MAGNETIC MEDIA HAVING ULTRA THIN BONDED LUBRICATION LAYER
A method for manufacturing a magnetic media having an extremely thin lubricant layer on a magnetic media. The thin lubricant layer decreases magnetic spacing to maximize magnetic performance of the magnetic data recording system. The lubricant layer is formed by first depositing a lubricant that includes two different lubricant materials, one bonded and the other non-bonded. After lubricant deposition a burnishing process can be performed, with the lubricant being thick enough for effective burnishing. Then, the disk is exposed to a solvent vapor, which removes most of the lubricant leaving only a very thin layer of the bonded lubricant material.
1 . A magnetic media for magnetic data recording, comprising:
a magnetic disk having a lubricant layer formed thereon, the lubricant layer having a thickness between a molecular mono-layer and one nanometer.
2 . The magnetic media as in claim 1 wherein the entire lubricant layer is bonded to the magnetic disk.
3 . The magnetic media as in claim 1 wherein the lubricant layer is substantially a molecular mono-layer thick.
4 . The magnetic media as in claim 1 wherein the lubricant comprises a perfluoropolyether.
5 . The magnetic media as in claim 1 wherein the lubricant comprises a perfluoropolyether substantially all of which is bonded to the magnetic disk.
6 . The magnetic media as in claim 1 wherein the magnetic disk includes a protective overcoat and wherein the lubricant is bonded to the protective overcoat.
7 . A data recording system, comprising:
a housing;
a magnetic media mounted within the housing, the magnetic media further comprising, a magnetic disk having a lubricant layer formed thereon, the lubricant layer having a thickness between a molecular mono-layer and one nanometer.
8 . The data recording system as in claim 7 wherein the entire lubricant layer is bonded to the magnetic disk.
9 . The data recording system as in claim 7 wherein the lubricant layer is substantially a molecular mono-layer thick.
10 . The data recording system as in claim 7 wherein the lubricant comprises a perfluoropolyether.
11 . The data recording system as in claim 7 wherein the lubricant comprises a perfluoropolyether substantially all of which is bonded to the magnetic disk.
12 . The data recording system as in claim 7 wherein the magnetic disk includes a protective overcoat and wherein the lubricant is bonded to the protective overcoat.
13 . A method for manufacturing a magnetic media for data recording, comprising:
constructing a magnetic disk;
depositing a lubricant layer on the magnetic disk, the lubricant layer comprising two different lubricant materials; and
exposing the magnetic disk to a solvent vapor to remove one of the lubricant materials and leaving a layer of the second lubricant material that has a thickness of less than 1 nanometer.
14 . The method as in claim 13 wherein the first lubricant material is a non-bonded lubricant and the second lubricant material is a bonded lubricant.
15 . The method as in claim 13 wherein the lubricant remaining after exposure to the solvent vapor has a thickness of substantially a single molecular mono-layer.
16 . The method as in claim 13 wherein substantially all of the lubricant remaining after exposure to the vapor solvent is bonded to the magnetic disk.
17 . The method as in claim 13 wherein the first lubricant material comprises a functional perfluoropolyether and the second lubricant material comprises a non-functional perfluoropolyether.
18 . The method as in claim 13 wherein the solvent vapor comprises decafluoropentane.
19 . The method as in claim 13 wherein the lubricant layer is deposited onto the magnetic disk by mixing the first and second lubricant materials to form a mixture and dipping the magnetic disk into the mixture.
20 . The method as in claim 13 wherein the exposure of the magnetic disk to a solvent vapor comprises partially filling a chamber with a solvent, heating the solvent to a temperature near its boiling point to form a solvent vapor above the solvent and holding the magnetic disk in the solvent vapor.
21 . The method as in claim 13 further comprising, after depositing the lubricant layer on the magnetic disk and before exposing the magnetic disk to the solvent vapor, performing a burnishing operation.