Program Overview
The exponential increase in disk drive storage capacity critically depends on reducing the spacing between the magnetic recording head and the recording medium, or head-media spacing (HMS), which demands the ultrathin protecting films of overcoat and lubricant, and sub-nanometer clearance or air gap between the head and disk. In addition, a stable and reliable head-disk interface which will be able to provide sufficient durability for many years operation is becoming even more crucial, especially when novel alternative recording technologies, such as heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) and bit-patterned media recording (BPMR), are introduced to hard drive drives.
The main mission of Overcoat, Flyability and Tribology Program is to explore and develop the enabling head-disk interface technologies for further reducing the head-media spacing, and improving the reliability and durability of the head-disk interfaces in hard disk drives.
The Overcoat, Flyability and Tribology Program focuses its activities on the nano-mechanics and tribology of head-disk interface (HDI), interface material (overcoat and lubricant) development and characterization, HDI modeling and simulation code development, and flyability testing technologies.
Research Focus
HAMR overcoat, lube and head-disk interface
- Experimental study and evaluation of overcoat and lube under HAMR conditions
- New overcoat development for HAMR & thickness reduction
- Molecular Dynamics simulation for HAMR overcoat and lubricant
HDI modeling and simulation platform development
- Air bearing code development and improvement
- Coupling of air bearing and HGA dynamics with MOR for op-shock, L/UL and dynamic touch-down take-off analysis
- Modeling & simulation for HAMR head, media & interface
Testing & solution exploration for near-contact HDI
- Detection of slider-lube-disk interactions and electrical field effect on HDI
- Dynamic FH control for FH modulation reduction
- Lube pick up study and solutions
- Media post-process for flyable thin drive and HAMR media
Graphical User Interface (GUI) of ABSolution: (a) Pre-processing, (b) Post-processing
Simulation Models of ABSolution: (a) Simulation models, (b) Coupled-field analysis
Research capability
DSI’s air bearing simulation software: ABSolution
Our strength in code development has seen the commercialization of our air bearing simulation software ABSolution – a powerful platform for air bearing slider and HGA design and simulation with the following features:
- High speed in simulation, especially in dynamic simulation
- Unstructured triangular meshing for high meshing efficiency, and high accuracy
- Head-disk system integration by coupling air bearings with HGA and disk dynamics models
- Strong dynamic analysis capability for TFC and RPM TD-TO, op-shock, LUL and HAMR HGA flyability simulations
- User-friendly graphic interface with powerful pre- and pro-processors
Media overcoat, lube and post-process facilities and capabilities
Currently, DSI has the following capabilities to deposit overcoat/lubricant materials and is currently conducting R&D work using the following equipment:
- INTEVAC Lean 200 system: station 18 (CDP), 19 (PECVD) & 20 (PVD) for DLC deposition
- FCVA coating system
- UHV/Oblique, AJA sputtering systems that are capable of co-sputtering
- Self-developed HAMR overcoat and lubricant tester with environmental control
- Multi-luber system, and custom-made Senlights UV treatment system
- YAC Tape-burnishing/wiping machine and Hitachi High-Tec Burnish/Glide/Certifier Tester
HDI and tribology characterization facilities and capabilities
The team’s capability include slider characterization, HGA level characterization, advanced nano-tribology testing and surface characterization, with support from DSI Material Science lab. The team also has a strong capability in HDI-related testing and has closely worked with many industry partners in this area.
