Surface treatment of magnetic recording heads
US5838522A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 3, 1997 |
| Grant date | Nov 17, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 3, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B33/10
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Surface modification of magnetic recording heads using plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition is disclosed. This method may be carried out using a vacuum arc deposition system with a metallic or carbon cathode. By operating a plasma gun in a long-pulse mode and biasing the substrate holder with short pulses of a high negative voltage, direct ion implantation, recoil implantation, and surface deposition are combined to modify the near-surface regions of the head or substrate in processing times which may be less than 5 min. The modified regions are atomically mixed into the substrate. This surface modification improves the surface smoothness and hardness and enhances the tribological characteristics under conditions of contact-start-stop and continuous sliding. These results are obtained while maintaining original tolerances.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.