Contamination reduction head for media

Abstract

A cleaning head and methods for removing contaminants from a data storage media, the cleaning head having a cleaning surface comprising a self-assembled monolayer, with the cleaning surface leading a read/write transducer. The self-assembled monolayer is selected to have a terminal functional group that has a high affinity to the contaminant(s) desired to be attracted and/or removed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of cleaning a data storage media having a surface, the method comprising:
 providing a cleaning surface comprising a self-assembled monolayer, and   attracting contaminants from the surface of the data storage media to the self-assembled monolayer by bringing the self-assembled monolayer in close proximity to the surface of the data storage media.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is done prior to assembling the data storage media into a disc drive system. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is done after assembling the data storage media into a disc drive system having a read/write transducer on a slider. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the cleaning surface is leading a read/write transducer on a slider. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the cleaning surface is on the slider. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the cleaning surface is on a cleaning head separate from the slider. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the cleaning head is supported on an actuator assembly and the slider is supported on a second actuator assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the cleaning head and the slider are supported on an actuator assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising, after attracting contaminants, recharging the cleaning surface. 
     
     
         10 . A method of cleaning a data storage media having a surface, the method comprising:
 operably contacting the surface of the data storage media with a cleaning surface comprising a self-assembled monolayer,   removing contaminants from the surface of the data storage media by attracting the contaminants to the self-assembled monolayer.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising, after attracting the contaminants to the self-assembled monolayer, recharging the cleaning surface. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the method is done prior to assembling the data storage media into a disc drive system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the method is done after assembling the data storage media into a disc drive system having a read/write transducer on a slider. 
     
     
         14 . A method of cleaning a data storage media having a surface, the method comprising:
 operably contacting the surface of the data storage media with a cleaning surface comprising a self-assembled monolayer,   accumulating contaminants from the surface of the data storage media on the cleaning surface.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising, after accumulating contaminants, recharging the cleaning surface. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the method is done prior to assembling the data storage media into a disc drive system. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the method is done after assembling the data storage media into a disc drive system having a read/write transducer on a slider.