Contact recording disk file and head assembly for use therein

• Main Authors: YEACK-SCRANTON, CELIA ELIZABETH, REILEY, TIMOTHY CLARK, SNYDER, CLINTON DAVID, FONTANA, ROBERT EDWARD, JR, HWANG, CHERNGYE, NOVOTNY, VLAD JOSEPH
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 29.11.1995
• Edition: 5
• Subjects: INFORMATION STORAGE; INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORDCARRIER AND TRANSDUCER; PHYSICS

A contact recording disk file uses an integrated head-suspension assembly having a head carrier with a dual-layer wear pad for contacting the disk during read and write operations. The outer wear layer of the pad is relatively soft and wear prone compared to a harder and more wear-resistant inner layer. The outer wear layer wears away at a relatively rapid rate during initial wear-in of the head carrier. In this manner the head pole pieces, which extend into the wear pad, are rapidly put into contact with the disk, thereby compensating for initial misalignment of the wear pad with the surface of the disk. The inner wear layer then provides wear resistance over the life of the disk file. In the preferred embodiment, both the outer and inner wear layers are formed of essentially amorphous carbon doped with different amounts of hydrogen.