Magnetic recording head burnishing method
AssigneeHitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
InventorsDonald Ray Gillis, Kris Victor Schouterden
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A slider burnishing method is introduced, in which the slider is brought into a predetermined surface contact with the rotating disk for a specified period. The predetermined surface contact end the specified time period are selected together with the surface condition of the rotating hard disk, such that smoothened slider surface is abrasively formed. The smoothened slider surface is substantially parallel to the disk surface and thus provides reduced contact pressure during eventual operational contacting. In addition, the smoothened slider surface creates a constant gap together with the disk surface, which enhances the aerodynamic properties of the air bearing surface and stabilizes a small fly height.
Claims16
A burnishing method for burnishing a slider on a hard disk surface, said slider being mounted on a slider arm of a hard disk drive, said burnishing method comprising the steps of:
- A) recognizing eventual topographic inconsistencies on a surface of the hard disk;
- B) preparing the hard disk surface by removing the eventual topographic inconsistencies;
- C) deriving a resistive reference signal during a non-contacting condition of the slider by positioning said slider arm in an operational parking position, the resistive reference signal being a natural resistance of a read head of said slider;
- D) burnishing said slider;
- and
- E) checking a burnishing result.
A burnishing method for burnishing a slider on a hard disk surface, the slider being mounted on a slider arm of a hard disk drive, the burnishing method comprising the steps of:
- A) recognizing eventual topographic inconsistencies on a surface of the hard disk;
- B) preparing the hard disk surface by removing eventual topographic inconsistencies;
- C) deriving a resistive reference signal during a non-contacting condition of the slider, wherein the resistive reference signal is a natural resistance of a read head of the slider, and the non-contacting condition is positioning the slider arm in an operational parking position;
- D) burnishing the slider by applying a contacting force together with a rotational hard disk speed that corresponds to one of:
- (i) an abrasion characteristic of the hard disk surface, and (ii) a debris clogging characteristic of a contacting interface between the slider and the hard disk surface;
- E) checking a burnishing result by recognizing one of:
- (i) a predetermined fly characteristic of the slider, and (ii) a predetermined friction characteristic of a contacting interface between the slider and the hard disk surface;
- the friction characteristic being determined by a resistive friction signal derived from the read head and compared to a calibration signal, such that the slider contacts the hard disk surface during a centrifugal movement and becomes more distant from the hard disk surface during a centripetal movement;
- and
- F) determining the fly characteristic by a resistive operational signal derived from the read head and compared to the resistive reference signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.