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Laser Etching of Ceramics for Defining Slider Air-Bearing Surfaces for Magnetic Recording Heads

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 February 2011

Jamal Khan
Jamal Khan*
Affiliation:
Digital Equipment Corporation, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts 01545
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Abstract

A laser etching process was used to etch air-bearing surface patterns (cavities) on sliders for magnetic recording heads. Results on projection through mask as well as maskless etching of patterns on the TiC-A12O3 ceramic substrate and encapsulant alumina film on the surface are described. Pattern dimensions and location, along with laser operating parameters, are defined via a computer software program in the maskless etching process, and no external hard masks were used. A combination of maskless etching processes, using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser for most of the ceramic substrate material in the back of the cavity and an excimer laser system for the alumina coating and nearby areas in the front, was found to give the best results.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 236: Symposium B – Photons and Low Energy Particles in Surface Processing , 1991 , 33
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1992

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