Title: Head wear reduction in future hard-disk drives

Authors: Youichi Kawakubo, Shinnichi Nakazawa, Shinnichi Kobatake

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato, Naganoshi, Nagano 380-8553, Japan. ' Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato, Naganoshi, Nagano 380-8553, Japan. ' Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato, Naganoshi, Nagano 380-8553, Japan

Abstract: Head wear and head vibration due to head-disk contact are two main issues that must be resolved for the future high-density Hard Disk Drives (HDDs). To reduce head wear, disk lubricant, carbon overcoat films on head and disk surfaces, head flying characteristics and so on have been studied. In this paper, we first show the effects of several parameters on head wear, including lubricant types, their MW, and disk burnishing. Our recent results on the effects of humidity and temperature on head wear are also explained. We then explain our extended wear equation and estimate the head wear life with present technologies.

Keywords: head wear; head-disk interface; HDI; hard disk drives; HDDs; disk lubricants; extended wear equation; head wear life; wear reduction; disk burnishing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPD.2008.017469

International Journal of Product Development, 2008 Vol.5 No.3/4, pp.349 - 358

Published online: 11 Mar 2008 *

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