Hybrid coating for magnetic heads

Abstract

A system and method for providing corrosion protection for a magnetic read/write head is disclosed. A monolayer surface coating is applied to cover those portions of the under layer of a magnetic read/write head not already covered by a previously applied diamond-like coating. This allows for a thinner diamond like coating than previously applied in the art. The monolayer surface coating can be a self-assembled monolayer, such as an organosilicon for hydroxylated surfaces or carboxylic acids for aluminum or other metal oxides. Alternatively, the monolayer surface coating can be directly applied to the under layer with no diamond-like coating being present. The monolayer surface coating can be applied by a surface immersion process or by a vacuum coating process.

1 . A magnetic read/write head, comprising:
 an under layer; and   a monolayer surface coating at least partially covering the under layer.   
     
     
         2 . The magnetic read/write head of  claim 1 , further comprising a diamond-like carbon coating partially covering the under layer. 
     
     
         3 . The magnetic read/write head of  claim 2 , wherein the diamond-like carbon coating is less than 50 angstroms in thickness. 
     
     
         4 . The magnetic read/write head of  claim 2 , wherein the monolayer surface coating covers each portion of the under layer left uncovered by the diamond-like carbon coating. 
     
     
         5 . The magnetic read/write head of  claim 1 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is a self-assembled monolayer. 
     
     
         6 . The magnetic read/write head of  claim 5 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is a fluorinated alkyl trichlorosilane. 
     
     
         7 . The magnetic read/write head of  claim 5 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is an alkyl trichlorosilane. 
     
     
         8 . The magnetic read/write head of  claim 5 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is a fluorinated alkyl trialkyloxysilane. 
     
     
         9 . The magnetic read/write head of  claim 5 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is an alkyl trialkyloxysilane. 
     
     
         10 . The magnetic read/write head of  claim 5 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is a fluorinated alkyl carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         11 . The magnetic read/write head of  claim 5 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is an alkyl carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         12 . A system, comprising:
 a disk to store data; and   a magnetic head to read and write the data stored on the disk, the magnetic head at least partially covered by a monolayer surface coating.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein a diamond-like carbon coating partially covers the magnetic head. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the diamond-like coating is less than 50 angstroms in thickness. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the monolayer surface coating and the diamond-like carbon coating cover a disk interface location of the magnetic head. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the monolayer surface coating covers each portion of the interface location left uncovered by the diamond-like carbon coating. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is a self-assembled monolayer. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is a fluorinated alkyl trichlorosilane. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is an alkyl trichlorosilane. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is a fluorinated alkyl trialkyloxysilane. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is an alkyl trialkyloxysilane. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is a fluorinated alkyl carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is an alkyl carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         24 . A method, comprising:
 manufacturing a magnetic read/write head for a disk drive; and   at least partially covering the magnetic read/write head with a monolayer surface coating.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 partially covering the magnetic read/write head with a diamond-like carbon coating.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the diamond-like carbon coating is less than 50 angstroms in thickness. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the monolayer surface coating and the diamond-like carbon coating cover a disk interface location of the magnetic head. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the monolayer surface coating covers each portion of the interface location left uncovered by the diamond-like carbon coating. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is applied by a liquid process. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the liquid process includes:
 dissolving a monolayer agent in a solvent producing a resulting solution;   immersing the magnetic read/write head in the solution;   removing the magnetic read/write head from the solution; and   cleaning and excessive coating materials coating conditioning from the magnetic read/write head.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the monolayer surface coating is applied by a vacuum coating process. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the vacuum coating process includes:
 loading a monolayer agent container into a coating chamber;   placing the magnetic read/write head into the coating chamber;   purging the coating chamber with nitrogen gas;   pumping the coating chamber down to low vacuum;   exposing the magnetic read/write head to a vapor of the agent;   purging the coating chamber with nitrogen gas;   pumping the coating chamber down to low vacuum; and removing the magnetic read/write head from the coating chamber.