In-situ measurement of wet stiction at HDI and whole surface mapping for glide height lower than 500 angstroms

Minimizing static friction at high humidities and achieving low glide heights are two special tribological challenges for high density recording with sputtered thin-film disks. A method of performing in-situ stiction measurement using a strain gauge at different humidities is reported. Digital mapping of hit signals at low glide height was conducted over a whole disk surface. Based on the in situ stiction measurement and glide mapping technique, disk manufacturing processes of texturing, overcoat sputtering, and lubrication are more efficiently optimized for desired tribological performance. As an example, Gradual Zone Textured (GZT) disks of NiO/Al substrates with good overcoats and matching lubricants were designed such that they exhibit low stiction in wet CSS testing as well as good glide height test performance at less than 500 Å