Sandwich diamond-like carbon overcoat for use in slider designs of proximity recording heads
US6956718B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 19, 2002 |
| Grant date | Oct 18, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 1, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B5/3106
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A slider is formed of an air bearing surface coated with a wear limiting coating that substantially limits surface wear of the air bearing surface encountered in proximity recording. The wear limiting coating is comprised of a wear inhibiting layer formed on the air bearing surface and a sacrificial layer formed on the wear inhibiting layer. The two coatings of the wear limiting coating have different mechanical properties so that the sacrificial layer is burnished, exposing the wear inhibiting layer. This design substantially limits the surface wear of the air bearing surface typically encountered in proximity recording, resulting in less debris accumulation, which could otherwise adversely affect the performance of the proximity recording head. This self-limiting burnishing action overcomes the flying height variation due to manufacturing tolerances and provides extremely small and uniform magnetic spacing, which greatly enhances the proximity recording. Moreover, the burnishing action also achieves an improved flying stability and a reduction in the altitude sensitivity.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.