Disk drive standards on fast track

Carolyn Mathas

SANTA CLARA, CA — IDEMA`S been busy. The International Disk Drive Equipment and Materials Association recently pushed through two standards, bringing its total to 57 since the organization`s first standard was published in 1991.

IDEMA`s most recent standard approval, February 3, was a general outgas test procedure by dynamic headspace analysis — which made its way through committee in approximately one year. Also scheduled for ap proval within the next few months is a standard covering ion chromatography, which has been under consideration for two years.

During its first meeting in February, IDEMA`s newly formed cleanrooms subcommittee, under its chair Per Johanson of Seagate Technology (Scotts Valley, CA), formulated both a mission statement and objectives. Its mission: to investigate particulate and molecular contamination and their effect on future cleanroom environments. Objectives are fourfold: catalog molecular contaminants and define sources; establish benchmarks for product sensitivity and material selection criteria; establish standard detection/monitoring techniques; and, determine process sensitivities and “killer” levels.

“We`ve asked all of the members interested in the new cleanroom subcommittee to go back and look at what documents they may be currently referencing when they`re choosing to build a facility, or what their respective facilities use to determine cleanliness levels. We`ve just started that process,” says Seth Ayers, IDEMA standards manager.

It`s not just cleanrooms. The organization`s standards exist in the areas of microcontamination, drive reliability, head form factors and materials — across all facets of the industry. Of IDEMA`s 57 standards, 11 pertain to microcontamination and cleanroom issues.

Speed is particularly important — moving proposed standards through committee rapidly — so that the methods, tests and processes are still relevant when published. For example, the heads committee recently approved a next-generation femto slider standard, even though the majority of the industry is still using nano and pico heads.

As an organization, IDEMA is primarily focused on data storage — and in particular hard disk drives — dealing with the drive itself as well as component parts. SEMI, ASTM and IEST have broad standards that are in the process of being adapted by IDEMA.

“We look for ways to make standards accessible. To that end, we`re putting IDEMA standards on our web site to have them downloadable for free as a benefit to our members,” adds Ayers.