaque white, and clear toner. A layer of the second toner is applied so as to overlie the first toner layer on the substrate, the first toner comprising black toner. The composition of the second toner may be, for example, 9 percent opaque black toner, 9 percent opaque white toner, and 82 percent clear toner. Another embodiment extends this concept to the high-quality, enhanced grey-scale printing of a color other than black.