Procedure employing a diode-pumped laser for controllably texturing a disk surface

Claim 2

A process for manufacturing a magnetic data storage disk having an outer surface with a nominal surface plane suitable for use with a magnetic head for reading and writing magnetically-readable data on said outer surface, said process comprising the steps of: (a) forming on a substrate a substantially planar specular substrate surface; (b) depositing a substantially magnetizable film over said planar specular substrate surface to form a layer having a recording surface; and (c) concentrating radiant energy selectively upon a plurality of spaced-apart locations over a treatment region on a selected one of said recording surface and said planar specular substrate surface to produce an asperity which comprises a dome-shaped protrusion at each said spaced-apart location, wherein said space-apart locations have a minimum separation distance D s that is substantially greater than the largest diametral dimension D r of said asperity at said each spaced-apart location.

Claim 3

A process for manufacturing a magnetic data storage disk having an outer surface with a nominal surface plane suitable for use with a magnetic head for reading and writing magnetically-readable data on said outer surface, said process comprising the steps of: (a) forming on a substrate body a substantially planar specular substrate surface; (b) depositing a substantially mangetizable film over said planar specular substrate surface to form a layer having a recording surface; and (c) concentrating radiant energy selectively upon a plurality of spaced-apart locations over a treatment region on a selected one of said recording surface and said specular substrate surface to produce an asperity which comprises a dome-shaped protrusion at each said spaced-apart location, wherein said spaced-apart locations have a minimum separation distance D s that is substantially greater than the largest diametral dimension D r of said asperity at said spaced-apart location; said radiant energy being pulsed solid-state laser energy that forms a target area at each said spaced-apart location said asperity having a central depression extending to a depth d d below said nominal surface plane, a peripheral elevation surrounding said central depression extending to a height h r above said nominal surface plane and said respective one of the dome-shaped protrusions centered within said depression has a height h p above said nominal surface plane.

Claim 4

A process for manufacturing a magnetic data storage disk having an outer surface with a nominal surface plane suitable for use with a magnetic head for reading and writing magnetically-readable data on said outer surface, said process comprising the steps of: (a) forming on a substrate body a substantially planar specular substrate surface; (b) depositing a substantially mangetizable film over said planar specular substrate surface to form a layer having a recording surface; and (c) concentrating radiant energy selectively upon a plurality of spaced-apart locations over a treatment region on a selected one of said recording surface and said specular substrate surface to produce an asperity which comprises a dome-shaped protrusion at each said spaced-apart location, wherein said spaced-apart locations have a minimum separation distance D s that is substantially greater than the largest diametral dimension D r of said asperity at said spaced-apart location; said radiant energy being pulsed solid-state laser energy that forms a target area at each said spaced-apart location said asperity having a central depression extending to a depth d d below said nominal surface plane, a peripheral elevation surrounding said central depression extending to a height h r above said nominal surface plane and said respective one of the dome-shaped protrusions centered within said depression has a height h p above said nominal surface plane.

Claim 5

The process of claim 2 wherein, for said each asperity, said largest diametrical dimension D r is less than 100 micrometers, the dome-shaped protrusion height h p is in the interval 1-100 nanometers and said minimum separation distance D s ≧2D r is less than 500 micrometers.

Claim 6

The process of claim 2 wherein, for said each asperity, said depression depth d d is in the interval 1-250 nanometers, said peripheral elevation height h r is greater than one nanometer and said largest diametral dimension r D is in the interval 1-125 micrometers.

Claim 7

The process of claim 4 wherein said solid-state laser energy pulses are less than 100 nanoseconds in duration.

Claim 8

The process of claim 2 wherein said concentrating step (c) comprises a step of: (c.1) concentrating a plurality of said solid-state laser energy pulses on said target area at said each spaced-apart location to create said each asperity incrementally.

Claim 9

The process of claim 5 wherein said treatment region on said selected one of said recording surface and said specular substrate surface is less than 20% of said selected surface.

Claim 10

The process of claim 5 wherein said treatment region on said selected one of said recording surface and said specular substrate includes substantially all of said selected surface.

Claim 11

The process of claim 5 further comprising the step of: (d) depositing a substantially protective film over said magnetizable film layer to form a protective layer having a protective surface.

