Laser ablation process of rounding edges of aerodynamic sliders, and sliders formed thereby

• US 20010034564A1
• Filed: 04/25/2001
• Published: 10/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Jones, Gordon M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,804,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/166
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/073 Shaping the laser spot
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0823 Devices involving rotation of the workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/361 for deburring or mechanical trimming B23K26/351 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/6005 Specially adapted for spacing from a rotating disc using a fluid cushion

Abstract

A curved surface is formed between first and second a substantially planar surfaces that are normal to each other, such as the bottom and side surfaces of a slider for a disc drive. A laser beam has a center with a focus and a power distribution, such as a Gaussian distribution, such that the laser power is greatest at the center of the beam and is weaker radially from the center of the beam. The laser beam is directed at the first surface along a first path substantially normal to the first surface so that a center of the laser beam is substantially contiguous to the second surface. The laser beam is moved along a second path substantially parallel to the second surface to ablate the slider at the first surface adjacent the second surface to ablate the material and form a continuous curved surface between and tangential to the first and second surfaces. Optionally, the laser beam is moved along a third path substantially contiguous to the third surface to form a second continuous curved surface between and tangential to the first and third surfaces.

Claims

1. A process of forming a curved surface between a substantially planar first surface and substantially planar second surface of an object, wherein the second surface is substantially normal to the first surface, the process comprising steps of:

a) providing a laser beam having a center and a power distribution such that the laser power is greatest at the center of the beam and is weaker at locations radially displaced from the center of the beam;

b) directing the laser beam at the first surface along a first path substantially normal to the first surface so that the center of the laser beam is substantially contiguous to the second surface; and

c) moving the laser beam along a second path substantially parallel to the second surface to ablate the object at the first surface adjacent the second surface to thereby form a continuous curved surface between the first and second surfaces and tangentially joined to at least one of the first and second surfaces.

2. The process of

claim 1

, wherein step (c) forms the curved surface tangentially joined to the first and second surfaces.

3. The process of

claim 2

, wherein the object includes a substantially planar third surface substantially normal to the first and second surfaces, the process further including steps of:

d) moving the laser beam along a third path substantially parallel to the third surface to ablate the object adjacent the third surface to thereby form a second continuous curved surface between and tangentially joined to the first and third surfaces.

4. The process of

claim 3

, wherein the object is a slider, the first surface is a bottom surface of the slider, the second surface is a side surface of the slider and the third surface is a trailing surface of the slider, and wherein the process forms the first-named curved surface between the bottom and side surfaces that tangentially joins the bottom and side surfaces and forms the second curved surface between the bottom and trailing surfaces that tangentially joins the bottom and trailing surfaces.

5. The process of

claim 3

, wherein the object is a slider, the first surface is a bottom surface of the slider, the second surface is a side surface of the slider and the third surface is a leading surface of the slider, and wherein the process forms the first-named curved surface between the bottom and side surfaces that tangentially joins the bottom and side surfaces and forms the second curved surface between the bottom and leading surfaces that tangentially joins the bottom and trailing surfaces.

6. The process of

claim 2

, wherein the object is a slider, the first surface is a bottom surface of the slider and the second surface is a side surface of the slider, and wherein the process forms the curved surface between the bottom and side surfaces that tangentially joins the bottom and side surfaces.

7. The process of

claim 2

, wherein the object is a row bar having a plurality of sliders, the row bar having channels between sliders in a surface forming the first surfaces of the sliders, the second surface of each slider being a side surface of a respective channel, the process further including:

e) after step (c), dicing the row bar along the channels to separate the sliders.

8. The process of

claim 2

, wherein the power distribution is a Gaussian power distribution.

9. The process of

claim 1

, wherein the power distribution is a Gaussian power distribution.

10. A computer usable medium having a computer readable program embedded therein for addressing data, the computer readable program in the computer usable medium comprising:

first computer readable program code for causing a computer to aim a laser gun at a first substantially planar surface of an object along a first path substantially normal to the first surface and substantially contiguous to a second substantially planar surface of the object substantially normal to the first surface;

second computer readable program code for causing the computer to move the laser gun along a second path substantially parallel to the second surface of the object; and

third computer readable program code for causing the computer to operate the laser gun to direct a laser beam at the first surface with a power distribution such that the greatest energy of the laser beam impinges the object substantially contiguous to the second surface and the least energy impinges the object distal from the second surface, the laser beam thereby ablating the object to form a continuous curved surface between and tangentially joined to at least one of the first and second surfaces.

11. The computer usable medium of

claim 10

, wherein the power distribution is a Gaussian power distribution.

12. The computer usable medium of

claim 10

, wherein the first computer readable program code includes:

computer readable program code responsive to data identifying the location of the second surface relative the first path for causing the computer to position the laser gun so that the first path is substantially contiguous to the second surface.

13. The computer usable medium of

claim 10

, wherein the computer readable program includes:

fourth computer readable program code for causing the computer to move the laser gun along a third path substantially parallel to a third substantially planar surface of the object substantially normal to the first and second surfaces to ablate the object adjacent the third surface to thereby form a second continuous curved surface between and tangentially joined to the first and third surfaces.

14. The computer usable medium of

claim 13

, wherein the power distribution is a Gaussian power distribution.

15. The computer usable medium of

claim 13

, wherein the fourth computer readable program code includes:

computer readable program code responsive to data identifying the location of the third surface relative the first path for causing the computer to position the laser gun so that the first path is substantially contiguous to the third surface.

16. The computer usable medium of

claim 13

, wherein the first computer readable program code includes:

computer readable program code responsive to data identifying the location of the second surface relative the first path for causing the computer to position the laser gun so that the first path is substantially contiguous to the second surface, and

the fourth computer readable program code includes;

computer readable program code responsive to data identifying the location of the third surface relative the first path for causing the computer to position the laser gun so that the first path is substantially contiguous to the third surface.

17. A slider having a substantially planar bottom surface and a substantially planar side surface, the side surface being substantially normal to the bottom surface, the slider being characterized by the inclusion of a continuously curved surface extending between the bottom and side surfaces and tangentially joined to at least one of the bottom and side surfaces.

18. The slider of

claim 17

, further including a substantially planar trailing surface substantially normal to both the bottom and side surfaces, the slider being further characterized by a second continuously curved surface extending between and tangentially joined to the bottom and trailing surfaces, and a third continuously curved surface between the first-named and second curved surfaces and tangentially joined to the bottom, side and trailing surfaces.

19. The slider of

claim 18

, further including a substantially planar leading surface substantially normal to both the bottom and side surfaces, the slider being further characterized by a fourth continuously curved surface extending between and tangentially joined to the bottom and leading surface, and a fifth continuously curved surface between the first-named and fourth curved surfaces and tangentially joined to the bottom, side and leading surfaces.

20. The slider of

claim 17

, further including a substantially planar leading surface substantially normal to both the bottom and side surfaces, the slider being further characterized by a second continuously curved surface extending between and tangentially joined to the bottom and leading surface, and a third continuously curved surface between the first-named and second curved surfaces and tangentially joined to the bottom, side and leading surfaces.