2D Nano-Motion Actuator for Precise Track Following

Abstract

The authors proposed a new actuator for track following on a spin-stand that evaluated magnetic heads and media for high density magnetic recording with high speed. The new actuator was named “Nano-Motion Actuator (NMA)” by the authors. At the present time, effect of azimuth angle which causes between a center line of a head slider and a tangential direction of the track is increasingly actualized as a track pitch of the head becomes narrow. Therefore, if a discrete track media (DTM) will be put to practical use, the effect of the azimuth angle will be actualized more clearly. Because, DTM will have large RRO (Repeatable Run-Out) that is caused by eccentricity error between a medium and a hub of an air-spindle. Furthermore, NRRO (Non-Repeatable Run-Out) which is caused by mechanical vibration of the air-spindle, flutter of the medium, turbulence around a HGA (Head gimbals Assembly) and so on is overlapped with the RRO. Especially in case of the large NRRO, since the azimuth angle will rapidly change, compensations of the azimuth angle should be absolutely necessary. Therefore, precision positioning actuator with high speed on an X-Y plane which is coplanar will be required the evaluation of the high density magnetic recording. We proposed a new actuator which was consisted of a NMA mechanism and a translation mechanism. The translation mechanism was composed of a stacked piezoelectric that was supported by two elastic springs. The new actuator that was called “2D Nano-Motion Actuator (2D NMA)” could move within 10 square micrometer and be positioned by nanometer resolution with high speed.