John M. Harker

A quarter century of disk file innovation

This paper traces the development of disk file technology from the first disk drive to the present. A number of innovative advances are reviewed in the evolution of mechanical design, materials, and processes. These advances constitute the technological base that has permitted almost four orders of magnitude of improvement in areal density; they are discussed from four in terrelated aspects: the magnetic head and its air bearing support; the head positioning actuator; the disk substrate and its magnetic coating; and the read/write signal detection and clocking electronics.

A gas film lubrication study part III: experimental investigation of pivoted slider bearings

The results of experimental measurements on pivoted slider bearings are presented, the experimental methods are described, and the experimental data are compared with data obtained from a numerical solution of the Reynolds differential equation for a compressible fluid.