Tribology and Mechanics of Magnetic Storage Devices - Tapa dura

Since January 1990, when the first edition ofthis first-of-a-kind book appeared, there has been much experimental and theoretical progress in the multi­ disciplinary subject of tribology and mechanics of magnetic storage devices. The subject has matured into a rigorous discipline, and many university tribology and mechanics courses now routinely contain material on magnetic storage devices. The major growth in the subject has been on the micro- and nanoscale aspects of tribology and mechanics. Today, most large magnetic storage industries use atomic force microscopes to image the magnetic storage components. Many companies use variations of AFMs such as friction force microscopes (FFMs) for frictional studies. These instruments have also been used for studying scratch, wear, and indentation. These studies are valuable in the fundamental understanding of interfacial phenomena. In the second edition, I have added a new chapter, Chapter 11, on micro­ and nanoscale aspects of tribology and mechanics of magnetic storage compo­ nents. This chapter presents the state of the art of the micro/nanotribology and micro/nanomechanics of magnetic storage components. In addition, typographical errors in Chapters 1 to 10 and the appendixes have been corrected. These additions update this book and make it more valuable to researchers of the subject. I am grateful to many colleagues and particularly to my students, whose work is reported in Chapter 11. I thank my wife, Sudha, who has been forbearing during the progress of the research reported in this chapter.

The increasing demand for high-density highly reliable magnetic recording requires a fundamental understanding of the tribology and mechanics of the interface between the magnetic head and the recording medium. This book offers a systematic compilation of current knowledge of tribology and mechanics as applied to magnetic storage devices. It treats all important practical aspects, including surface roughness, friction, interface temperatures, wear, lubrication, lubricants, and surface finishing. It incorporates ample experimental data and relevant properties of materials and surfaces, making the book invaluable for engineers and scientists working in the field. Intended for practicing engineers who need to solve reliability or tribology problems quickly, the book will also be useful for research workers, academic engineers, and graduate students in tribology and mechanics. Most of the theoretical results presented are broadly applicable in many areas of mechanical engineering. A chapter on microtribology of magnetic storage devices has been added in this second edition of the book.