1.

Processes

Process Description and Purpose

All blank that comes from supplier will be stored first at Temperature Control
Blanks Room (TCR) to stabilize its temperature. Then, it will be send to Turning
Department for cutting process.

To remove oxide layer on the surface, as well as to cut the inner diameter (ID),
Turning
outer diameter (OD), thickness, chamfer length, chamfer angle, and chamfer
radius for the disk.

TH To remove stress (gases like H₂ and O₂ in the surface) after turning process.

To maintain the thickness, and to remove surface roughness and waviness

Grinding before plating process.

GH To remove stress (gases like H₂ and O₂ in the surface) after grinding process.

Mekki To create a non-magnetic surface, hardness, prevent corrosion on the AI surface.

(Plating)

MH To remove stress (gases like H₂ and O₂ in the surface) after mekki process.

Polishing Last finishing. This process uses the same machine as grinding process, expect it
uses slurry and pad, instead of coolant and whetstone.

Kensa
To inspect the surface disk automatically with Automatic Optical Inspection (AOI)
(Inspection) Machine.

QI Inspection item including surface quality and dimension inspection especially on

the extreme ID/OD which AOI process cannot inspect.

Pack product follow costumer requirement. Product needs to pack to prevent

Packaging particle and humidity stick/contaminate to disc surface. Packing method and
material is depending on customer requirement.
 2. Blanks

SHDM uses 99.9% pure AI substrates as blanks. There are two products, different in thickness, which are
50 mil (1.32mm thick), and 69 mil (1.84 mm thick). The inner diameter (ID) is 24.00 mm, while the outer
diameter (OD) is 96.02 mm.

Blanks have defects called dare and bari, which contributes to the surface of the blanks not being
smooth.

dare

bari Fig. Aluminum blank (before turning process)

Before being turned, the blanks need to be cooled down to processing room temperature, because any
expanding of AI due to heat may cause inaccurate cutting during turning process.

3. Turning

The purpose of this process is to remove the Aluminum Oxide layer off the blank surface. In this process
too, the inner diameter (ID), outer diameter (OD), thickness, chamfer length, chamfer angle and chamfer
radius for disk is cut.

Tab. Measurement at turning process

Quality Analysis Measurement Frequency

OD OD micrometer 1 pcs / 2 hours

ID ID gauge 1 pcs / 2 hours
Thickness Onosokki, non-contact thickness 1 pcs / 2 hours
meter
Chamfer quality formcorder 1 pcs / 2 shift
Flatness Nidek FT-11 1 pcs / 2 hours
ID Edge
Tab. Defects at turning process

Defect Name Description Causes Specification

1. Excessive mist oil on the
disk surface will cause
chips to get stuck on the
disk and chuck easier
during cutting. = 3 µm
2. Air blow is not accurate. (considered reject)
1 Eyeball Usually occurs on both 3. Vacuum pump for the chip Analyze using
sides of the disk. collector is not Nidek flatness
functioning. Tester.
4. Excessive particles on
blanks.

1. Excessive mist oil on the

disk surface will cause
chips to get stuck on the
Is a pit defect, usually disk and chuck easier
occurs on the surfaces, during cutting. = 3 µm
around the ID area. Is a 2. Air blow is not accurate. (considered reject)
2 Tensya very small hole which 3. Vacuum pump for the chip
can be detected with collector is not
human eyes. functioning.
4. Excessive particles on
blanks.

1. Blank order mistakes (eg:

out of specification).
2. Blank alignment out with
3 Incomplete Some part of the disk the chuck. 100% reject
cut stays uncut. 3. Centering loader arm not
accurate, causing the disks
not centered to the chuck.

4 slip 1. Chips left on the chuck.

2. Chip sucktion not good.

1. Chip sucktion not good.

2. Chuck damage. 100% reject.
Surface scratched or 3. Insufficient mist oil. (Human eye visual
5 Bibiri not smooth. 4. Bit chipping. inspection)
5. Spindle / slide table
vibrates.
 Cassette is too tight, 1. Rejected cassette usage.
6 Chamfer causing frictions 2. Lifter misalignment. 100% reject.
scratch between the chamfer (Human eye visual
and the cassette. inspection)

4. TH Process

The purpose of this process is to remove stress (gases like H₂ and O₂ in the surface) after turning
process. T-subs are heated in the oven at 250⁰C for 45 minutes.

5. Grinding

The purpose of grinding process is to reduce the surface roughness and waviness, and to control the
substrate’s thickness.

Brief description

In grinding process, substrates are ground under planetary motion by a pair of elastic whetstones. It
consists of a double sides grinding process, which improves the surface finish of turned substrate, and
controls the final thickness for the next plating process.

Because the grinding process generates high temperature, in order to maintain the stone surface
temperature to a certain degree, coolant will be supplier, which is also used to clean the stone surface
at the same time.

