Magnetic Recording Medium Servo Region Flatness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional magnetic recording mediums face issues with surface flatness, leading to unstable flying of magnetic recording heads and inaccurate servo region signal reading due to differences in magnetic and nonmagnetic sections, and require complex manufacturing processes.

Innovation Solution

A magnetic recording medium with a data region and servo region, where the servo region is formed using first and second patterned regions with magnetization oriented in opposite directions, utilizing a nonmagnetic matrix to separate magnetic particles of different sizes, enhancing signal differentiation and reducing manufacturing steps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If nonmagnetic material is buried in gaps of data region to reduce recesses, then surface flatness of data region is improved, but recess between data region and servo region still remains and manufacturing steps increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface flatnessVSAvoidmanufacturing steps

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The magnetic recording layer is segmented into magnetic sections and nonmagnetic sections within the servo region, allowing differential magnetization patterns that create distinct servo signals while maintaining surface flatness across the entire surface including the interface between data and servo regions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the servo region are given different magnetic properties (magnetic vs nonmagnetic sections) to create local variations in magnetization that generate distinguishable servo signals, while the overall surface structure maintains uniform flatness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Shape

If nonmagnetic section is used in servo region to create pattern, then servo region structure is formed, but signal difference between magnetic and nonmagnetic sections is small making accurate reading difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservo region patternVSAvoidsignal reading accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The magnetization direction parameter is changed between adjacent sections of the servo region (first direction vs second direction), creating strong magnetic contrast that generates clearly distinguishable servo signals for accurate head positioning and orientation detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If magnetic particles of different sizes are used in first and second patterned regions, then recording density is increased, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecording densityVSAvoidmanufacturing process

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Magnetic particles of different sizes are prepared and dispersed in the magnetic recording layer before final patterning, allowing subsequent processing steps to create the desired first and second patterned regions with appropriate particle size distribution without requiring separate manufacturing processes for each particle size

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution stabilizes servo signals, improves reading accuracy, and simplifies the manufacturing process by maintaining high surface flatness and increasing recording density.

Implementation Method 1

the first patterned region comprising a first nonmagnetic matrix and first magnetic particles dispersed in the first nonmagnetic matrix and having magnetization oriented in a first direction, the second patterned region comprises a second nonmagnetic matrix and second magnetic particles dispersed in the second nonmagnetic matrix and having magnetization oriented in a second direction opposite to the first direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetization: Magnetism

Data Source

PatentUS9053733B2Magnetic recording medium with magnetic portions of different orientations and method of manufacturing the same

Publication Date: 2015.06.09 KK TOSHIBA

AI summary

According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording medium includes a data region and a servo region adjacent to the data region and including a magnetic recording layer, the magnetic recording layer including first and second patterned regions adjacent to each other, the first patterned region including a first nonmagnetic matrix and first magnetic particles dispersed in the first nonmagnetic matrix and having magnetization oriented in a first direction, the second patterned region includes a second nonmagnetic matrix and second magnetic particles dispersed in the second nonmagnetic matrix and having magnetization oriented in a second direction opposite to the first direction, sizes of the first magnetic particles being smaller than sizes of the second magnetic particles.