Claim 12

The process of claim 1 wherein: each said dome-shaped protrusion extends to a height h p above said nominal surface plane; each said dome-shaped protrusion has substantially circular cross sections which are parallel to said nominal surface plane; and each said dome-shaped protrusion has a rounded top.

Claim 15

A process as claimed in claim 11 wherein each said asperity has a depression extending to a depth d d below said nominal surface plane with the dome-shaped protrusion centered within said depression.

Claim 16

A process as claimed in claim 11 wherein: each said dome-shaped protrusion has substantially circular cross sections which are parallel to said nominal surface plane; and each sad dome-shaped protrusion has a rounded top.

Claim 17

A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein: each said dome-shaped protrusion is similarly shaped; and the dome-shaped protrusions being substantially uniformly spaced at a distance D s from one another without overlapping one another.

Claim 18

A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein each said laser beam has a duration less than 100 ns at each said spaced apart location.

Claim 21

A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the similar height h p is between 1-100 nm.

Claim 22

A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the similar height h p is substantially 25 nm.

Claim 23

A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the distance D s between the dome-shaped protrusions is less than 500 μm.

Claim 24

A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the distance D s between the dome-shaped protrusions is between 50-200 μm.

Claim 25

A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the distance D s between the dome-shaped protrusions is substantially 50 μm.

Claim 26

A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein: each said dome-shaped protrusion has substantially circular cross sections which are parallel to said nominal surface plane; and each said dome-shaped protrusion has a rounded top.

Claim 27

A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the similar height h p is between 1-100 nm.

Claim 28

A method as claimed in claim 23 wherein the distance D s between the dome-shaped protrusions is less than 500 μm.

Claim 29

A method as claimed in claim 24 wherein the distance D s between the dome-shaped protrusions is between 50-200 μm.

Claim 30

A method as claimed in claim 23 wherein the similar height h p is substantially 25 nm.

Claim 31

A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein each said dome-shaped protrusion has a largest circular cross section which has a diameter D p substantially equal to 7 μm.

Claim 32

A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein the distance D s between the dome-shaped protrusions is substantially 50 μm.

Claim 33

A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein: each said asperity comprises an annular depression; and each said dome-shaped protrusion is centrally located within said annular depression.

Claim 34

A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein: each said asperity has a circular rim; each said annular depression is circumscribed by said circular rim having a circular rim diameter D r ; each said annular depression has a depth d p below said nominal surface plane and each said respective circular rim has a height h r above the nominal surface plane; and the height h p of each said dome-shaped protrusion is greater than the height h r of each said respective circular rim.

Claim 35

A method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the distance D s between the dome-shaped protrusions is greater than the circular rim diameter D r .

Claim 36

A method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the distance D s between the dome-shaped protrusions is equal to or greater than twice the circular rim diameter D r .

Claim 37

A method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the similar height h p is in the range 1-100 nm.

Claim 38

A method as claimed in claim 33 wherein the similar height h p is substantially 25 nm.

Claim 39

A method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the distance D s between the dome-shaped protrusions is less than 500 μm.

Claim 40

A method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the circular rim has a diameter D r between 1-125 μm.

Claim 41

A method as claimed in claim 30 wherein: each said dome-shaped protrusion has substantially circular cross sections which are parallel to said nominal surface plane; and each said dome-shaped protrusion has a rounded top.

Claim 42

A method as claimed in claim 37 wherein the distance D s between the dome-shaped protrusions is in the range of 50-200 μm.

Claim 43

A method as claimed in claim 38 wherein the height h r of the circular rim is greater than 1 nm.

Claim 44

A method as claimed in claim 39 wherein the depth d p of the annular depression is between 1-250 nm.

Claim 45

A method as claimed in claim 40 wherein the circular rim diameter D r is less than 100 μm.

Claim 46

A method as claimed in claim 41 wherein the similar height h p is substantially 25 nm.

Claim 47

A method as claimed in claim 42 wherein: each said dome-shaped protrusion has a largest circular cross section which has a diameter substantially equal to 7 μm; the distance D s between the dome-shaped protrusions is substantially 50 nm; and the circular rim diameter D r is substantially 15 μm.

