EP0584707A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Laminate and wear-resistant thin-film magnetic head assembly formed thereon
Assignee: 3M Co
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Filing: 1993-08-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-08-18
Abstract
Abstract A wear-resistant thin-film magnetic head assembly (50) and method of making same. The head assembly includes a wear-resistant layer (56) of diamond-like carbon and a substrate (52) of titanium carbide particles dispersed in an alumina matrix. Adhesion of the diamond-like carbon to the substrate is improved by depositing an adhesion promoting layer (54) on the substrate. A second adhesion promoting layer (58) can be deposited onto the diamond-like carbon layer to facilitate the deposition of electromagnetic circuitry (62) on the diamond-like carbon layer. Diamond-like carbon can be used as an insulator anywhere inside the head assembly. The present invention simplifies the construction of a head assembly and increases its resistance to wear by moving magnetic media.
Inventors
- 👤 Moses M. c/o Minnesota Mining and David
- 👤 Theodore A. C/O Minnesota Mining And Schwarz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 17:32
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B5/00; G11B5/127; G11B5/33; G11B5/39; G11B5/3903; G11B5/3906; G11B5/31; G11B5/3103; G11B5/3106; G11B5/3109; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24942; Y10T428/2495; Y10T428/24967; Y10T428/24975; Y10T428/26; Y10T428/263; Y10T428/264; Y10T428/265; Y10T428/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
50 words
A laminated base (60) for a thin-film magnetic head (50), including: a ceramic substrate (52) comprising titanium carbide particles dispersed in an alumina matrix; an adhesion promoting layer (54) comprising a-Si:C:H provided on the substrate; and an insulative, wear-resistant layer (56) comprising diamond-like carbon provided on the adhesion promoting layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
21 words
The laminated base of claim 1, further including a second adhesion promoting layer (58), comprising a-Si:H, provided on the wear-resistant layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The laminated base of claim 2, wherein each adhesion promoting layer has a thickness within the range of from about 1 to 100 nm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The laminated base of claim 1, further including a transition region interposed between the adhesion promoting layer and the wear-resistant layer, wherein the transition region is a blend of the two layers.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
58 words
A method of forming a laminated base (60) for a thin-film magnetic head (50), including the ordered steps of: (a) depositing an adhesion promoting layer (54) comprising a-Si:C:H onto a ceramic substrate (52) comprising titanium carbide particles dispersed in an alumina matrix; and (b) depositing an insulative, wear-resistant layer (56) comprising diamond-like carbon onto the adhesion promoting layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 5, further including, after step (b), the step of depositing a second adhesion promoting layer (58), comprising a-Si:H, onto the wear-resistant layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
A thin-film magnetic head assembly (50), including: a ceramic substrate (52) comprising titanium carbide particles dispersed in an alumina matrix; a first adhesion promoting layer (54) comprising a-Si:C:H provided on the substrate; an insulative, wear-resistant layer (56) comprising diamond-like carbon provided on the first adhesion promoting layer; a second adhesion promoting layer (58), comprising a-Si:H, provided on the wear-resistant layer; and electromagnetic circuitry (62) deposited onto the second adhesion promoting layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The head assembly of claim 7, wherein the first and second adhesion promoting layers each have a thickness within the range of from about 1 to 100 nm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The head assembly of claim 7, wherein the wear-resistant layer has a thickness within the range of from about 10 nm to 5 µm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
75 words
A laminated base (60) for a thin-film magnetic head assembly (50), including: a ceramic substrate (52) comprising titanium carbide particles dispersed in an alumina matrix; an adhesion promoting layer (54) provided on the substrate, the layer comprising a material selected from the group of a-Si:C and a-Si:C:H; and an insulative, wear-resistant coating (56) provided on the adhesion promoting layer, the coating comprising a material chosen from the group of diamond-like carbon, diamond and amorphous diamond.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
The laminated base of claim 10, further including: a second adhesion promoting layer (58) comprising a-Si:H provided on the wear-resistant coating; and electromagnetic circuitry (62) deposited onto the second adhesion promoting layer, wherein the electromagnetic circuitry is configured to allow the laminated base to function as a thin-film magnetic head.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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