Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to tape heads used for magnetic recording on tapes, and more specifically to tape heads including servo and data head structures. In one embodiment, a tape head includes two servo head structures and a plurality of data head structures. Each servo head structure includes a sensor, and each sensor is electrically coupled to two bonding pads. Each data head structure includes a sensor, and each sensor is electrically coupled to two bonding pads. A resistive shunt is disposed between the two bonding pads electrically coupled to the sensor of each data head structure. The resistive shunt decreases the electrical resistance of the sensor of the data head structure to a target resistance that is similar to the resistance of the sensor of the servo head structure.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for forming a sensor includes forming a first free layer, forming a barrier layer above the first free layer, forming a second free layer above the barrier layer, the first free layer, the barrier layer, and the second free layer together forming a scissor sensor stack, forming a soft bias layer behind the scissor sensor stack in an element height direction, the soft bias layer including a soft magnetic material, and forming a hard bias layer, at least a portion thereof being positioned behind the soft bias layer in the element height direction, the hard bias layer including a hard magnetic material having an initialization magnetization that is perpendicular to a media-facing surface of the sensor to provide unidirectional anisotropy to the soft bias layer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a scissor sensor stack, a soft bias layer positioned behind the scissor sensor stack in an element height direction, the soft bias layer including a soft magnetic material, and a hard bias layer, at least a portion thereof being positioned behind the soft bias layer in the element height direction, the hard bias layer including a hard magnetic material having an initialization magnetization that is perpendicular to a media-facing surface of the apparatus to provide unidirectional anisotropy to the soft bias layer, wherein the scissor sensor stack includes a first free layer, a second free layer positioned above the first free layer, and a barrier layer positioned between the first free layer and the second free layer. Other apparatuses and methods for forming such apparatuses are described in more embodiments.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a slider includes a substrate, a magnetic head, and a coupling capacitor. In one embodiment, a slider includes a substrate, a magnetic head, and a coupling capacitor configured to AC couple an electronics ground of the slider to the substrate and DC decouple the electronics ground of the slider from the substrate, the coupling capacitor including: a first conductive layer, a gap layer positioned above the first conductive layer, a dielectric layer positioned above the gap layer and the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer positioned above the dielectric layer. In another embodiment, a method for forming a capacitor includes forming a substrate, forming a first conductive layer above the substrate, forming a gap layer above the first conductive layer, forming a dielectric layer above the gap layer and the first conductive layer, and forming a second conductive layer above the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A magnetic head including a CPP read head sensor. The CPP sensor includes a tunnel barrier layer. At least one portion of ELG material is coplanar with the tunnel barrier layer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a scissor sensor stack, a soft bias layer positioned behind the scissor sensor stack in an element height direction, the soft bias layer including a soft magnetic material, and a hard bias layer, at least a portion thereof being positioned behind the soft bias layer in the element height direction, the hard bias layer including a hard magnetic material having an initialization magnetization that is perpendicular to a media-facing surface of the apparatus to provide unidirectional anisotropy to the soft bias layer, wherein the scissor sensor stack includes a first free layer, a second free layer positioned above the first free layer, and a barrier layer positioned between the first free layer and the second free layer. Other apparatuses and methods for forming such apparatuses are described in more embodiments.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a slider includes a substrate, a magnetic head, and a coupling capacitor. In one embodiment, a slider includes a substrate, a magnetic head, and a coupling capacitor configured to AC couple an electronics ground of the slider to the substrate and DC decouple the electronics ground of the slider from the substrate, the coupling capacitor including: a first conductive layer, a gap layer positioned above the first conductive layer, a dielectric layer positioned above the gap layer and the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer positioned above the dielectric layer. In another embodiment, a method for forming a capacitor includes forming a substrate, forming a first conductive layer above the substrate, forming a gap layer above the first conductive layer, forming a dielectric layer above the gap layer and the first conductive layer, and forming a second conductive layer above the dielectric layer.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to resistive shunt design in a read sensor for providing accurate measurements from an electronic lapping guide (ELG). More specifically, embodiments described herein relate to a transducer resistor shunt structure for low cost probing. A bleed resistor network for a read sensor may comprise one or more first resistors arranged in parallel with one another and a second resistor arranged in series with the one or more first resistors. The resistor arrangement may require a small physical area and reduce or prevent ELG measurement errors.

