Claims
- 1. A method of removing material from a protective coating that has been applied to a surface of a disc drive slider, the method comprising steps of:disposing the slider in a process chamber; exposing the protective coating to a controllable source of an oxidizing gas, wherein exposing comprises introducing the oxidizing gas into the process chamber; and irradiating the protective coating with a controllable source of light while exposing the protective coating to the oxidizing gas.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the oxidizing gas is ozone.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein irradiating the protective coating comprises irradiating with ultraviolet light the surface of the slider to which the protective coating has been applied.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the surface is an air-bearing surface of the slider.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the oxidizing gas is introduced into the process chamber at a rate of flow maintained in a range from 0.5 liters per minute to 1.0 liters per minute.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein irradiating the protective coating comprises directing light from a lamp disposed in the process chamber toward the surface of the slider to which the protective coating has been applied.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the protective coating comprises diamond-like carbon.
- 8. A slider treated in accordance with the method of claim 1.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/136,076 entitled “UOE ON SLIDER DLC TO REDUCE THERMAL ASPERITY, FLY HIT, CORROSION, AND ENHANCE HDI RELIABILITY,” filed on May 26, 1999.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4756047 |
Hayashi et al. |
Jul 1988 |
A |
5028560 |
Tsukamoto et al. |
Jul 1991 |
A |
5159508 |
Grill et al. |
Oct 1992 |
A |
5781377 |
Koka et al. |
Jul 1998 |
A |
6231676 |
Rudd et al. |
May 2001 |
B1 |
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
05-20655 |
Jan 1993 |
JP |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/136076 |
May 1999 |
US |