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US 6,294,058 B1Granted
Enhanced methods and apparatus for producing micro-textured, thin film, magnetic disc media and compositely micro-textured disc media produced thereby
AssigneeUnited Module Corporation
InventorsEdward F. Teng, Atef H. Eltoukhy, Bryan K. Clark, Wilfred M. Goh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Compositely micro-textured thin film, magnetic disc media, with methods and apparatus for producing such, which are characterized by the incorporation of a first stage of micro-texturing provided by etching of a disc substrate, with a second, disparate, micro-texturing stage depositing rounded globules of eutectic alloy on the etched substrate.
Claims15
A method of compositely micro-texturing thin film, magnetic discs, said method comprising:
- a) providing a disc substrate;
- b) etching said substrate to provide a first, spaced array of micro-texturing components comprising dispersed recesses projecting inwardly into the body of said substrate and defining a first array of dispersed peaks;
- and
- c) sputter depositing a second, spaced array of micro-texturing components comprising spaced, generally rounded globules superimposed over said etched substrate and recesses projecting thereunto, with said second, spaced array projecting upwardly, generally away from said etched substrate and recesses projecting thereunto and defining a second array of dispersed peaks elevated from said first array of dispersed peaks;
- d) said sputter deposited globules comprising a material whose chemical composition is diverse from that of said etched substrate;
- and
- e) said etching and depositing being operable to form a compositely micro-textured substrate for receiving sputter deposited, thin-film magnetic media, which substrate is characterized by
- i) superimposed, physically disparate, micro-texturing defined by rounded globules projecting outwardly of said substrate and etched recesses projecting inwardly into said substrate;
- and
- ii) superimposed, chemically disparate micro-texturing defined by said superimposed first and second arrays of micro-texturing components comprised of diverse chemical composition;
- f) said method being characterized by the formation of micro-texturing comprising multiple superimposed zones of micro-texturing formed, respectively, by the etching induced removal of material from said disc and the sputtering deposition induced addition of texturing material to said disc forming projecting protrusions;
- g) said second, spaced array comprising rounded globules being sputter deposited over each of said first, spaced array of etching-formed, dispersed recesses and etching-formed, dispersed peaks with
- individual, etching-formed peaks and recesses each being operable to directly support a plurality of said rounded globules;
- and
- h) said superimposed, first and second, spaced arrays of etching-formed and rounded globule-formed micro-texturing components being collectively operable to micro-texture said thin film magnetic media sputtered upon said superimposed first and second arrays of disparate, micro-texturing;
- i) said superimposing of said sputtered, rounded globules over said first, spaced array of etching-induced micro-texturing producing a frequency of texturing peak occurrence which is greater than and modifies the frequency of peak occurrence produced by said first array of dispersed peaks;
- and
- j) said superimposing of sputtered, rounded globules over said etching-formed, first spaced array of micro-texturing is operable to reduce stiction characteristics to a level less than that which would result from the presence of either said etching formed, first spaced array or said sputtered, rounded globule formed, second spaced array.
