Abstract: A recording head has a near-field transducer proximate a media-facing surface of the recording head. A waveguide overlaps and delivers light to the near-field transducer, the light having a near-infrared wavelength. Two subwavelength focusing mirrors are at an end of the waveguide proximate the media-facing surface. The subwavelength mirrors are on opposite crosstrack sides of the near-field transducer and separated from a peg of the near-field transducer by a gap. The subwavelength focusing mirrors each include a core having a first edge exposed at the media-facing surface. The core formed of a core material that is resistant to mechanical wear and corrosion, such as a dielectric or robust metal. A liner covers a second edge of the core facing the near-field transducer. The liner includes a plasmonic metal that is has a plasmonic frequency in the ultraviolet range.

Abstract: A brake crawler assembly configured for vertically moving an arm assembly along a pivot member in a multi-disk hard disk drive is provided. The brake crawler assembly includes a first clamp, including a first recess within which is disposed a first actuator and a first clamp calibration element. The first clamp calibration element includes a first clamp calibration access portion adapted to be accessible externally of the first clamp and adapted to receive a first external adjustment and a first clamp internal compression modifier adapted to modify a force exerted by the first actuator on the first recess, responsive to the received first external adjustment, wherein the first clamp is configured to selectively engage the pivot member at a position along the pivot member relative to at least one disk of the multi-disk hard disk drive based on the modified force exerted.

Abstract: A method of recovering data from one or more failed data sectors includes estimating a reader offset position from a first or a second read attempt of the one or more failed data sectors at a current set of channel parameters and basing the estimated reader offset position on, at least in part, a position error signal generated during the first or second read attempt. At least one read is performed on the one or more failed data sectors at the estimated reader offset position to obtain one or more samples. The one or more samples are processed to obtain a processed sample. Iterative outer code recovery is performed on the processed sample.

Abstract: A recording head includes a channel waveguide that delivers light to a media-facing surface. A near-field transducer (NFT) is at an end of the channel waveguide and proximate to the media-facing surface. A laser including an active region has a longitudinal axis corresponding to a propagation direction of the channel waveguide. The active region includes a back facet and a front facet proximate the NFT. The front facet has a surface shape configured to suppress back reflection of the light.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for maintaining real-time coherency between a local cache of a target device and a client cache of a source device during execution of a distributed computational function. In some embodiments, a source device, such as a host computer, is coupled via a network interface to a target device, such as a data storage device. A storage compute function (SCF) command is transferred from the source device to the target device. A local cache of the target device accumulates output data during the execution of an associated SCF over an execution time interval. Real-time coherency is maintained between the contents of the local cache and a client cache of the source device, so that the client cache retains continuously updated copies of the contents of the local cache during execution of the SCF. The coherency can be carried out on a time-based granularity or an operational granularity.

Abstract: Systems and methods for multi-dimensional mapping of binary data DNA sequences are described. In one embodiment, the method may include determining a current level of a first DNA base from a sequence of DNA bases based at least in part on a read process of the sequence, determining a current level of a second DNA base after the first DNA base and a current level of a third DNA base after the second DNA base, and decoding binary data from the sequence based at least in part on the determined current level of the first DNA base, the determined current level of the second DNA base, and/or the determined current level of the third DNA base.

Abstract: A solid-state memory may have many non-individually erasable memory cells arranged into calibration groups with each memory cell in each respective calibration group using a common set of read voltages to sense programmed states. An evaluation circuit of the solid-state memory may be configured to measure at least one read parameter for each calibration group responsive to read operations carried out upon the memory cells in the associated calibration group. An adjustment circuit of the solid-state memory may redistribute the memory cells of an existing calibration group into at least one new calibration group in response to the at least one measured read parameter.

