Dave Frost Senior Director of Business Development

Media Process Equipment

December 7, 2006

Precision Cleaning Process and Equipment Considerations for PMR media

2

Agenda

IntroductionDefect trendsEquipment evolutionCleaning overview

ContactNon-Contact Drying

PMR Considerations Conclusions

3

PMR cleaning “opportunity” comment from leading Industry Analyst

“The (PMR) head-disk interface is arguably the most intricate in the history of the HDD industry………..and cleanliness has both never been more important and less understood”

“Focus on PMR Transition” paperTrendFOCUS 8/1/06

4

Particle/Defect size as areal density increasesParticle/Defect size relation as areal density increases

The incredible shrinking defect

5

Maximum Critical Defect Size Roadmap

0

0.2

0.6

1.0

1.4

40 60 80 120 160 240 320 480 640 960 1.280

Capacity per 95mm disk, GB

Dia

met

er (µ

) 2005

2003

20112009

2007

LMR PMR

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Types of Defects to be removed via cleaning

Particles Head/Disk Interface issues that can cause a head crashMagnetic defectsCorrosionUsually can be caught at final test, before shipment

Film or StainsImpairs film adhesion Magnetic defectsCorrosion Difficult to detect and can grow over time, after shipment!

7

Cleaning Process and Equipment Evolution

Single Scrub

1984

150 DPH

Double Scrub + SRD

1988

300 DPH

1994

Fully integrated, multi-step processing

600 DPH

8

Advanced Cleaning Systems for PMR Media and Substrates

1200 DPH

9

Advanced Cleaning Systems for PMR Media

2400 DPH

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Fundamental Cleaning Steps

Particle or defect underminingUse dilute soaps, detergents or performance chemistriesWeakening of molecular or physical bondWeaking of static bond

Particle or defect detachmentContact mechanism via torsion or normal shearNon-contact mechanisms from sonication forces

Particle or defect disposal Remove with filtration via recirculation

• High tank turnover and pump flow ratesQuick dump rinseAdvanced tank design and hybrid rinsing configurations

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Clean ability & Wet ability

The key to effective cleaning and drying is insuring the surface becomes and remains hydrophilic

Insures efficient particle undermining and engulfment in fluidInsures surface wetting is sufficient for drying performance

Source: IC Knowledge LLC

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Advanced Cascade Scrubbing – 2400 DPH

1

43

2in

out

13

Scrub Trends – more is better

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Ultrasonics

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Fundamentals of Ultrasonic Cleaning – Cavitation Forces

Ultrasonic sound waves moving through the cleaning fluid create cavities (cavitation) during the rarefied region of the waveCavities grow and then collapse or implode, causing high forces to be applied for detachment of defect

Source: IC Knowledge LLC

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Ultrasonic Cleaning

Multiple Ultrasonic frequencies are required to insure acceptable removal efficiencies are met over the

broad range of particles sizes present on incoming substrates

Source: IC Knowledge LLC

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Sonic Frequency - simplified

Removing large particles easybut causes pitting defects

Small particles not removed

400 - 480 KHz 104 KHz

Removes both large particles and smaller particles effectively

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Megasonics – Final cleaning and rinsing prior to dry

Quick Dump Rinse Recirculated Rinse

Process flow

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Fundamentals of Megasonic Cleaning

Megasonic cleaning is excellent for removing smallest sizes particles, required prior to drying

Thinning of the boundary layer surrounding the particlesHigh velocity pressure waves

Source: IC Knowledge LLC

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Sonication Trends

Meg

ason

icFr

eque

ncy U

ltrasonic Frequency

Trend In Sonication

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015Year

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

MS Frequency US Frequency

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Megasonics is Trending Toward 100% Use

Ratio(MS/US)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Years

Rat

io o

f MS/

US

Ratio(MS/US)

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Drying Technology Roadmap

Drying Technology Comments

1. Spin Rinse Drying Particle generation - moving parts Throughput issuesNo longer used in media cleaning

2. Hot IPA Process Yield issues with NiP, Glass OKSafety, Environmental and COO issuesBeing eliminated in media cleaning

3. Hot DI Particle neutralityLower temperature processes possibleDual hand-off eliminates contact pointsContinuous development for PMR and beyond is occuring

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Tool Considerations

Key criteriaTechnology capability

• Contact, Scrubbing PRE• Non-contact, tank designs and sonic frequency and power density• Drying, glass and metal flexibility, particle size neutrality, temperature• Environmental control and particle generation control

Operational capability• COO, utilization, DT%, MTBF, MTTR, flexibility, extendibility

Throughput• Highest volume provides lowest cost• Lower volume for output granularity or line matching concept• Multiple size capability allows for best of both worlds

Floor space consumptionGlobal/Local service and technical supportPrice/Warranty/Availability of critical sparesManufacturing location should be near region of useR & D capability to provide continuous innovation and process improvement

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Substrate & Media Process Flow – LMR

Sputter

Clean & Dry

Laser Texture

Clean & Dry

Clean & Dry

Rough Polish

Clean

Final Polish

Clean & Dry

Final Grind

Substrate

Media

Optional

Texture

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Substrate & Media Process Flow – PMR

Sputter

Clean & Dry

Laser Texture

Clean & Dry

Rough Polish

Clean

Final Polish

Clean & Dry

Final Grind

Substrate

Media

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Information on PMR Cleaning Requirements

PMR media cleaning requirements are distinctly different than LMR;

PMR substrates are fundamentally different than LMR substrates due to the amount of incoming surface variability, so from a cleanability perspective PMR is more challenging than ever, because;

• PMR media does not require a texture step to aid in magnetic orientation, so the substrate surface enters the pre-sputter cleaner with an aged surface that is hydrophobic, consisting of:

• A thin oxide surface layer, based on time and storage environment metrics due to the fact substrates arrive from all over the world

• Polish induced surface asperities (scratches, nodules and ridges)• Adhered particles not removed by the final cleaning step after polish

due to existing lower capability • Loosely adhered, environmentally added particles

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Final Comments and Considerations on PMR Cleaning Requirements

PMR is prone to single point “Killer” defect at ~ 1µ and below

PMR requires several cleaning improvement considerations

Substantially improved cleaning requirements for incoming substrates due to texture process eliminationMore aggressive scrubbing, longer scrubbing times and/or increased surface contactMore complex soaps or aggressive chemistryImproved rinsing prior to drying, so particle free disks enter the dryerHigher frequency, multiple frequency megasonics and higher powerdensitiesEnhanced drying environment, to minimize particle adders, contact points and insuring complete drying

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PMR HDD – Precision Cleaning Processes

Motor & Casting

Wafers

Head Fabrication

Substrate

Media Manufacturing

Burnish & Glide

Final Assembly

Head-Disk Assembly

PCB Assembly

Head Gimbal Assembly

HGA Test

Head-stack Assembly

Pack & Ship

Servo Track Writing

Pre-sputter Clean

HDA

PMR HDD

PMR Disk

PMR Head Certification

Production Test

Rough & Fine Polish CleanCMP Clean

Multiple Process Cleans

Precision cleaning is playing an increasingly important role in other areas:

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End of Presentation

Q & A