Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to disk drives that have one or more disks and one or more additional disk drive components. The one or more disk can include a first lubricant composition. The one or more additional disk drive components can include a second lubricant composition that is miscible with the first lubricant composition. In some embodiments, the first lubricant composition and the second lubricant composition are the same.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining position information of a transducer. At least a first code and a second code are chosen. The first code has different characteristics than the second code. User data written to a first sub-track is encoded with the first code and user data written to a second sub-track is encoded with the second code. The first code read from the first sub-track is obtained and the second code read from the second sub-track is obtained. Position information of the transducer is extracted from the obtained characteristics of the first code and the obtained characteristics of the second code.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method of servo writing to a storage media is provided that writes servo information at a first orientation pattern from a first storage extent of the storage media to a medial portion of the storage media, and writes servo information at a second orientation pattern different than the first orientation pattern from an opposing storage extent of the storage media to approximately the medial portion, so that the patterns at approximately the medial portion are positionally interlaced.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining position information of a transducer. At least a first code and a second code are chosen. The first code has different characteristics than the second code. User data written to a first sub-track is encoded with the first code and user data written to a second sub-track is encoded with the second code. The first code read from the first sub-track is obtained and the second code read from the second sub-track is obtained. Position information of the transducer is extracted from the obtained characteristics of the first code and the obtained characteristics of the second code.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, comprises steps of providing a non-magnetic substrate for a magnetic medium, the substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone; and forming a pattern of recesses in the substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone by embossing utilizing a stamper having a surface including a negative image pattern of said pattern of recesses. Embodiments of the invention include magnetic media comprising a non-magnetic substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone, said substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone comprising an embossed pattern of recesses. In addition, the data zone of the substrate surface may include an embossed servo pattern formed simultaneously with the embossed pattern of recesses formed in the landing zone.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a data storage medium having a plurality of servo sectors and a plurality of data sectors, wherein each of the servo sectors includes a phase locked loop field and a track identification field, a controller for controlling the position of a recording head with respect to the data storage medium, and a servo demodulator for recovering timing information from both the phase locked loop field and the track identification field, and for producing a timing estimate. The method performed by the apparatus is also included.

Abstract: In a method for generating a confidence level of a position error signal (PES) component that is indicative of a quality of the PES component, a PES component is generated using position signal samples of a read back signal corresponding to a servo burst pattern. Next, a noise level corresponding to noise in the read back signal is extracted using the position signal samples. A confidence level is then generated based on the PES component and the noise level. A system for performing the method includes a transformation block, a position error signal (PES) component extractor, a noise extractor, and a confidence level generator. The transformation block is configured to receive position signal samples of a read back signal corresponding to a servo burst pattern taken at a sampling frequency. A transformed domain representation of the position signal samples is then generated by the transformation block based on the sampling frequency and the servo burst pattern.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, comprises steps of providing a non-magnetic substrate for a magnetic medium, the substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone; and forming a pattern of recesses in the substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone by embossing utilizing a stamper having a surface including a negative image pattern of said pattern of recesses. Embodiments of the invention include magnetic media comprising a non-magnetic substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone, said substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone comprising an embossed pattern of recesses. In addition, the data zone of the substrate surface may include an embossed servo pattern formed simultaneously with the embossed pattern of recesses formed in the landing zone.

Abstract: Head skew can cause magnetic transition overlap while writing at least two passes for a data track. That overlap can cause interference, which may affect the position error signal and other portions of the servo sector, such as sector address mark and digital data, of the servo system of the disc drive. The present invention overcomes this problem by utilizing a bi-directional servo writing method. One method of the present invention writes the servo information to the MD from either direction. More particularly, this method writes servo information from the OD to the MD and from the ID to the MD. In this manner, the present invention at least reduces the effects of head skew while writing servo information.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, comprises steps of providing a non-magnetic substrate for a magnetic medium, the substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone; and forming a pattern of recesses in the substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone by embossing utilizing a stamper having a surface including a negative image pattern of said pattern of recesses. Embodiments of the invention include magnetic media comprising a non-magnetic substrate including at least one major surface having a contact start/stop (CSS) or landing zone and a data zone, said substrate surface in said CSS or landing zone comprising an embossed pattern of recesses. In addition, the data zone of the substrate surface may include an embossed servo pattern formed simultaneously with the embossed pattern of recesses formed in the landing zone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to qualify heads to be used in disc drives. The method and apparatus collect a set of track scan data by moving the head across transitions in a track on a medium. The track scan data is changed based on a difference between a writer width of the head and a nominal track width to produce modified track scan data. Position error signal data is then determined from at least some of the data in the modified set of track scan data. The linearity of the position error signal data is used to qualify the head.

Abstract: A data handling system that effectively detects and diagnoses manifestations of excessive transducer instability. For example, some embodiments identify shouldering and baseline pop instabilities in a digital servo channel. A preferred method of the present invention involves detecting a precise time at which a first feature in the received signal is encountered. Then, after a preset delay, a first level of the received signal is sampled. Then, after waiting until after a second feature in the received signal occurs, a second level of the received signal is sampled. Finally, at least one digital signal is generated so as to indicate whether an arithmetic combination of the first and second levels falls outside a stability-indicative range. A preferred device of the present invention includes a transducer, a peak detector configured to receive a signal from the transducer, two delay elements, two sampling circuits, and an output.

Abstract: A data storage system is disclosed which provides a sealed fixed disc drive cartridge and related playback device. The cartridge includes at least one rotatable fixed disc and a head disposed proximate the disc to at least read data from the disc. A first actuator is operably coupled to the at least one head and is adapted to move the head relative to the disc. A first connector is operably coupled to the head and to the first actuator. The playback device includes read/write circuitry, input and output ports, a controller, a motor driver, and a second connector that is adapted to mate with the connector of the drive cartridge. Preamp circuitry is operably disposed between the at least one head and the read/write circuitry. The data storage system can provide fixed drive performance and characteristics while also providing the advantages of the removable media drive system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to qualify heads to be used in disc drives. The method and apparatus collect a set of track scan data by moving the head across transitions in a track on a medium. The track scan data is changed based on a difference between a writer width of the head and a nominal track width to produce modified track scan data. Position error signal data is then determined from at least some of the data in the modified set of track scan data. The linearity of the position error signal data is used to qualify the head.

Abstract: A method of producing a position error signal includes storing a normal position error value generated from a normal servo field and a quadrature position error value generated from a quadrature servo field, where the normal servo field is ninety degrees out of phase from the quadrature servo field. A position error numerator is created by arithmetically combining the normal position error value and the quadrature position error value. A position error denominator is created based on the normal position error value and the quadrature position error value. The position error signal is produced by dividing the position error numerator by the position error denominator.