Laser texturing for low-flying-height media

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Abstract
A novel selective-area texturing process using a pulsed laser to produce a new form of texture in only the landing zone is discussed. By rotating the media under the focused pulsed-laser beam, a row of crater shaped dimples are created in the landing zone only. The rest of the disk remains smooth and untextured. Contact start-stop (CSS) test results from a lubricated C/CoCrTa/Cr media on the laser-textured substrate exhibited a constant static friction coefficient of 0.17 even after 12-K CSS cycles, with no apparent friction buildup. This unique behavior is attributed to the rounded and smooth surface topography of the laser-textured media.