Abstract: A system and method for producing micro-texture on a slider substrate using chemical & mechanical polishing techniques is described. In certain embodiments of the present invention, this is accomplished by a method comprising formulating an abrasive slurry solution of predetermined acidity (or pH value), treating a chemical mechanical polishing pad with the abrasive slurry, disposing magnetic heads on the chemical mechanical polishing pad and lapping and grinding the magnetic heads for a predetermined period of time. In certain embodiment of the present invention the lapping and grinding of the magnetic heads are accomplished using an apparatus comprising an abrasive slurry solution of predetermined acidity (pH value), a chemical mechanical polishing pad treated with the abrasive slurry solution, wherein the magnetic heads are attached to a fixture capable of disposing the heads on the chemical mechanical polishing pad.

Abstract: The overcoat of a slider (alumina) is recessed relative to the slider ABS by a non-abrasive CMP process sufficiently to prevent thermal protrusion of the overcoat during subsequent slider use in a hard disk drive. The CMP process involves the oscillatory and rotational compressional contact between the ABS surface of the slider and a polymerically pre-treated compliant pad that is sprayed by an aqueous alkali lubricating solution having a pH between about 9 and 10. The overcoat is thereby also softened by the lubricating solution and removed by the compressional contact and no use of abrasives is required.

Abstract: A system and method are described for manufacturing a lapping plate. Diamond particles are premixed with a metal matrix. The diamond particles are electro-deposited onto the surface of a lapping plate. The lapping plate may have a substrate of hard metal with a soft metal coating. The metal matrix and the lapping plate may be the same metal. The metal matrix may be tin, copper, nickel, or silver. The metal matrix may be an alloy of tin, copper, nickel, or silver. The diamond particles may be between 0.1 and 0.25 microns in size. Multiple uniform layers of the diamond particles and metal matrix may be stacked on the lapping plate.

Abstract: A system and method for producing micro-texture on a slider substrate using chemical & mechanical polishing techniques is described. In certain embodiments of the present invention, this is accomplished by a method comprising formulating an abrasive slurry solution of predetermined acidity (or pH value), treating a chemical mechanical polishing pad with the abrasive slurry, disposing magnetic heads on the chemical mechanical polishing pad and lapping and grinding the magnetic heads for a predetermined period of time. In certain embodiment of the present invention the lapping and grinding of the magnetic heads are accomplished using an apparatus comprising an abrasive slurry solution of predetermined acidity (pH value), a chemical mechanical polishing pad treated with the abrasive slurry solution, wherein the magnetic heads are attached to a fixture capable of disposing the heads on the chemical mechanical polishing pad.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, a slider design is presented that provides improved protection for the head/sensor of the slider. In one embodiment, the design of the slider is such that ESD protection is provided during the slider wafer process, the “back-end” processes (e.g., when the completed slider/head is incorporated into an HGA), and during operation in a disk drive or the like. In this embodiment, a conductive film is provided that surrounds the insulating-material slider substrate. The conductive film provides a grounding path during the wafer fabrication processes. This conductive layer may be further patterned during head fabrication to provide a ground path for back-end fabrication processes. A conductive stripe may be added for discharging debris in the slider-to-disk interface.

Abstract: The overcoat of a slider (alumina) is recessed relative to the slider ABS by a non-abrasive CMP process sufficiently to prevent thermal protrusion of the overcoat during subsequent slider use in a hard disk drive. The CMP process involves the oscillatory and rotational compressional contact between the ABS surface of the slider and a polymerically pre-treated compliant pad that is sprayed by an aqueous alkali lubricating solution having a pH between about 9 and 10. The overcoat is thereby also softened by the lubricating solution and removed by the compressional contact and no use of abrasives is required.

Abstract: A system and method are described for manufacturing a lapping plate. Diamond particles are premixed with a metal matrix. The diamond particles are electro-deposited onto the surface of a lapping plate. The lapping plate may have a substrate of hard metal with a soft metal coating. The metal matrix and the lapping plate may be the same metal. The metal matrix may be tin, copper, nickel, or silver. The metal matrix may be an alloy of tin, copper, nickel, or silver. The diamond particles may be between 0.1 and 0.25 microns in size. Multiple uniform layers of the diamond particles and metal matrix may be stacked on the lapping plate.

Abstract: A method of slider machining is disclosed. A slider may be diced out of a row bar. A jet of clean air may dry the slider. A laser, guided by a jet of water, may micro-grind the periphery of the slider. The edges of the slider and the corners of the leading edge may be rounded to a pre-determined radius. The slider may be cleaned with de-ionized water, then dried in a hot oven.

Abstract: A method of slider machining is disclosed. A slider may be diced out of a row bar. A jet of clean air may dry the slider. A laser, guided by a jet of water, may micro-grind the periphery of the slider. The edges of the slider and the corners of the leading edge may be rounded to a pre-determined radius. The slider may be cleaned with de-ionized water, then dried in a hot oven.

Abstract: A method of slider machining is disclosed. A slider may be diced out of a row bar. A jet of clean air may dry the slider. A laser, guided by a jet of water, may micro-grind the periphery of the slider. The edges of the slider and the corners of the leading edge may be rounded to a pre-determined radius. The slider may be cleaned with de-ionized water, then dried in a hot oven.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, a slider design is presented that provides improved protection for the head/sensor of the slider. In one embodiment, the design of the slider is such that ESD protection is provided during the slider wafer process, the “back-end” processes (e.g., when the completed slider/head is incorporated into an HGA), and during operation in a disk drive or the like. In this embodiment, a conductive film is provided that surrounds the insulating-material slider substrate. The conductive film provides a grounding path during the wafer fabrication processes. This conductive layer may be further patterned during head fabrication to provide a ground path for back-end fabrication processes. A conductive stripe may be added for discharging debris in the slider-to-disk interface.

Abstract: A system and method are described for manufacturing a lapping plate. In one example, the lapping plate is made by covering a Tin-Antimony plate with photoresist and exposing the resulting photoresist layer with UV light through a wire mesh mask. After development, the non-etch areas can serve as land areas for diamond charging. Such a method may lead to fewer artifacts on the lapping plate and smaller diamond particle dimensions resulting in better processing of read/write heads, especially GMR heads.