Abstract: A scissor type magnetic sensor having a back edge bias structure that has a non-uniform magnetic moment to compensate for differences in magnetic spacing between the bias structure and a first magnetic free layer as compared with the magnetic spacing between the bias structure and a second magnetic free layer. The magnetic bias structure can include a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer formed over the first magnetic layer, with the first magnetic layer having a higher magnetic moment than the second magnetic layer.

Abstract: A scissor type magnetic sensor having an improved back edge bias structure. The back edge bias structure extends beyond the sides of the sensor stack for improved bias moment and is formed on a flat topography that provide for improved magnetic biasing. The sensor is formed by a method that includes first defining a sensor width and then depositing a multi-layer insulation layer that includes a dielectric layer that is resistant to ion milling and the depositing a fill layer over the dielectric layer that is removable by ion milling. After the multi-layer insulation layer has been deposited the back edge (i.e. stripe height) of the sensor is formed by masking and ion milling. This ion milling removes portions of the non-magnetic, electrically insulating fill layer that extend beyond the stripe height and beyond the sides of the sensor, leaving the dielectric layer there-beneath.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to connecting Electronic Lapping Guides (ELG) to a lapping controller such that the number of wire bonds from the controller to a row of read heads is minimized. When lapping the air bearing surface of the read heads, the electrical resistances of the ELGs are monitored to adjust the lapping process and set the stripe height for read sensors in the read heads. Once the resistance corresponds to the desired stripe height, the lapping process is stopped. To measure the resistance, each ELG may be electrically coupled to the same substrate—i.e., share the same common ground. The lapping controller applies a voltage potential across the ELGs using a wire bonded to a pad in the respective read head and one or more connections to the grounded substrate. This configuration avoids having to bond two wires onto each read head.

Abstract: A scissor type magnetic sensor having a soft magnetic side shields for improved sensor stability. The soft magnetic side shield structure extends from the side of the sensor and although being constructed of a low coercivity soft magnetic material it has a shape the causes the magnetization of the side shield layer to remain oriented in a desired direction parallel to the media facing surface. The side shields include first and second magnetic layers with an antiparallel coupling layer sandwiched between them. Each of the magnetic layers of the side shield structure has a width measured perpendicular to the media facing surface and a thickness measured perpendicular to the width and parallel with the media facing surface, both the width and the thickness being less than 10 times an intrinsic exchange length of the magnetic layer.

Abstract: A magnetic read sensor having a magnetic seed layer, a pinned layer structure formed over the magnetic seed layer, a non-magnetic barrier or spacer layer formed over the pinned layer structure and a magnetic free layer structure formed over the non-magnetic barrier or spacer layer. The pinned layer has a stripe height (measured from the media facing surface) that is greater than a stripe height of the magnetic free layer structure. In addition, the magnetic seed layer structure has a stripe height (also measured from the media facing surface) that is greater than the stripe height of the magnetic pinned layer structure and the magnetic free layer structure. The stripe height of the magnetic seed layer structure can be controlled independently of the stripe heights of the magnetic pinned layer structure and the magnetic free layer structure.

