Non-conductive aluminum oxide-titanium carbide (A1203-TIC) thin film computer head substrate, method of making same, and slider element incorporating same

摘要

An electrically non-conductive Al2O3-TiC thin film computer head substrate, exhibiting improved edge retention during precision machining, is formed from a mixture of Al2O3 and TiC, where the TiC content in the final microstructure is less than about 18 weight percent and which is produced from TiC having a surface to volume mean diameter of about 2-10 micrometers. A thin film computer head substrate made from such a material, and sliders incorporating the substrate, exhibit significantly improved surface stability and diceability due to the exclusion of third-phase thermally-elastically mismatched dispersoids.