Disk alignment apparatus and method for patterned media production

1. A method, comprising:

providing a disk having a substantially circular opening defined by an inner diameter (ID);

providing a die set having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a first air-bearing mandrel moveably coupled thereto, the lower portion having an imprinting surface disposed thereon and facing the upper portion;

passively aligning the imprinting surface with the disk by freely guiding a first centerline of the disk into coincident alignment with a second centerline of the imprinting surface using the first air-bearing mandrel, wherein an axial movement of the first air-bearing mandrel relative to the upper portion guides the ID and the first centerline of the disk into coincident alignment with the second centerline of the imprinting surface; and

imprinting the disk with the imprinting surface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein passively aligning further comprises:

positioning the disk, above the imprinting surface, adjacent a cavity of the lower portion;

engaging the inner diameter (ID) of the disk with a tapered nose portion of the first air-bearing mandrel coupled to the upper portion of the die set; and

closing the top portion over the lower portion.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising adjusting a horizontal position of the imprinting surface with a plurality of pico-actuators coupled to the imprinting surface.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein imprinting comprises charging the imprinting surface with a heating element to force the imprinting surface on the disk.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the heating element comprises a hot fluid.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein imprinting comprises cooling the disk with a fluid.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the fluid comprises a gas.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the fluid comprises a liquid.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein passively aligning further comprises:

positioning the disk, above the imprinting surface, within a cavity of the lower portion;

engaging the inner diameter (ID) of the disk with a second tapered nose portion of a second air-bearing mandrel moveably coupled to the lower portion of the die set; and

intermeshing a first tapered nose portion of the first air-bearing mandrel, coupled to the upper portion of the die set, with the second tapered nose portion to close the top portion over the lower portion, wherein, upon die closure, an axial movement of the first air-bearing mandrel relative to the upper portion and an axial movement of the second air-bearing mandrel relative to the lower portion allows the first and second tapered nose portions, respectively, to guide the disk ID and the first centerline of the disk into coincident alignment with the second centerline of the imprinting surface.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein providing a die set further comprises the lower portion of the die set having a dual air-bearing nest of a planar surface and a spherical surface to enable the bottom die portion to rotate about a center of the disk.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting a horizontal position of the imprinting surface with a plurality of pico-actuators coupled to the imprinting surface.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein imprinting comprises charging the imprinting surface with a heating element to force the imprinting surface on the disk.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the heating element comprises a gas.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the heating element comprises a liquid.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising cooling the disk with a fluid.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the fluid comprises a gas.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the fluid comprises a liquid.