Abstract: A scissor type magnetic sensor having an improved back edge bias structure. The back edge bias structure extends beyond the sides of the sensor stack for improved bias moment and is formed on a flat topography that provide for improved magnetic biasing. The sensor is formed by a method that includes first defining a sensor width and then depositing a multi-layer insulation layer that includes a dielectric layer that is resistant to ion milling and the depositing a fill layer over the dielectric layer that is removable by ion milling. After the multi-layer insulation layer has been deposited the back edge (i.e. stripe height) of the sensor is formed by masking and ion milling. This ion milling removes portions of the non-magnetic, electrically insulating fill layer that extend beyond the stripe height and beyond the sides of the sensor, leaving the dielectric layer there-beneath.

Abstract: A scissor type magnetic sensor having a back edge bias structure that has a non-uniform magnetic moment to compensate for differences in magnetic spacing between the bias structure and a first magnetic free layer as compared with the magnetic spacing between the bias structure and a second magnetic free layer. The magnetic bias structure can include a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer formed over the first magnetic layer, with the first magnetic layer having a higher magnetic moment than the second magnetic layer.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to connecting Electronic Lapping Guides (ELG) to a lapping controller to reduce resistance from current crowding while reducing connections to the ELG. A device and a system can include a wafer with peripheral grounding vias having a radius of at least 10 ?m, a plurality of sliders with a magnetoresistive (MR) elements; a plurality of ELG electrically coupled to the lapping controller through a combination of the wafer and grounding pads and a bonding pad electrically coupled to the ELG. The ELG or the bonding pad can be positioned in the kerf or the device region of a row. If the ELG and the bonding pad are positioned in separate regions, a noble metal should be used to connect. Further, the number of grounding pads can be reduced by using grounding vias at specific intervals and specific sizes.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to connecting electronic lapping guides (ELGs) to a lapping controller to prevent the effects of current crowding while reducing connections to the ELGs in single pad lapping. Devices and systems can include a row of sliders including a magnetoresistive (MR) element, a plurality of high resistance ELGs connected to both the wafer and to at least one bonding pad and at least two peripheral grounding vias connected to the wafer. Methods and systems include a wafer comprising a plurality of sliders wherein each slider is connected to a lapping controller and the delivery of current to the ELGs is sequential to groups of sliders such that only one group of ELGs is being measured at any time.

Abstract: A scissor type magnetic sensor having a soft magnetic bias structure located at a back edge of the sensor stack. The sensor stack includes first and second magnetic free layers that are anti-parallel coupled across a non-magnetic layer sandwiched there-between. The soft magnetic bias structure has a length as measured perpendicular to the air bearing surface that is greater than its width as measured parallel with the air bearing surface. This shape allows the soft magnetic bias structure to have a magnetization that is maintained in a direction perpendicular to the air bearing surface and which allows the bias structure to maintain a magnetic bias field for biasing the free layers of the sensor stack.

Abstract: Structures and methods for fabrication servo and data heads of tape modules are provided. The servo head may have two shield layers spaced apart by a plurality of gap layers and a sensor. Similarly, the data head may have two shield layers spaced apart by a plurality of gap layers and a sensor. The distance between the shield layers of the servo head may be greater than the distance between the shield layers of the data head. The material of the gap layers may include tantalum or an alloy of nickel and chromium. The material for the gap layers permits deposition of gap layers with sufficiently small surface roughness to prevent distortion of the tape module and increase the stability of the tape module operation.

Abstract: Techniques of the present invention include detecting a touchdown between a read/write head of a disk drive and a surface of a magnetic disk using multiple touchdown sensors located at an air-bearing surface (ABS). The multiple sensors increase the likelihood that a touchdown event—i.e., a portion of the ABS of the head contacting the underlying magnetic disk surface—will be detected. During touchdown, the portion of the head contacting the magnetic disk generates frictional heat which changes a characteristic (e.g., the electrical resistance) of at least one of the sensors located at the ABS. When the sensors are connected to a detection circuit, the changing characteristic may be monitored to identify a touchdown event. The touchdown sensors may be, for example, electrically connected in either series or parallel to the detection circuit. Thus, as long as the electrical resistance of one of the sensors is changed, a touchdown event may be detected.