SOFT ERROR RATE RESULTS OF THIN-FILM MEDIA ON GLASS SUBSTRATES

A study has been conducted to determine the effect an soft error rate, SER, of depositing thin film, media on amorphous glass substrates. Gl ass substrates were precoated with several materials to facilitate hea ting the substrate to the temperature required to maintain the film's characteristics and to prevent the surface contamination from reacting with the underlayer and the magnetic layer. The soft error rate was s tudied at a range of linear densities, varying from 85 to 125 K Bpi, a s a function of the precoat process, in-situ and ex-situ, and the prec oating materials used, NiP, Ti, C. It was found that the soft error ra te, as well as the signal to noise ratio, degraded dramatically in med ia that were not precoated. However, no clear distinction was found in terms of the best SER performance among the elements considered as pr ecoats. Soft error rate results measured on glass disks were compared to data obtained on NIP/AlMg disks, both textured and polished.