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Process Challenges in the Hard Drive Industry

Adam Wray

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Cost under increasing pressure• Process Time• Cost of Ownership• CE Presence

Increased presence in CE sectorIncreased mix of Form Factors – no longer Niche for sub 2.5 inch (0.85, 1.0, 1.8)

• Process Capability and Flexibility• Cost vs Competing Technologies

HDD Industry DynamicsHDD Industry Dynamics

Continuing push on Areal Density• TPI increasing • BPI Increasing• Fly Height Decreasing

Transition to Perpendicular

Increasing Quality TargetsIncreased focus on DPPM and reliability for major integrators

• 1000 DPPM in ’03 with a target of < 200 DPPM in ‘06Existing Test Philosophies being challenged for CE sector

• Contradiction between low cost and increased environmental demand

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Technical Capability

Machine/ system Efficiency

Process capability

Quality Products

Time To Market

Competitive costs

Flexibility and agility

Growth capability

Xyratex Customer

Operational Efficiency and ScaleC

ollaboration

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HDD Process OverviewHDD Process Overview

Motor & Casting

Wafers

Head Fabrication

Substrate

Media Manufacturing

Burnish & Glide

Final Assembly

Head-DiskAssembly

PCB Assembly

Head Gimbal Assembly

HGA Test

Head-stack Assembly

Pack & Ship

Servo Track Writing

- Production Test

HDA

HDD

DiskHeadCertification

Production Test

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• ~ 2002

• Single Environment

• Water cooled system

● Range 25 → 70 ºC

● Accuracy ~ ± 2 ºC

• ~ 1998

•Shared Environment

• Air cooled system

● Range 35 → 55 ºC

● Accuracy ~ ± 5 C

• ~ 2006

• Single Environment

• Thermo Electric

Cooling (TEC)

● Range -10 → 85 ºC

● Accuracy ~ ± 1 ºC

Production Test - Thermal PerformanceProduction Test - Thermal Performance

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• ~2002

• Individual Hard mount

• Constrained layer springs

• Less Crosstalk

• System vibration effects becoming an issue for new drives

• 0.02 Rad/s/s @ 500Hz

• ~2005

• Individually isolated soft mounts

• Offset Pivot Technology

• Vibrationally Decoupled Fans

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•Servo-fill capable – in automated system

• 0.006 Rad/s/s @ 500Hz

Production Test - Vibration PerformanceProduction Test - Vibration Performance

• ~1998

• Hard coupled matrix of slots

• Hard ‘wedge’ mounted drives

• Crosstalk became an issue for new drives

• 0.09 Rad/s/s @ 500Hz

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Production ‘Test’ – Process EvolutionProduction ‘Test’ – Process Evolution

120 Drives >2000 Drives

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HDD Process Overview - ServowriteHDD Process Overview - Servowrite

Motor & Casting

Wafers

Head Fabrication

Substrate

Media Manufacturing

Burnish & Glide

Final Assembly

Head-DiskAssembly

PCB Assembly

Head Gimbal Assembly

HGA Test

Head-stack Assembly

Pack & Ship

Servo Track Writing

HDA

HDD

DiskHeadCertification

Production Test

Media Writing

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Servo Writer TechnologyServo Writer Technology

Printing

XyratexHi-Speed / Hi-Density

ServowriterCORE Technology

200MHz200MHz 400MHz400MHz

Disk Automation & Optics

Xyratex High Performance Conventional Servo Writer Systems

Media Writers

Self Servo / fill systems

Partnering

Customer IP

Customer IPXyratexHighly automated Production Rack

CORE Technology

Customer IP

Rack and media writer P

artnering

Partnering

600600--800MHz800MHz

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HDD Process Overview - Disk CertificationHDD Process Overview - Disk Certification

