Method for making zone-bonded lubricant layer for magnetic hard discs
A system and method for improving the durability and reliability of recording media used in hard drives is disclosed. A protective overcoat made by depositing a diamond like carbon (DLC) layer over a magnetic layer and then depleting a portion of the DLC protective layer of hydrogen before it is coated with a Perfluoropolyethers (PFPE) using an in-situ vapor lubrication technique. The portion of the DLC layer which is depleted can be data zone of the media so that the lubricant-bonding ratio is higher for the landing zone than it is for the data zone.
1. A method of preparing a layer comprising, the steps of:
depositing a first layer;
applying a mask over said first layer so that a first portion of said first layer is covered and a second portion of said first layer is not covered;
activating said second portion of said first layer;
removing said mask; and
depositing a lubricant onto said first layer so that a first lubricant-bonding ratio between said first portion of first layer and said lubricant is different than a second lubricant-bonding ratio between said second portion of first layer and said lubricant.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of depositing a first layer includes depositing a hydrogenated carbon layer using ion beam deposition.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of activating the first layer surface is depleting the first layer surface of hydrogen.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of activating the first layer surface is bombarding the first layer surface with charged ions.
5. A method for preparing a protective overcoat with in-situ vapor lubrication, comprising the steps:
depositing a first layer having carbon and hydrogen onto a medium;
applying a mask to said medium wherein said mask covers a first portion of said first layer and leaves a second portion of said layer not covered;
depleting said first portion of said first layer of hydrogen;
removing said mask from said first layer; and
depositing a second layer onto said first layer using an in-situ vapor deposition process, said second layer having a lubricant.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of depleting hydrogen includes exposing said first layer with said mask to ionized gas.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of depleting hydrogen includes exposing said first layer with said mask to ionized argon gas.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of depositing a first layer is done using ion beam deposition.
9. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of depositing a first layer is done using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition.
10. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of depleting hydrogen includes a chemical process for depleting hydrogen.
11. A method of depositing a lubricant on magnetic media, comprising:
applying a mask to a magnetic media so that a first portion of said magnetic media is covered and a second portion of said magnetic media is uncovered;
bombarding said magnetic media and said mask with ions;
removing the mask from said magnetic media; and
applying a lubricant to said magnetic media.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of bombarding said magnetic media includes exposing said first layer with said mask to ionized argon gas.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of applying said lubricant to said magnetic media includes in-situ vapor deposition.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of applying said lubricant to said magnetic media includes dipping the magnetic media in a tank of lubricant.
15. A method of depositing a lubricant on magnetic media, comprising:
applying a mask to a magnetic media so that a first portion of said magnetic media is covered and a second portion of said magnetic media is not covered;
activating said second portion of magnetic media;
removing the mask from said magnetic media; and
applying a lubricant to said magnetic media so that a first lubricant-bonding ratio between said first portion of magnetic media and said lubricant is different than a second lubricant-bonding ratio between said second portion of magnetic media and said lubricant.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of applying a lubricant to said magnetic media results in the second lubricant-bonding ratio being greater than said first lubricant bonding ratio.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of activating said second portion of magnetic media is depleting said second portion of magnetic media of hydrogen.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of activating said second portion of magnetic media is bombarding said second portion of magnetic media with charged ions.
19. A method of depositing a lubricant on magnetic media, comprising:
applying a mask to a magnetic media so that a first portion of said magnetic media is covered and a second portion of said magnetic media is not covered;
bombarding said magnetic media and said mask with ions so that said second portion of said magnetic media is depleted of hydrogen;
removing said mask from said magnetic media; and
applying a lubricant to said magnetic media so that a first lubricant-bonding ratio between said first portion of magnetic media and said lubricant is different than a second lubricant-bonding ratio between said second portion of magnetic media and said lubricant.