An Optical Profilometer for Surface Characterization of Magnetic Media

Conventional surface-characterization techniques either are not sophisticated enough to provide complete surface-topographical data or cannot be employed because of the relatively low hardness of magnetic media. An optical profilometer has been developed which provides a noncontact method of obtaini...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:ASLE transactions 1984-01, Vol.27 (2), p.101-113
Main Authors: Wyant, James C., Koliopoulos, Chris L., Bhushan, Bharat, George, Orrin E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Exact sciences and technology
Friction, wear, lubrication
Machine components
Mechanical engineering. Machine design
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Summary:Conventional surface-characterization techniques either are not sophisticated enough to provide complete surface-topographical data or cannot be employed because of the relatively low hardness of magnetic media. An optical profilometer has been developed which provides a noncontact method of obtaining surface characteristics from a magnetic medium. The system consists of a standard Leitz reflection microscope, a Mirau interferometer controlled by a piezoelectric transducer, a linear array of photodiode detectors, and a microcomputer. The combination yields a system that measures the optical-height variations of surfaces to a high degree of precision. This height variation is processed by a computer to provide surface-topographical statistical parameters, which are useful to predict tribological and magnetic performances of the head-media interface. Sample data of magnetic media (tape, floppy disk, and rigid disk) are presented. Presented at the 38th Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas, April 24-28, 1983
ISSN:0569-8197
2375-1444
DOI:10.1080/05698198408981550