Abstract: A flex cable with a shielding layer for use in a disk drive is described. The flex cable connects the actuator to the system electronics. The flex cable has a shielding layer that provides RF shielding for the embedded signal traces. In embodiments the shielding layer is connected to the baseplate or device enclosure ground at one or more selected points on the bracket end of the flex cable that are separated from the signal paths. Embodiments of the shielding layer include rows of apertures or windows that are aligned with selected signal traces such as the read and write signal traces and serve to maintain the desired impedance in the read and write signal traces. In one embodiment the shielding layer extends over a selected portion of the flex cable that includes the bracket end and the area under the first stiffener.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for implementing enhanced asymmetric degauss control for a write head for hard disk drives. A degauss period is provided at the end of a write. The write head is driven asymmetrically with respect to the positive and negative driving currents during the degauss period. The average value of the write current during the degauss period is non-zero.

Abstract: A flexible cable assembly (FCA) has a stiffener layer positioned in electrical contact with an electrical ground feature of the FCA, and a head stack assembly (HSA) may include a suspension tail electrically connected to the stiffener layer of the FCA, thus providing a robust ground path between the read/write head and the arm or E-block of the HSA. Additional efficient grounding techniques may include directly electrically connecting the suspension tail to the arm via a conductive adhesive, directly electrically connecting the FCA stiffener layer to the arm via a conductive screw, and/or directly electrically connecting the ground feature and the stiffener layer of the FCA to the arm using a ground post or screw.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system are provided for implementing a power-on spin-torque oscillator (STO) oscillation checker to monitor STO resistance to identify STO oscillation with microwave assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) hard disk drives (HDDs). An amplitude modulated write coil drive current is applied to the write coil in the presence of a DC bias current applied to the STO. The amplitude modulated write coil drive current modulates the STO resistance monitored using an amplifier circuit to identify STO oscillation, used to ensure stable MAMR HDD write operation.

Abstract: Disk drive embodiments with common lead connections in the slider, suspension, and preamplifier are described. The arm electronics IC includes a preamplifier with single-ended input from the set of signal traces that include a common signal return lead for the plurality of read transducers (readers) in the slider. Two embodiments of the preamps are described that include a single-ended design and a pseudo-single-ended design. Each embodiment supplies the required bias to each read transducer using an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) that drives a variable current source connected to the transducer. The positive input to the OTA is a DC voltage with the AC signal from the transducer imposed on it. The negative input is a DC reference voltage. Various embodiments of the signal trace configuration on the suspension are described including a single and double layer embodiments.

Abstract: Disk drive embodiments with common lead connections in the slider, suspension, and preamplifier are described. The arm electronics IC includes a preamplifier with single-ended input from the set of signal traces that include a common signal return lead for the plurality of read transducers (readers) in the slider. Two embodiments of the preamps are described that include a single-ended design and a pseudo-single-ended design. Each embodiment supplies the required bias to each read transducer using an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) that drives a variable current source connected to the transducer. The positive input to the OTA is a DC voltage with the AC signal from the transducer imposed on it. The negative input is a DC reference voltage. Various embodiments of the signal trace configuration on the suspension are described including a single and double layer embodiments.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for implementing calibration of cooling sensitivity of embedded contact sensor (ECS) using thermal fly-height control (TFC) actuations, by subtracting the linear part (TFC heat) from the total measured ECS signal, a profile is provided that is sensitive only to the clearance of the head-disk interface due to cooling effect for hard disk drives.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system are provided for implementing a power-on spin-torque oscillator (STO) oscillation checker to monitor STO resistance to identify STO oscillation with microwave assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) hard disk drives (HDDs). A changing bias current is applied to the STO in the presence of constant write drive current. The STO bias current is changed to observe sudden changes in STO resistance monitored using a differentiator circuit to identify STO oscillation, used to ensure stable MAMR HDD write operation.

Abstract: Disk drives with sliders including with an impedance compensation network in the signal path for the read sensor are described. The read signal bandwidth at the preamplifier is improved by the impedance compensation network to allow signals in the multi-GHz range from spin torque oscillators as well as tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) sensors to be used. An embodiment of the invention achieves a signal layout balance by constructing two inductor-capacitor pair structures on the trailing edge of the slider that are integrated into the differential read signal traces. The differential balanced structure helps to suppress external signal interference pick-up from transferring from common-mode pick-up to differential mode.

Abstract: Approaches for a flying height control scheme in a hard-disk drive (HDD) device. The flying height control scheme utilizes an embedded contact sensor (ECS) to characterize the topography of a magnetic-recording disk at various flying heights of a head slider over a corresponding disk. A relation between a particular flying height and a corresponding ECS value which characterizes the media topography at that particular flying height is represented in disk topography data. The disk topography data is accessed and used for active flying height control for the head-disk interface in view of the current ECS value.