Claim 48

A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein each said asperity has the shape of a sombrero with each said dome-shaped protrusion being centrally located in and projecting from a substantially circular depression in said substrate surface and each said circular depression has a depth d p below said nominal surface plane and is circumscribed by a substantially circular rim, which has a height h r .

Claim 49

A method as claimed in claim 44 wherein: the similar height h p is between 1-100 nm; the depth d p of the annular depression is between 1-250 nm; the circular rim has a diameter D r between 1-125 μm; and the distance D s between centers of the dome-shaped protrusions is less than 500 μm.

Claim 50

A method as claimed in claim 45 wherein each said circular rim has a height h r above the nominal surface plane.

Claim 51

A process for manufacturing a magnetic data storage disk having an outer surface with a nominal surface plane suitable for use with a magnetic head for reading and writing magnetically-readable data on said outer surface, said process comprising the steps of: forming on a substrate body a substantially planar specular substrate surface; depositing a substantially magnetizable film over said planar specular substrate surface to form a layer having a recording surface; concentrating radiant energy selectively upon a plurality of spaced-apart locations over a treatment region on a selected one of said recording surface and said planar specular substrate surface to produce an asperity which comprises a dome-shaped protrusion at each said spaced-apart location, wherein said spaced-apart locations have a minimum separation distance D s that is substantially greater than the largest diametral dimension D r of said asperity at said each spaced-apart location; and said radiant energy producing at each of said spaced-apart locations said asperity that has a depression extending to a depth d d below said nominal surface plane with the dome-shaped protrusion centered within said depression and having a depth in the depression d p below said nominal surface plane.

Claim 52

A process for manufacturing a magnetic data storage disk having an outer surface with a nominal surface plane suitable for use with a magnetic head for reading and writing magnetically-readable data on said outer surface, said process comprising the steps of: forming on a substrate body a substantially planar specular substrate surface; depositing a substantially magnetizable film over said planar specular substrate surface to form a layer having a recording surface; concentrating radiant energy selectively upon a plurality of spaced-apart locations over a treatment region on a selected one of said recording surface and said planar specular substrate surface to produce an asperity which comprises a dome-shaped protrusion at each said spaced-apart location, wherein said spaced-apart locations have a minimum separation distance D s that is substantially greater than the largest diametral dimension D r of said asperity at said each spaced-apart location; and said radiant energy producing at each of said spaced-apart locations said asperity that has a depression extending to a depth d d below said nominal surface plane with the dome-shaped protrusion centered within said depression and having a depth in the depression d p below said nominal surface plane.

Claim 53

A process as claimed in claim 47 wherein each said dome shaped protrusion extends to a height h p above said nominal surface plane.

Claim 54

A process for manufacturing a magnetic data storage disk having an outer surface with a nominal surface plane suitable for use with a magnetic head for reading and writing magnetically-readable data on said outer surface, said process comprising the steps of: forming on a substrate body a substantially planar specular substrate surface; depositing a substantially magnetizable film over said planar specular substrate surface to form a layer having a recording surface; concentrating radiant energy selectively upon a plurality of spaced-apart locations over a treatment region on a selected one of said recording surface and said planar specular substrate surface to produce an asperity which comprises a dome-shaped protrusion at each said spaced-apart location, wherein said spaced-apart locations have a minimum separation distance D s that is substantially greater than the largest diametral dimension D r of said asperity at said each spaced-apart location; each said dome shaped protrusion extending to a height h p above said nominal surface plane; and said radiant energy producing at each of said spaced-apart locations said asperity that has a depression extending to a depth d d below said nominal surface plane with the dome-shaped protrusion centered within said depression and having a depth in the depression d p below said nominal surface plane.

Claim 55

A process for manufacturing a magnetic data storage disk having an outer surface with a nominal surface plane suitable for use with a magnetic head for reading and writing magnetically-readable data on said outer surface, said process comprising the steps of: forming on a substrate body a substantially planar specular substrate surface; depositing a substantially magnetizable film over said planar specular substrate surface to form a layer having a recording surface; concentrating radiant energy selectively upon a plurality of spaced-apart locations over a treatment region on a selected one of said recording surface and said planar specular substrate surface to produce an asperity which comprises a dome-shaped protrusion at each said spaced-apart location, wherein said spaced-apart locations have a minimum separation distance D s that is substantially greater than the largest diametral dimension D r of said asperity at said each spaced-apart location; each said dome shaped protrusion extending to a height h p above said nominal surface plane; and said radiant energy producing at each of said spaced-apart locations said asperity that has a depression extending to a depth d d below said nominal surface plane with the dome-shaped protrusion centered within said depression and having a depth in the depression d p below said nominal surface plane.