Whetstone

The grinding stone is yellow AION Crystal Grinding Stone (M1GC #4000LP). Its composition is abrasives-
silicone carbide (volume % = 9.5 ± 1), bond-PVA (volume % = 12.5 ± 2), and porosity (volume % = 7.8 ±
2).

The thickness of the stone is 50 mm and needs to be changed when it reaches approximately 10 mm.
one set of the stone consist of 16 upper and lower platens.

Before installing to the grinding machine, the stone must be dipped submerged in water for
approximately 3 days (72 hours).
Coolant

The purpose of the coolant is to maintain the temperature of the grinding stone during grinding, as well
as to remove all AI that was removed during grinding and might have stuck to the stone.

The coolant used is SKO ZEOUL #406A, with ratios shown below:

a. 98% industrial water + 2 % SKO ZEOUL

b. 99% permeate water + 1% SKO ZEOUL

Flow rate of the coolant is 7 ± 1 //min. the coolant used is recycled, using the Ultra-Filter (UF) system.
The temperature of coolant has to be maintained at 30 ± 2⁰C.

Mechanism

The G-module accepts 40 disks from the loading hand. The disks are placed on the lower platen at G-
module, inside the carries. The upper platen will slowly lower down, sandwiching the 40 disks. This is
done at a predetermined pressure.

The coolant flows in, and the upper and lower platens, as well as the sun gear will start to rotate. These
combined actions will remove some materials from the AI disks.

Immediately after grinding, the substrates are scrubbed clean, rinsed with industrial water, and finally
spin dried.
Tab. Defects at Grinding Process

Defect Name Description Possible Causes Figure

1. Defects from the T-sub.
2. Panarobot hand
loading.
3. Unloading (U/L) mini ID Defect
Defects occurred hand alignment.
ID Defect at the inside 4. U/L panarobot
diameter (ID) area alignment.
5. Yamaha robot hand.
6. Id brush and holder.
7. Disk transferring
process at GH.

1 1. Defects from the T-sub.

2. Panarobot loading
alignment.
3. Cup loading.
4. Carrier.
5. Unloading (U/L) mini
hand alignment.
6. U/L cup. OD Defect
Defects occurred 7. U/L panarobot
OD Defect at the outside alignment.
diameter (OD) 8. Supply lifter.
area 9. Washer roller.
10. OD brush.
11. Dryer holder.
12. U/L conveyer lifter.
13. NCT condition.
14. Cassette condition.
15. Poor handling.
16. Disk transferring
process at GH.

1. Stone not smooth at 4

separate places.
2. Coolant temperature
A part of the disk too low or exceeding
2 No Grind surface not the designated reading
grounded (30 ± 2 ⁰C).
3. Too thin or damaged
carrier.
3 Eyeball Occurs at T A chip or alien object stuck at
process the chuck

Type 1: Water
mark
4 Stain Type 2: Coolant
defect mark

1. Scratches
caused by
carrier

2. Scratches
caused by
alien
objects
such as T-
5 G-Scratch chips or
dresser
chips.

3. Scratches
caused by
alien
objects in
the stone,
or
scratches
on the
stone
itself.

Scratches caused
6 Belt by scratches on Disk
Pattern the grinding stone
itself. Stone
 6. GH Process

The purpose of this process is to remove stress (gases like H₂ and O₂ in the surface) after grinding
process. G-subs are heated in the oven at 295 ⁰C for 45 minutes.

7. Plating (Mekki)

The purpose of plating is to deposit a layer of Ni on top of AI. This is to prevent corrosion, to prepare a
non-magnetic layer, as well as too enhance its hardness and smoothness.

Dust

Aluminum

Fig. G-Substrate

Tab. Process in Mekki

Chemicals
Process Purpose involved Figure

Alkaline
1 Cleaning To remove oil and dirt from G- detergent 45 ± 2
process and get a smooth surface AD-68F Aluminum ⁰C

AD-101F
(Sulfuric acid
2 Etching To remove AI₂O₃ layer & 60 ± 2
phosphoric ⁰C
acid)

1st To remove smut of AI occurred Nitric acid 23 ± 2

3 Desumut from etching, and to create a thin ⁰C
layer of AI₂O₃
 To remove Aluminum atoms, and
create a layer of Zn and Fe
#During the reaction, Zn can
easily dissolve but Fe usually
remains. Zn & Fe particle
If the concentration of ZnO is too
4 1st Zincate high, the plating layer adhesion AD-301F-3X 19.5 ±
will occur badly. 2 ⁰C
If the concentration of Fe is too
high, the plating layer will become
magnetic.
In other words, ZnO and Fe can be
considered as a catalyst layer for
plating.

2nd To remove large Zn and Fe atoms,

5 Desumut and create only a layer of smaller Nitric acid 23 ± 2
Zn and Fe. This is to ensure a ⁰C
smooth layer of Ni-P plating.

