Laser illuminator and optical system for disk patterning

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000

OSTI ID:872912

Hackel, Lloyd A ^[1]; Dane, C Brent ^[1]; Dixit, Shamasundar N ^[1]; Everett, Mathew ^[2]; Honig, John ^[1]

---

1. Livermore, CA
2. Pleasanton, CA

Magnetic recording media are textured over areas designated for contact in order to minimize friction with data transducing heads. In fabricating a hard disk, an aluminum nickel-phosphorous substrate is polished to a specular finish. A mechanical means is then used to roughen an annular area intended to be the head contact band. An optical and mechanical system allows thousands of spots to be generated with each laser pulse, allowing the textured pattern to be rapidly generated with a low repetition rate laser and an uncomplicated mechanical system. The system uses a low power laser, a beam expander, a specially designed phase plate, a prism to deflect the beam, a lens to transmit the diffraction pattern to the far field, a mechanical means to rotate the pattern and a trigger system to fire the laser when sections of the pattern are precisely aligned. The system generates an annular segment of the desired pattern with which the total pattern is generated by rotating the optical system about its optic axis, sensing the rotational position and firing the laser as the annular segment rotates into the next appropriate position. This marking system can be integrated into a disk sputtering system for manufacturing magnetic disks, allowing for a very streamlined manufacturing process.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6037565
• OSTI ID: 872912
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

laser
illuminator
optical
disk
patterning
magnetic
recording
media
textured
designated
contact
minimize
friction
data
transducing
heads
fabricating
hard
aluminum
nickel-phosphorous
substrate
polished
specular
finish
mechanical
means
roughen
annular
intended
head
band
allows
thousands
spots
generated
pulse
allowing
pattern
rapidly
repetition
rate
uncomplicated
power
beam
expander
specially
designed
phase
plate
prism
deflect
lens
transmit
diffraction
field
rotate
trigger
fire
sections
precisely
aligned
generates
segment
desired
total
rotating
optic
axis
sensing
rotational
position
firing
rotates
appropriate
marking
integrated
sputtering
manufacturing
disks
streamlined
process
recording media
specially designed
manufacturing process
repetition rate
laser pulse
power laser
magnetic recording
diffraction pattern
mechanical means
phase plate
desired pattern
rate laser
minimize friction
rapidly generated
rotational position
transducing heads
precisely aligned
/219/