Claim 56

A process as claimed in claim 49 wherein: each said dome-shaped protrusion has substantially circular cross sections which are parallel to said nominal surface plane; and each said dome-shaped protrusion has a rounded top.

Claim 57

A process for manufacturing a magnetic data storage disk having an outer surface with a nominal surface plane suitable for use with a magnetic head for reading and writing magnetically-readable data on said outer surface, said process comprising the steps of: forming on a substrate body a substantially planar specular substrate surface; depositing a substantially magnetizable film over said planar specular substrate surface to form a layer having a recording surface; concentrating radiant energy selectively upon a plurality of spaced-apart locations over a treatment region on a selected one of said recording surface and said planar specular substrate surface to produce an asperity which comprises a dome-shaped protrusion at each said spaced-apart location, wherein said spaced-apart locations have a minimum separation distance D s that is substantially greater than the largest dimension D r of said asperity at said each spaced-apart location; each said dome-shaped protrusion having substantially circular cross sections which are parallel to said nominal surface plane; each said dome-shaped protrusion having a rounded top; and said radiant energy producing at each of said spaced-apart locations said asperity that has a depression extending to a depth d d below said nominal surface plane with the dome-shaped protrusion centered within said depression and having a depth in the depression d p below said nominal surface plane.

Claim 58

A process for manufacturing a magnetic data storage disk having an outer surface with a nominal surface plane suitable for use with a magnetic head for reading and writing magnetically-readable data on said outer surface, said process comprising the steps of: forming on a substrate body a substantially planar specular substrate surface; depositing a substantially magnetizable film over said planar specular substrate surface to form a layer having a recording surface; concentrating radiant energy selectively upon a plurality of spaced-apart locations over a treatment region on a selected one of said recording surface and said planar specular substrate surface to produce an asperity which comprises a dome-shaped protrusion at each said spaced-apart location, wherein said spaced-apart locations have a minimum separation distance D s that is substantially greater than the largest dimension D r of said asperity at said each spaced-apart location; each said dome-shaped protrusion having substantially circular cross sections which are parallel to said nominal surface plane; each said dome-shaped protrusion having a rounded top; and said radiant energy producing at each of said spaced-apart locations said asperity that has a depression extending to a depth d d below said nominal surface plane with the dome-shaped protrusion centered within said depression and having a depth in the depression d p below said nominal surface plane.

Claim 59

A process for manufacturing a magnetic data storage disk having an outer surface with a nominal surface plane suitable for use with a magnetic head for reading and writing magnetically-readable data on said outer surface, said process comprising the steps of: forming on a substrate body a substantially planar specular substrate surface; depositing a substantially magnetizable film over said planar specular substrate surface to form a layer having a recording surface; concentrating radiant energy selectively upon a plurality of spaced-apart locations over a treatment region on a selected one of said recording surface and said planar specular substrate surface to produce an asperity which comprises a dome-shaped protrusion at each said spaced-apart location, wherein said spaced-apart locations have a minimum separation distance D s that is substantially greater than the largest diametral dimension D r of said asperity at said each spaced-apart location; each said dome-shaped protrusion having substantially circular cross sections which are parallel to said nominal surface plane; each said dome-shaped protrusion having a rounded top; and said radiant energy producing at each of said spaced-apart locations said asperity that has a depression the shape of a sombrero with the dome-shaped protrusion centered within said depression.