Abstract: A data storage system can have one or more hosts connected to a data storage subsystem with the host having a host processor and the data storage subsystem having a controller. Write back data generated at the host triggers the host processor to allocate a cache location in the data storage subsystem where the generated data is subsequently stored. The generated write back data is written in a non-volatile destination address as directed by the controller prior to waiting for a secondary event with the generated data stored in both the cache location and the non-volatile destination address. Detection of the secondary event prompts the controller to signal the host processor that the cache location is free for new data.

Abstract: A method includes immersing a wafer in an electrolyte including a plurality of compounds having elements of a thermally stable soft magnetic material. The method also includes applying a combined stepped and pulsed current to the wafer when the wafer is immersed in an electrolyte. The wafer is removed from the electrolyte when a layer of the thermally stable soft magnetic material is formed on the wafer.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording head comprises a near-field transducer (NFT). The NFT comprises a thermally-stabilized plasmonic alloy, wherein the thermally-stabilized plasmonic alloy comprises a plasmonic metal and at least one alloying metal.

Abstract: Described are hard disk drives that include a low density atmosphere, with which is included a passivating gas, and methods of using these hard disk drives and methods of assembling these hard disk drives.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a slider body, a laser, a submount, and a laser heater. The slider body is configured to contain components of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head. The laser is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation. The submount is configured to couple the laser to the slider body. The laser heater is configured to apply heat to the laser. The laser heater disposed on a surface of the slider body.

Abstract: A hard disk drive (HDD) includes a heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) head. The HAMR head includes one or more features comprising a nanoparticle-reinforced plasmonic matrix. The nanoparticle-reinforced plasmonic matrix comprises a plasmonic metal and a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed in the plasmonic metal. The nanoparticles comprise a transparent conductive oxide.

Abstract: An error recovery process provides for selecting a first recovery scheme for a decoding attempt on a first subset of a set of failed data blocks read from a data track; selecting a second different recovery scheme for a decoding attempt on a second subset of the set of failed data blocks read from the data track; and during a single revolution of the data track, performing operations to decode a first subset of the failed data blocks according to the first recovery scheme operations to decode the second subset of the failed data blocks according to the second different recovery scheme.

Abstract: The presently disclosed technology is directed to maximizing cleanliness, reliability, and space efficiency within a jukebox-style HDD, while minimizing overall cost of the HDD. In an effort to reduce the movement of a robotic arm assembly, cassettes within a jukebox-style HDD may be configured to be magnetically repositionable to replace some of the movement of the robotic arm assembly, without adding another significant source of potential mechanical failure within the HDD enclosure. Further, the overall number of moving parts is reduced, which may improve reliability of the HDD, as well as cleanliness within the HDD enclosure.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for an actuator device or actuator control device to implement a low power savings mode. For example, a device can comprise an actuator arm including a first actuator and a second actuator, the second actuator configured to refine a movement of the actuator arm to a more precise position than use of merely the first actuator. A device can also comprise a control system configured to determine when the device is in an idle state and, when the device is in the idle state, disable the second actuator and perform a positional seek operation with the second actuator disabled. Power savings can occur from disabling the second actuator, which may also include disabling associated circuitry, such that it does not consume power or consumes a nominal (e.g., negligible or insignificant) amount of power during the associated seek operation.

Abstract: A recording head includes one or more transducer elements, and an electrically insulative layer encasing the one or more transducer elements. The recording head also includes a substrate below the electrically insulative layer. The recording head further includes a heat sinking layer between the electrically insulative layer and the substrate.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a near-field transducer (NFT). The NFT includes a near-field emitter configured to heat a surface of a magnetic disk, and a plasmonic disk. The plasmonic disk is coupled to the near-field emitter and includes rhodium or iridium.

Abstract: A device disclosed herein includes an upper shape memory alloy (SMA) wire, a lower SMA wire, a flexure having an opening, and a spring configured within the flexure opening, wherein the lower SMA wire, and the flexure are attached at one end to an anchor and at another end to a pin.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to electronic devices that include a composition that actively generates a gaseous oxidizing agent component within the interior gas space of the electronic device. The present disclosure also involves related methods.