Electrostatic discharge and electrical breakdown study of the head-disk interface in a hard disk drive

Author

Wallash, Albert J.

Author_Institution

Maxtor Corp., Milpitas, CA, USA

Volume

40

Issue

3

fYear

2004

fDate

5/1/2004 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1751

Lastpage

1755

Abstract

A systematic and comprehensive procedure for understanding electrostatic discharge and electrical breakdown at the head-disk interface in a hard disk drive is described. First, the resistance, breakdown and field emission behavior for the individual and combined carbon overcoat films on the disk and slider was determined through current versus voltage testing. Second, different electrostatic mechanisms that can produce a voltage difference between the disk and slider or read transducer were studied. Results are explained in terms of the relative time constants for the voltage on the head and disk. It is concluded that a potential difference between the disk and recording head as little as 2 V can result in electrical breakdown damage at the head-disk interface.

Keywords

disc drives; electric breakdown; electrostatic discharge; hard discs; carbon overcoat films; current versus voltage testing; electrical breakdown; electrostatic discharge; electrostatic mechanisms; hard disk drive; head-disk interface; read transducer; recording head; relative time constants; Breakdown voltage; Carbon dioxide; Disk recording; Electric breakdown; Electric resistance; Electrostatic discharge; Hard disks; Magnetic heads; Testing; Transducers; Carbon overcoat; ESD; electrical breakdown; electrostatic discharge; hard disk drive; head–disk interface;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TMAG.2003.821162

Filename

1298955