Motor & Casting

Wafers

Head Fabrication

Substrate

Media Manufacturing

Burnish & Glide

Final Assembly

Head-DiskAssembly

PCB Assembly

Head Gimbal Assembly

HGA Test

Head-stack Assembly

Pack & Ship

Servo Track Writing

Production Test

HDA

HDD

DiskHeadCertification

Xyratex Confidential

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Optical Certification – Xyratex SolutionOptical Certification – Xyratex Solution

Differential Scanning Fabry-Perot (DSF)

Based on standard Laser Technology

Non Contact Optical Probe

0.5 mm above surface

4 um spot size

20Mbit sampling rate

10,000 rpm

100% surface coverage in 40 seconds

Prototype Heads

Xyratex Confidential

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Optical Certification - ScratchOptical Certification - Scratch

Substrate Scratch

AFM Scan:

0.33 um wide

12.2 nm deep

Xyratex Scan

Small pre-sputter defects easily detected

Compromise between scan speed and defect resolution

Xyratex Confidential

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Optical Certification – Multiple Substrate PitsOptical Certification – Multiple Substrate Pits

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Optical Certification – Magnetic Surface DefectsOptical Certification – Magnetic Surface Defects

Xyratex Confidential

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Media Test Time TrendsMedia Test Time Trends

Media Certification Times

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10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

2003 & Before 2004 2005 2006 Beyond

Test

Tim

e

Legacy Workcell

8 Spindles/WC

9+ sec. Avg. Cycle Time

Manual product feed

MGA Workcell

8 Spindles/WC

6.5 sec. Avg. Cycle Time

Automated product feed

XLTA

12 Spindles/WC

5.25 sec. Avg. Cycle Time

Manual product feed

X700

4-6 Spindles

4.5 – 5.0 sec. Avg. Cycle time

Manual product feed

Dedicated Automation

1 Spindle/WC

5 sec. Avg. Cycle Time

Automated product feed

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HDD Process Overview - Precision CleaningHDD Process Overview - Precision Cleaning

Motor & Casting

Wafers

Head Fabrication

Substrate

Media Manufacturing

Burnish & Glide

Final Assembly

Head-DiskAssembly

PCB Assembly

Head Gimbal Assembly

HGA Test

Head-stack Assembly

Pack & Ship

Servo Track Writing

Pre-sputter Clean

HDA

HDD

DiskHeadCertification

Production Test

Rough & Fine Polish Clean

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Production ‘Clean’ – Tool and Process EvolutionProduction ‘Clean’ – Tool and Process Evolution

240 DPH 2400 DPH

1985Single Standalone Scrub

2005Fully Automated Multi-module System

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• ~ 2000• Stainless Steel or PFA

•100 disk load

•4 Sided weir

• Frequency 132 KHz

• Power in- 1200 Watts

• ~ 2006• PFA

• 4-sided weir + QDR

• 100 disk load

• Frequency 950 KHz

• Power in 3600 Watts

Sonic CleanPerformance Trends and most advanced tanks configurationsSonic CleanPerformance Trends and most advanced tanks configurations

• 1994

•50 disk load•Stainless Steel

•3 sided weir

• Frequency 68 KHz

• Power in - 600 Watts

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Advanced Cascade Scrubbing – 2400 DPHAdvanced Cascade Scrubbing – 2400 DPH

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Example of equipment extendibilityExample of equipment extendibility

27mm

95mm

Media Manufacturing Requires Flexibility

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HDD Process OverviewHDD Process Overview

Motor & Casting

Wafers

Head Fabrication

Substrate

Media Manufacturing

Burnish & Glide

Final Assembly

Head-DiskAssembly

PCB Assembly

Head Gimbal Assembly

HGA Test

Head-stack Assembly

Pack & Ship

Servo Track Writing

Certification

Production Test

Certification

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Technical Capability

Machine / system Efficiency

Process capability

Quality Products

Time To Market

Competitive costs

Flexibility and agility

Growth capabilty

Xyratex Customer

Operational Efficiency

Collaboration

Ongoing Investment in R&DAnd Operational capability Customer Success

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Thank You

for your attention