SURFACE TEXTURE ASSESSMENT IN THE TANGENTIAL DIRECTION OF A RIGID MAGNETIC DISK TO REDUCE THE FRICTION FORCE BETWEEN HEAD AND DISK SURFACE

The disk surface texture was assessed ih both the radial and tangentia l directions to estimate the size and number statistics of real contac t spots at tire head-disk interface and the friction force between hea d and disk surface. It was demonstrated that textured disks having sim ilar characteristics id the radial direction happen to show different profile features in the tangential direction. The relatively. large va lues in wave peak undulation and its tangential spacing in the tangent ial direction reduced the frictional force in CSS tests. It was also i ndicated that the friction force increases with apparent radius of cur vature of the significant wave peaks determined by rolling a virtual c ircle over the macroscopic profile in the tangential direction.