Some tribology and mechanics issues for 100-Gb/in2 hard disk drive

The requirements of the mechanical head-disk interface design for a magnetic recording hard disk drive with a data density of 100 Gb/in(2). are presented. The research toward achieving this design in the Computer Mechanics Laboratory in collaboration with the National Storage Industry Consortium is summarized: 1) optimization of a 5-nm-flying-height ABS design; 2) experimental and numerical simulations of slider dynamics to reduce the flying height modulation; 3) tribological studies of sputtered, nitrogenated carbon (CNinfinity) overcoats and their interaction with ZDOL lubricant; and 4) optimal strain sensor placement on an instrumented suspension for suppression of track misregistration.