Active control of a read/write head
The invention generally relates to a hard disk drive with a disk, a read/write head, a z-axis actuator, and a controller. A surface of the disk and/or the head can be bare and thus devoid of any overcoat or lubricant layer, or alternatively the disk surface can have one or more layers with a combined thickness of less than 4 nanometers and the head can have a layer with a thickness of less than 2 nanometers. The hard disk drive can be enclosed, and its enclosed space can be a low pressure environment such as a near-zero or a zero pressure environment.
1. A hard disk drive comprising:
a disk comprising a magnetic data recording and reading surface;
a read/write head for reading data from and writing data to the disk surface;
a z-axis actuator coupled to the head and for controlling movement of the head in a substantially orthogonal direction relative to the disk surface; and
a controller for monitoring a distance of the head relative to the disk surface and for maintaining the distance within a predetermined range,
wherein one or both of the disk surface and the head is devoid of any overcoat or lubricant layer.
2. The hard disk drive of claim 1 wherein the head includes a magnetic transducer.
3. The hard disk drive of claim 1 wherein a low pressure environment is maintained within the hard disk drive.
4. The hard disk drive of claim 3 wherein the low pressure environment maintained within the hard disk drive includes an inert gas.
5. The hard disk drive of claim 1 wherein a near-zero environment is maintained within the hard disk drive.
6. The hard disk drive of claim 1 wherein a zero pressure environment is maintained within the hard disk drive.
7. The hard disk drive of claim 1 wherein a chassis and a cover of the hard disk drive are hermetically sealed to one another.
8. The hard disk drive of claim 1 further comprising a vacuum pump for maintaining a low pressure environment within the hard disk drive.
9. The hard disk drive of claim 1 wherein the head includes one or more active electronic components.
10. A hard disk drive comprising:
a disk comprising a magnetic data recording and reading surface;
a read/write head for reading data from and writing data to the disk surface;
a z-axis actuator coupled to the head and for controlling movement of the head in a substantially orthogonal direction relative to the disk surface; and
a controller for monitoring a distance of the head relative to the disk surface and for maintaining the distance within a predetermined range,
wherein a near-zero pressure environment is maintained within the hard disk drive.
11. A hard disk drive comprising:
a disk comprising a magnetic data recording and reading surface;
a read/write head for reading data from and writing data to the disk surface;
a z-axis actuator coupled to the head and for controlling movement of the head in a substantially orthogonal direction relative to the disk surface; and
a controller for monitoring a distance of the head relative to the disk surface and for maintaining the distance within a predetermined range,
wherein a zero pressure environment is maintained within the hard disk drive.
12. A hard disk drive comprising:
a disk comprising a magnetic data recording and reading surface;
a read/write head for reading data from and writing data to the disk surface;
a z-axis actuator coupled to the head and for controlling movement of the head in a substantially orthogonal direction relative to the disk surface; and
a controller for monitoring a distance of the head relative to the disk surface and for maintaining the distance within a predetermined range,
wherein a low pressure environment is maintained within the hard disk drive by hermetically sealing the hard disk drive.
13. A hard disk drive comprising:
a disk comprising a magnetic data recording and reading surface;
a read/write head for reading data from and writing data to the disk surface;
a z-axis actuator coupled to the head and for controlling movement of the head in a substantially orthogonal direction relative to the disk surface;
a controller for monitoring a distance of the head relative to the disk surface and for maintaining the distance within a predetermined range; and
a vacuum pump for maintaining a low pressure environment within the hard disk drive.
14. A hard disk drive comprising:
a disk comprising a magnetic data recording and reading surface;
a read/write head for reading data from and writing data to the disk surface;
a z-axis actuator coupled to the head and for controlling movement of the head in a substantially orthogonal direction relative to the disk surface; and
a controller for monitoring a distance of the head relative to the disk surface and for maintaining the distance within a predetermined range,
wherein a low pressure environment maintained within the hard disk drive includes an inert gas.
15. The hard disk drive of claim 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , or 14 wherein the head includes a magnetic transducer.
16. The hard disk drive of claim 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , or 14 wherein the head includes one or more active electronic components.