Patent ID: 8023393
Filing Date: 2011-09-20
Classification: G01Q,G11B

Abstract:
1. A method of reducing the wear of a tip of a probe selected from an array of probes of a data storage device when the tip is in contact with a surface of a substrate wherein the probe is mounted on a mechanical spring, the method comprising: loading where a load force is applied to the probe thereby to cause the tip to be maintained substantially in contact with the substrate surface; wherein the substantial contact includes periodic moments of sustained contact interspersed with periodic moments of no contact, and said substrate is selected from a group of materials comprising: a polymer, a magnetic material, a ferroelectric material, and a phase-change material; modulating the magnitude of the load force at a modulation frequency, the modulating regulating the periodic moments of sustained contact and the periodic moments of no contact, the modulation frequency being chosen to be greater than a fundamental vibration frequency of the spring on which the probe is mounted and said modulation frequency is chosen to be greater than a contact resonant frequency of the spring, which is the resonant frequency of the spring when the tip of the probe is in contact with the substrate surface; modulating the magnitude of the load force by inducing a displacement of the substrate surface relative to the probe and said probe is scanned relative to the substrate surface; applying an electrostatic potential between the probe and a counter-electrode to modulate said load force, wherein the probe is comprised of a conductive material and the substrate surface functions as the counter electrode and the modulation frequency is chosen to be ≧v/a where v is a scanning velocity and a is an atomic/molecular length scale; wherein an environment of the probe and the substrate is substantially maintained at a humidity of ≦10% relative humidity; varying the magnitude of the electrostatic potential at the modulation frequency; and vibrating mechanically at least a part of the spring at the modulation frequency.