Advantage and challenge of nonmetallic substrates for rigid disk applications

The advantages and potential applications of nonmetallic substrates for high-capacity, small form factor disk drives are discussed. Some evidence of substrate effects on magnetic and read/write properties of thin-film media is presented. The crystallographic texture in the Cr underlayer and the ensuing Co films was found to be closely related to the substrate material used. All these phenomena appeared to be associated with the outgassing and heating behaviors of the substrates in the vacuum chamber. The origins of different film growth characteristics and media properties exhibited on the nonmetallic disks are discussed.< >