Claim 60

A process for manufacturing a magnetic data storage disk having an outer surface with a nominal surface plane suitable for use with a magnetic head for reading and writing magnetically-readable data on said outer surface, said process comprising the steps of: forming on a substrate body a substantially planar specular substrate surface; depositing a substantially magnetizable film over said planar specular substrate surface to form a layer having a recording surface; concentrating radiant energy selectively upon a plurality of spaced-apart locations over a treatment region on a selected one of said recording surface and said planar specular substrate surface to produce an asperity which comprises a dome-shaped protrusion at each said spaced-apart location, wherein said spaced-apart locations have a minimum separation distance D s that is substantially greater than the largest diametral dimension D r of said asperity at said each spaced-apart location; each said dome-shaped protrusion having substantially circular cross sections which are parallel to said nominal surface plane; each said dome-shaped protrusion having a rounded top; and said radiant energy producing at each of said spaced-apart locations said asperity that has a depression the shape of a sombrero with the dome-shaped protrusion centered within said depression.

Claim 61

A process for manufacturing a magnetic data storage disk having an outer surface with a nominal surface plane suitable for use with a magnetic head for reading and writing magnetically-readable data on said outer surface, said process comprising the steps of: forming on a substrate body a substantially planar specular substrate surface; depositing a substantially magnetizable film over said planar specular substrate surface to form a layer having a recording surface; concentrating radiant energy selectively upon a plurality of spaced-apart locations over a treatment region on a selected one of said recording surface and said planar specular substrate surface to produce an asperity which comprises a dome-shaped protrusion at each said spaced-apart location, wherein said spaced-apart locations have a minimum separation distance D s that is substantially greater than the largest diametral dimension D r of said asperity at said each spaced-apart location; and said radiant energy is a series of laser pulses that form in a target area at each said spaced-apart location a respective one of said asperities.

Claim 62

A process for manufacturing a magnetic data storage disk having an outer surface with a nominal surface plane suitable for use with a magnetic head for reading and writing magnetically-readable data on said outer surface, said process comprising the steps of: forming on a substrate body a substantially planar specular substrate surface; depositing a substantially magnetizable film over said planar specular substrate surface to form a layer having a recording surface; concentrating radiant energy selectively upon a plurality of spaced-apart locations over a treatment region on a selected one of said recording surface and said planar specular substrate surface to produce an asperity which comprises a dome-shaped protrusion at each said spaced-apart location, wherein said spaced-apart locations have a minimum separation distance D s that is substantially greater than the largest diametral dimension D r of said asperity at said each spaced-apart location; and said radiant energy is a series of laser pulses that form in a target area at each said spaced-apart location a respective one of said asperities.

Claim 63

A process as claimed in claim 53 wherein the laser pulse has a duration less than 100 ns.

Claim 64

A process as claimed in claim 53 wherein the laser pulse has a fluence between 1-2 J/cm 2 .

Claim 65

A process as claimed in claim 55 wherein the laser pulse has a duration less than 100 ns.

Claim 66

A process as claimed in claim 56 wherein: each said dome-shaped protrusion has substantially circular cross sections which are parallel to said nominal surface plane; and each said dome-shaped protrusion has a rounded top.

Claim 67

A process as claimed in claim 57 wherein said radiant energy produces at each of said spaced-apart locations said asperity that has a depression extending to a depth d d below said nominal surface plane with the dome-shaped protrusion centered within said depression and having a depth in the depression d p below said nominal surface plane.

Claim 68

A process as claimed in claim 58 wherein the laser pulse has a fluence between 1-2 J/cm 2 .

Claim 69

A process as claimed in claim 59 wherein the laser pulse has a duration less than 100 ns.

Claim 74

A process as claimed in claim 62 wherein each of the series of laser pulses has a duration less than 100 ns.

Claim 75

A process as claimed in claim 62 wherein each of the series of laser pulses has a fluence between 1-2 J/cm 2 .

Claim 76

A process as claimed in claim 64 wherein each of the series of laser pulses has a duration less than 100 ns.

Claim 77

A process as claimed in claim 62 wherein: each said dome-shaped protrusion has substantially circular cross sections which are parallel to said nominal surface plane; and each said dome-shaped protrusion has a rounded top.

Claim 78

A process as claimed in claim 66 wherein said radiant energy produces at each of said spaced-apart locations an asperity that has a depression extending to a depth d d below said nominal surface plane with the dome-shaped protrusion centered within said depression and having a depth in the depression d p below said nominal surface plane.

Claim 79

A process as claimed in claim 67 wherein each of the series of laser pulses has a fluence between 1-2 J/cm 2 .

Claim 80

A process as claimed in claim 68 wherein each of the series of laser pulses has a duration less than 100 ns.