GOALI: Development of a High Precision Curvature Modification Technique

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The objective of this Grant Opportunity for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) project is to develop a laser-based technique to adjust curvatures of computer hard drive components precisely, and to develop a fundamental understanding of the physical phenomena involved. This project will be conducted jointly by Purdue University and IBM. Manufacturing of components of high capacity computer hard drives requires curvature control with precision better than 10-4 degrees. Currently, there is no technique available to achieve such high precision. The laser-based technique to be developed will utilize a pulsed laser to heat and produce localized deformation on hard drive components. Because only a very small area is heated and deformed, the curvature is altered precisely by each laser pulse. Preliminary studies conducted have demonstrated the feasibility of this technique. Fundamental studies will be conducted to understand the laser curvature modification process and to quantitatively relate the processing parameters to the resulted curvature change. A laser curvature adjustment process will be developed and implemented in manufacturing. Results of the fundamental studies will serve as guidelines for the manufacturing process. The success of the research will be instrumental to the development of high capacity computer hard drives, and will help the U. S. companies to maintain the leading position in hard drive manufacturing. This project will also provide research opportunities to several graduate and undergraduate students. In addition, a large number of students will be educated with this advanced laser technology through taking a new dual graduate/undergraduate level course on laser processing. Tberefore, this project will contribute to the human resource development in the area of laser-based manufacturing technology.