JP2592484B2 - Method of manufacturing magnetic head slider - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a magnetic head slider, and more particularly to a method of manufacturing a magnetic head slider with reduced adhesion to a magnetic recording medium.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, as the recording density of a magnetic recording medium has increased, the gap between a magnetic head and a magnetic recording medium has been decreasing. Therefore, for example, a so-called contact start / stop type (hereinafter abbreviated as CSS type), that is, when the magnetic head and the magnetic recording medium stop relative movement, they contact each other, and during relative movement, the magnetic head In the case of a type floating away from the magnetic recording medium, a lubricant is generally applied to the surface of the magnetic recording medium in order to reduce both damage caused by contact and sliding between the magnetic head and the magnetic recording medium. It is. However, between the magnetic recording medium coated with the lubricant and the magnetic head, a phenomenon occurs in which the magnetic recording medium and the magnetic head adhere to each other when they are in contact with each other without performing relative movement. A problem arises that the user cannot quickly leave the medium. If the adhesive strength between the two is large, not only does it hinder the start of relative movement, but also damages the magnetic head and the medium. This adhesive strength
It is also affected by the surface accuracy of the magnetic head and medium and the nature and amount of the lubricant.

As described above, as the recording density increases, the gap between the magnetic head and the medium becomes narrower. Therefore, it is necessary to further improve the surface accuracy of the magnetic head and the medium. It tends to increase.

To solve this problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-204384 describes that a concave portion is formed by etching the flying surface excluding the end of a magnetic head slider. In addition,
56-107363 describes that a plurality of minute projections are formed on a magnetic head slider surface by vapor deposition on a sputtering surface.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the above-described prior art, when a recess is formed on the air bearing surface of a magnetic head slider by etching, the effect of the formation of the recess decreases when the lubricant enters the recess. Therefore, even if the size of the concave portion and the type and amount of the lubricant are sufficiently determined, the effect of the lubricant entering the concave portion and forming the concave portion due to an environmental change during long-term use is lost. There was a problem.

In the case of forming minute projections on the flying surface of the magnetic head slider by sputtering or vapor deposition, consideration is not given to the fact that the boundary surface between the flying surface and the minute projections is not necessarily strong enough, and during use for a long period of time. There has been a problem that the fine projections fall off due to some impact and damage the surface of the magnetic recording medium.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a magnetic head slider having sufficient strength and reduced adhesiveness to a medium.

[Means for solving the problem]

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a transition metal carbide having a volume smaller than that of an oxide of the transition metal to a ceramic by 0.5%.
Forming a magnetic head slider by mixing up to 30% by volume, and oxidizing the magnetic head slider to convert the transition metal carbide into an oxide so that the oxide protrudes from at least the air bearing surface of the magnetic head slider. Forming a projection having a height of 3 nm or more and a height of 1/10 or less of the flying height of the magnetic head.

As the transition metal carbide, for example, titanium carbide or zirconium carbide is preferable. This is because these compounds have excellent oxide hardness.

The transition metal carbide is preferably contained in the range of 0.5 to 30% by volume. If the content is less than 0.5% by volume, the effect is not remarkable, and if the content exceeds 30% by volume, the properties of the material as the magnetic head slider slightly change.

The height of the oxide projection is preferably 3 nm or more and about 1/10 or less of the flying height of the magnetic head. At present, the flying height of the magnetic head is about 200 nm, so when such a magnetic head is used, the height of the oxide protrusion is preferably in the range of 3 to 20 nm. If the height of the oxide protrusion is less than 3 nm, the effect is not remarkable.

FIG. 6 shows the results of measuring the adhesive strength of a magnetic head using the magnetic head slider prepared in Examples 1 and 2 described later. The measurement of the adhesive force is the maximum load value that can be moved after the magnetic head is brought into contact with the magnetic disk for 5 hours under the condition of a load of 10 g in an environment of 80 ° C. and 60% RH. The surface roughness of the magnetic disk used for the measurement is about 1 nmRa. As shown in the figure, when the height of the oxide protrusion is 3 nm or more, the effect of reducing the adhesive force is remarkably observed, and the adhesive force is reduced to a maximum of 1/3 as compared with those having the low protrusion. The projection height is 12 to 1
At 4 nm, the effect of reducing the adhesive strength tends to saturate, but when the amount of lubricant applied to the magnetic disk is large, the effect of reducing the adhesive strength increases up to a protrusion height of about 20 nm. The projection height can be controlled, for example, by changing the oxidation conditions.

[Action]

The operation of the present invention will be described by way of an example. As shown in FIG. 1, a thin film head type magnetic head slider 1 has an air bearing surface 2 for floating above and supporting the rotating magnetic disk. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the air bearing surface whose surface has been smoothed. Part of the matrix dispersed titanium carbide is exposed on the surface. When the magnetic head slider is oxidized, as shown in FIG. 3, the titanium carbide changes into titanium oxide, and the volume expansion causes the titanium oxide to protrude from the air bearing surface. Since titanium oxide is partially embedded in the magnetic head slider, it has excellent strength.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described using examples.

Example 1 A magnetic head slider was formed by adding 5% by volume of TiC to ZrO _{2 in} which 9 mol% of Y ₂ O ₃ was dissolved. The magnetic head slider was heated in the atmosphere for 30 minutes. The result is shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, up to a heating temperature of 300 ° C., almost no alteration to titanium oxide occurs, and thus no protrusion occurs. The protruding amount becomes remarkable from around 320 ° C., and almost saturates at 400 ° C.

Using this magnetic head slider as a magnetic head, the adhesive force was measured by the same method as the measurement in FIG. In the case of the protrusion amount (projection height) of about 3 nm or more, the adhesive strength was lower than that without the protrusion, and no damage was observed on the magnetic head or the magnetic disk even after long-time operation. Also, such a magnetic head slider could be manufactured at low cost.

Example 2 Using the same magnetic head slider as in Example 1, plasma etching was performed under the following conditions. The results are shown in FIG.

Plasma O ₂ flow rate 18 cc / min Gas pressure 4 × 10 ⁻³ Torr Input power 1.3 kW Electrode SiO _{2 Using} this magnetic head slider as a magnetic head, the adhesion was measured in the same manner as in Example 1. For those with a protrusion amount of about 3 nm or more, the adhesive strength is lower than that without protrusions,
No damage was observed on the magnetic head or the magnetic disk even after a long operation. Also, such a magnetic head slider could be manufactured at low cost.

It should be noted that even when zirconium carbide was used, substantially the same effect as in the case of titanium carbide was obtained.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, it is possible to manufacture a slider of a magnetic head with reduced adhesion to a magnetic recording medium at low cost. The protrusion of the magnetic head slider manufactured by the method of the present invention is extremely strong.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a magnetic head slider according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 2 and 3 are partially enlarged sectional views of the air bearing surface of the magnetic head slider of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 5
FIG. 6 and FIG. 6 are diagrams for explaining the present invention. 1 ... magnetic head slider 2 ... air bearing surface 3 ... titanium carbide 4 ... titanium oxide

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Norikazu Sumida 2880 Kozu, Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside the Odawara Plant of Hitachi, Ltd. (56) References JP-A-59-11527 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] (1) A transition metal carbide having a volume smaller than that of an oxide of the transition metal is 0.5 to 3
0% by volume mixing to form a magnetic head slider and oxidizing the magnetic head slider to convert the transition metal carbide to an oxide so that the oxide protrudes at least on the air bearing surface of the magnetic head slider;
A method of manufacturing a magnetic head slider, comprising a step of forming a projection having a height of 3 nm or more and a flying height of a magnetic head of 1/10 or less.