Zn & Fe particle
6 nd
2 Zincate To smoothen the surface and AD-301F-3X (less than 1st Zincate) 19.5 ±
strengthen the adhesion power 1 ⁰C

HDX-7G Ni-P Plating film 90 ±

7 plating HDX-A 2.5 ⁰C
HDX-D2

DI water
with
8 Hot Rinse To remove excess plating solution 0.02~0.08%
ammonia

9 Drier To dry disk surface

Zincate Reaction

Ai ? AIᶟᶧ + 3eˉ

Zn²ᶧ + 2eˉ ? Zn ?

Fe²ᶧ + 2eˉ ? Fe ?
Plating

1) Plating Solution Composition

1) NiSO₄
2) H₂PO₂ (Hypo)
Functions for both NiSO₄ and Hypo are two provide Ni ion for plating.
H₂PO₂ ˉ + H₂O H₂PO₃ ˉ + 2Hᶧ + 2e ˉ

Ni ²ᶧ + 2e ˉ Ni

2H ᶧ + 2eˉ H₂

H₂PO₂ ˉ + H P + OH ˉ + H₂O

3) Organic Acid
Organic acid contents CHᶟCH (OH) COOH, COOHCH₂CH (OH) COOH and
COOHCH₂CH₂COOH. This purpose of organic acid is to control the speed of
deposition. CH₃CH (OH) COOH can catch 2 Ni ion and COOHCH²CH (oh) COOH can
catch 3 Ni ion during the substitution reaction between Zn ²ᶧ and AI ᶟᶧ. Whereas
COOHCH₂CH₂COOH is act as PH buffer.
4) Stabilizer (Pb) is to prevent plating residue and concentration of Pb must be control
around 0.2 ppm. If the concentration of Pb is higher, deposition of Plating will
become bad. If the concentration of Pb is lower, precipitation of Ni will occur.

2) Plating Layer Structure

The structure of Ni-P with percentage of P less than 8% is crystal and the Ni-P layer become
magnetic.
The structure of Ni-P with percentage of P more than 11% is amorphous and the Ni-P layer
become non-magnetic.

3) Control Method
a) Plating Chemical
Name of plating chemical in use are show as below:

Table 2: plating Chemical

Commercial Name Composition

HDX-A NiSO₄ (100 g/l)
HDX-B Na, H₂Po₂
HDX-C NaOH, Pb
HDX-7G H₂PO₂, Organic Acid, Pb
 EL Grade Ammonia NH₄OH

b) Make-up
When make –up solution : A + 7G
When Feeding : A, B, C
Tank volume for plating : 2000 L
Concentration of plating solution : 6.0 g/l

c) MTO and Control

1 MTO = Consumption 1 tank of Ni
= Supply 1 tank of Ni (12,000g)
Feed and bleed the plating solution automatically during the running time normally
feed and bleed every 8 minutes.
When plating, H₂PO₃ ˉ will accumulate as well as SO₄ ˉ. So, ammonia is supply to
control the PH.

When the MTO increase, the temperature and PH will also increase gradually. The
temperature can be control by boiler and chiller.
But plating tank must be drain when reach 50 MTO otherwise many problems will
occur and the quality of product will be affected.

TEMP PH

94.0 °C 4.49

87.5 ⁰C 4.40
2.5 MTO 50 2.5 MTO 50

d) The thickness of plating layer is control by carousel rotation speed.

e) Plating Control Equipment
1) HEPA (High Efficiency) Particle Air) filter is the most important filter in
MEKKI area. Its efficiency has reach 99.97%. HEPA filter is use to filter all the
dust and particles in air.
 2) Circulation happens when running the process of plating. The flow of
circulation will go through a chiller so that Ni will not accumulate along the
pipe.
3) Overflow is to drain away the particles and go through 3 Filter before going
back to plating tank.
4) Star Line dash is to control the temperature and PH of plating tank as well as
the concentration.

4) Peel -off Line

Peel-off line is to wash off the NI that deposit on carousel.

The solution use in peel-off line is HNO₃ with concentration 500 ml/l and temperature 45 ⁰C.
After dipping 10.5 min in HNO₃, the carousel will dip in 3 hot rinse tank sequence and repeat for
4 cycles.

5) Mekki shaft

Mekki shaft is make of polyether kethone (PEEK) and can stand until 200 ⁰C.

It is chemical stable and its lifetime is forever.

Measuring Equipment

a) XRF machine
Measure thickness of plating layer
b) Nidek FT-11
Measure the flatness

Titration

To make sure the PH and concentration of Zincate solution and plating solution are in sp0ecification.

Mekki Quality Specification

a) Flatness, less than 8 µ

b) Dimension, OD : 94.986 ~ 95.066 mm
 ID : 25.012 ~ 25.038 mm

Thickness : 1.266 ~ 1.282 mm

c) Thickness of plating layer : 10.5 ~ 13.5 µm

d) Hardness : ≥ 500 Hv
e) Magneticity, less than 5 x 10 ˉ⁴ emu for after MH 250 ⁰C x 1 hour
f) Adhesion : Pass/Fail