Head Flying Characteristics and Durability of a Magnetic Disk Using Tape/Slurry Texturing

In an investigation of tape/slurry texturing for an NiP/Al alloy substrate, it was found that disks textured with alumina slurry showed better gliding performance than those textured with diamond slurry. A carbon protective layer sputtered using argon gas or argon/methane gas also improved the tribological properties of the disks, resulting in enhanced durability. Disks textured with alumina slurry and sputtered using argon/methane gas, with a carbon protective layer in place, performed well in both a gliding test at a flying height of 0.05 μm, and in CSS cycle tests with a thin-film head.