Abstract: Embedded contact sensor controls for use in arm electronics (AE) in a disk drive are described that provide for removing undesirable offsets between the measured voltage across the ECS resistor in the slider and the balance resistor in ECS amplifier in the arm electronics (AE), which allows increased amplification of the resulting adjusted signal without saturation. Embodiments include a Zero-Offset Circuit, which can be activated periodically or on demand to sample and hold the present DC offset voltage in the ECS amplifier signal and subtract the DC offset voltage from ECS amplifier signal. The adjusted signal can then be further amplified without saturation.

Abstract: Approaches for a flying height control scheme in a hard-disk drive (HDD) device. The flying height control scheme utilizes an embedded contact sensor (ECS) to characterize the topography of a magnetic-recording disk at various flying heights of a head slider over a corresponding disk. A relation between a particular flying height and a corresponding ECS value which characterizes the media topography at that particular flying height is represented in disk topography data. The disk topography data is accessed and used for active flying height control for the head-disk interface in view of the current ECS value.

Abstract: Approaches for a hard-disk drive (HDD) comprising a head slider comprising a thermoelectric embedded contact sensor. The thermoelectric embedded contact sensor may comprise a first and second conductive lead and a metallic component. The metallic component has a different Seebeck coefficient than the first and second conductive leads. A thermoelectric voltage across the metallic component is used to measure the distance between a head slider and a magnetic-recording disk without supplying an electrical current from a hard-disk drive to either of the first conductive lead or the second conductive lead.

Abstract: Approaches for a hard-disk drive (HDD) comprising a head slider comprising a thermoelectric embedded contact sensor. The thermoelectric embedded contact sensor may comprise a first and second conductive lead and a metallic component. The metallic component has a different Seebeck coefficient than the first and second conductive leads. A thermoelectric voltage across the metallic component is used to measure the distance between a head slider and a magnetic-recording disk without supplying an electrical current from a hard-disk drive to either of the first conductive lead or the second conductive lead.

Abstract: A hard disk drive (HDD) including a slider. The slider includes a resistive temperature detector (RTD) configured to detect a temperature generated by one or more of slider spacing and contact with a media of said HDD. HDD also includes a slider signal controller configured to control bias signal of a slider with respect to a media potential, a real-time media-disk fly-height and contact detector configured to detect one or more of temperature generated by real-time media-disk slider spacing and real-time media-disk contact, and a real-time relative fly-height determiner configured to detect real-time relative fly-height of the slider based on analysis of a modulated portion of a high-frequency signal coupled to an element of the slider.

Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a near-field transducer positioned towards an air bearing surface side of the apparatus; and at least one conductor or circuit for causing heating of the near-field transducer. A method according to one embodiment includes heating the near-field transducer by passing a current through the at least one conductor or circuit; and illuminating the near-field transducer during a write operation, wherein the current does not pass through the at least one conductor or circuit for at least a majority of a time of illumination. Additional embodiments are also presented.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a laser signal for driving a laser used in thermal-assisted recording. A channel of a hard drive generates a high-frequency component of the laser signal—e.g., a periodic wave or series of pulses—and synchronizes the phase of the laser signal with a corresponding write data signal which controls the magnetization of data bits within the magnetic disk of the hard drive. The channel may be connected to a read/write integrated circuit via a channel interconnect. The read/write circuit may include a second phase control to compensate for any phase shift and an adder circuit to combine the transmitted high-frequency laser with a DC bias. Further, the read/write circuit may include a feedback loop for adjusting the DC bias based on environmental parameters of the hard drive such as temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a near-field transducer positioned towards an air bearing surface side of the apparatus; and at least one conductor or circuit for causing heating of the near-field transducer. A method according to one embodiment includes heating the near-field transducer by passing a current through the at least one conductor or circuit; and illuminating the near-field transducer during a write operation, wherein the current does not pass through the at least one conductor or circuit for at least a majority of a time of illumination. Additional embodiments are also presented.

Abstract: A rotational mechanism for extending a sofa sleeper from an upright sitting position to a fully reclining and fully extended sleep position, having: a first rotatable member configured to rotate about a first axis; a second rotatable member configured to rotate about a second axis; a link mechanism attached to both the first and second rotatable members, the link mechanism being moveable along a length of both of the first and second rotatable members; and a drive mechanism configured to position the moveable link at positions along the length of at least one of the rotatable members such that movement of the link mechanism causes both the first and second rotatable mechanisms to rotate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a laser signal for driving a laser used in thermal-assisted recording. A channel of a hard drive generates a high-frequency component of the laser signal—e.g., a periodic wave or series of pulses—and synchronizes the phase of the laser signal with a corresponding write data signal which controls the magnetization of data bits within the magnetic disk of the hard drive. The channel may be connected to a read/write integrated circuit via a channel interconnect. The read/write circuit may include a second phase control to compensate for any phase shift and an adder circuit to combine the transmitted high-frequency laser with a DC bias. Further, the read/write circuit may include a feedback loop for adjusting the DC bias based on environmental parameters of the hard drive such as temperature.