US 2001/0034564 A1 · Laser ablation process of rounding edges of aerodynamic sliders, and sliders formed thereby

Abstract

A curved surface is formed between first and second a substantially planar surfaces that are normal to each other, such as the bottom and side surfaces of a slider for a disc drive. A laser beam has a center with a focus and a power distribution, such as a Gaussian distribution, such that the laser power is greatest at the center of the beam and is weaker radially from the center of the beam. The laser beam is directed at the first surface along a first path substantially normal to the first surface so that a center of the laser beam is substantially contiguous to the second surface. The laser beam is moved along a second path substantially parallel to the second surface to ablate the slider at the first surface adjacent the second surface to ablate the material and form a continuous curved surface between and tangential to the first and second surfaces. Optionally, the laser beam is moved along a third path substantially contiguous to the third surface to form a second continuous curved surface between and tangential to the first and third surfaces.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A process of forming a curved surface between a substantially planar first surface and substantially planar second surface of an object, wherein the second surface is substantially normal to the first surface, the process comprising steps of:

a) providing a laser beam having a center and a power distribution such that the laser power is greatest at the center of the beam and is weaker at locations radially displaced from the center of the beam;
b) directing the laser beam at the first surface along a first path substantially normal to the first surface so that the center of the laser beam is substantially contiguous to the second surface;
and
c) moving the laser beam along a second path substantially parallel to the second surface to ablate the object at the first surface adjacent the second surface to thereby form a continuous curved surface between the first and second surfaces and tangentially joined to at least one of the first and second surfaces.

1 more element

A computer usable medium having a computer readable program embedded therein for addressing data, the computer readable program in the computer usable medium comprising:

first computer readable program code for causing a computer to aim a laser gun at a first substantially planar surface of an object along a first path substantially normal to the first surface and substantially contiguous to a second substantially planar surface of the object substantially normal to the first surface;
second computer readable program code for causing the computer to move the laser gun along a second path substantially parallel to the second surface of the object;
and
third computer readable program code for causing the computer to operate the laser gun to direct a laser beam at the first surface with a power distribution such that the greatest energy of the laser beam impinges the object substantially contiguous to the second surface and the least energy impinges the object distal from the second surface, the laser beam thereby ablating the object to form a continuous curved surface between and tangentially joined to at least one of the first and second surfaces.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Laser ablation process of rounding edges of aerodynamic sliders, and sliders formed thereby

Life of this patent

Laser ablation process of rounding edges of aerodynamic sliders, and sliders formed thereby

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20