15 more elements
A method of compositely micro-texturing thin film, magnetic discs, said method comprising:
- a) providing a disc substrate;
- b) etching said substrate to provide a first, spaced array of micro-texturing components comprising dispersed recesses projecting inwardly into the body of said substrate;
- and
- c) sputter depositing a second, spaced array of micro-texturing components comprising spaced, generally rounded metallic globules superimposed over said etched substrate and recesses projecting thereunto, with said second, spaced array projecting upwardly, generally away from said etched substrate and recesses projecting thereunto and defining a second array of dispersed peaks elevated from said first array of dispersed peaks;
- d) said sputter deposited globules comprising a eutectic alloy whose chemical composition is diverse from that of said etched portion of said substrate with said eutectic alloy comprising Indium and Bismuth;
- and
- e) said etching and depositing being operable to form a compositely micro-textured substrate for receiving sputter deposited, thin-film, magnetic media, which substrate is characterized by
- i) superimposed, physically disparate, micro-texturing defined by rounded metallic globules projecting outwardly of said substrate and etched recesses projecting inwardly into said substrate;
- and
- ii) superimposed, chemically disparate micro-texturing defined by said superimposed first and second arrays of micro-texturing components comprised of diverse chemical composition;
- f) said method being characterized by the formation of micro-texturing comprising multiple superimposed zones of micro-texturing formed, respectively, by the etching induced removal of material from said disc and the sputtering deposition induced addition of texturing material to said disc forming projecting protrusions;
- g) said second, spaced array comprising rounded globules being sputter deposited over each of said first, spaced array of etching-formed, dispersed recesses and etching-formed, dispersed peaks with
- individual, etching-formed peaks and recesses each being operable to directly support a plurality of said rounded globules;
- and
- h) said superimposed, first and second, spaced arrays of etching-formed and rounded globule-formed micro-texturing components being collectively operable to micro-texture said thin-film magnetic media sputtered upon said superimposed first and second arrays of disparate, micro-texturing;
- i) said superimposing of said sputtered, rounded globules over said first, spaced array of etching-induced micro-texturing producing a frequency of texturing peak occurrence which is greater than and modifies the frequency of peak occurrence produced by said first array of dispersed peaks;
- and
- said superimposing of sputtered, rounded globules over said etching-formed, first spaced array of micro-texturing is operable to reduce stiction characteristics to a level less than that which would result from the presence of either said etching formed, first spaced array or said sputtered, rounded globule formed, second spaced array.
15 more elements
A method of compositely micro-texturing thin film, magnetic discs, said method comprising
- a) providing a glass disc substrate having masking defining a spaced array of unmasked areas;
- b) etching said masked areas of said glass substrate to provide a first, spaced array of micro-texturing components comprising dispersed recesses projecting inwardly into the body of said glass substrate and defining a first array of dispersed peaks;
- and
- c) sputter depositing a second, spaced array of micro-texturing components comprising spaced, generally rounded, metallic globules superimposed over said etched glass substrate and recesses projecting thereunto, with said second spaced array projecting upwardly, generally away from said etched glass substrate and recesses projecting thereunto and defining a second array of dispersed peaks elevated from said first array of dispersed peaks;
- d) said sputter deposited globules comprising a eutectic alloy whose chemical composition is diverse from that of said etched substrate, with said eutectic alloy comprising Indium and Bismuth;
- and
- e) said etching and depositing being operable to form a compositely, micro-textured glass substrate for receiving sputter deposited, thin-film, magnetic media, which glass substrate is characterized by
- i) superimposed, physically disparate, micro-texturing defined by rounded metallic globules projecting outwardly of said glass substrate and etched recesses projecting inwardly into said glass substrate;
- and
- ii) superimposed, chemically disparate micro-texturing defined by superimposed first and second arrays of micro-texturing components comprised of diverse chemical composition, with said first array comprising recessed glass and said second array comprising metallic globules;
- f) said method being characterized by the formation of micro-texturing comprising multiple superimposed zones of micro-texturing formed, respectively, by the etching induced removal of material from said disc and the sputtering deposition induced addition of texturing material to said disc forming projecting protrusions,
- g) said second, spaced array comprising rounded globules being sputter deposited over each of said first, spaced array of etching-formed, dispersed recesses and etching-formed, dispersed peaks with
- individual, etching-formed peaks and recesses each being operable to directly support a plurality of said rounded globules;
- and
- h) said superimposed, first and second, spaced arrays of etching-formed and rounded globule-formed micro-texturing components being collectively operable to micro-texture said thin-film magnetic media sputtered upon said superimposed first and second arrays of disparate, micro-texturing;
- i) said superimposing of said sputtered, rounded globules over said first, spaced array of etching-induced micro-texturing producing a frequency of texturing peak occurrence which is greater than and modifies the frequency of peak occurrence produced by said first array of dispersed peaks;
- and
- said superimposing of sputtered, rounded globules over said etching-formed, first spaced array of micro-texturing is operable to reduce stiction characteristics to a level less than that which would result from the presence of either said etching formed, first spaced array or said sputtered, rounded globule formed, second spaced array.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.