The effect of texturizing on the magnetic and recording properties of plated rigid disks

Texturizing of rigid disk surfaces is used to reduce the area of contact between the head and the disk, and thus reduce the stiction and friction forces in contact start-stop applications. In this study, we investigated the effects of circumferential texturizing on the magnetic properties, the recording performance, and the noise of thin film disks prepared by electroless chemical deposition. Regarding the magnetic properties, we found that texturizing results in a small increase in the squareness and the coercivity and in a much larger reduction in the switching field distribution of the films. These magnetic effects contribute a 5-10% improvement in signal at densities of 10-20 kfci (400-800 fc/mm). Media modulation noise is unaffected by texturizing for film thicknesses in the range of 60-80 nm. For smaller thicknesses, texturizing seems to contribute some incremental noise, while for larger thicknesses the reverse is observed. The main source of noise in these media, however, arises from the zig-zag domain patterns in the magnetization transition regions which have their primary origin in the exchange coupling between the crystallites.