Method and apparatus for treating the surface of a media, such as a magnetic hard disk, while operating, such as during dynamic electrical testing

Abstract

A system and method for treating (e.g. polishing to remove defects) the surface of a media, such as a magnetic hard disk, while in operation, such as during dynamic electrical testing is disclosed. Further, a method for manufacturing a head for treating the surface of a media is disclosed.

1 . A method to affect a surface of a media comprising: 
 providing physical interference between a plurality of elliptical pads of a component and said media surface as the media and the component move with respect to each other.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , said elliptical pads are located on said component with a distribution that is substantially symmetrical with respect to an axis of said component, said axis being generally parallel to a motion vector of the component; and wherein 
 said pad distribution provides a plurality of airflow pathways between said plurality of pads.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the elliptical pads are located on the component with a sizing and distribution such that, as the component passes over the media surface, a substantially uninterrupted area of physical interference is provided generally equal to the width of the slider.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the component is used to polish the media surface and the plurality of elliptical pads form a burnishing surface.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the burnishing surface is substantially flat in all planar directions; and wherein 
 the pads are designed and distributed such that at least one low-pressure region is created in the plurality of pathways by airflow between said pads.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the component is a ceramic dummy slider of waste wafer material.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the component is a burnishing head and the media is a magnetic hard disk.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said burnishing head is to polish said hard disk by moving from an inner diameter to an outer diameter of the disk as the disk rotates, said hard disk having a rate of angular velocity and said slider having a rate of radial velocity such that the slider forms a spiral path covering generally the entire surface of the hard disk.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said burnishing head is to polish the surface of the disk while flying slightly above the disk surface.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said burnishing head is to polish the surface of the disk while flying substantially flatly above the disk surface.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein each elliptical pad has a leading edge which is a first arc, said first arc having an axis perpendicular to the disk surface, and a trailing edge which is a second arc, said second arc having an axis perpendicular to the disk surface and a diameter greater than the first arc.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each elliptical pad is teardrop-shaped.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said plurality of elliptical pads is formed in the burnishing head by ion etching and lubricant overcoating.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each elliptical pad is to contact the disk with a rounded pad surface and wherein lubricant overcoating includes applying silicon and diamond-like carbon (DLC).  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said burnishing head includes a substantially uniform distribution of sixteen elliptical pads with rows of pads ordered from a leading edge to a trailing edge with the following quantities: 
 a leading edge row having three pads;    a second row having four pads;    a third row having three pads;    a fourth row having four pads; and    a trailing edge row having two pads;    said distribution providing a generally crisscrossed pattern of elliptical pads.    
   
   
       16 . A method to manufacture a burnishing head comprising: 
 covering, with a photo-reactive film coating, a row bar;    directing light from a specific range of wavelengths through a mask to said film coating;    removing, with a developer, an unexposed area of said film coating, which leaves an exposed area of said film coating as a photo-resistant surface of said row bar; and    etching said row bar by ion-milling to form a burnishing surface.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein 
 said row bar is made with recycled wafer material;    said mask is a chrome mask;    said light is ultra-violet light; and    said developer is 0.75% Na 2 CO 3 .    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 applying a carbon-thin film overcoating to said burnishing surface.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein 
 said burnishing surface is overcoated with silicon and diamond-like carbon (DLC);    said overcoating is applied via sputtering techniques;    said burnishing surface includes a plurality of raised elliptical pads; and    said method to manufacture a burnishing head is performed in a relative vacuum.