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: TAR enable write heads may use a plasmonic device (e.g., an optical transducer) which uses electromagnetic energy generated from a laser to heat the magnetic media. However, as the temperature of the plasmonic device rises, the likelihood of stressing the material of the device or other materials of the head near the plasmonic device increases. Accordingly, the write head may include a temperature sensor proximate to the plasmonic device. In one embodiment, the resistance of the temperature sensor may change according to the temperature of the plasmonic device. Based on the measured resistance of the temperature sensor, a sensing circuit may adjust the power of the laser, and thus, prevent the stressing of the materials. Moreover, the thermal coupling between the temperature sensor and a heat sink connected to the plasmonic device may be improved by moving elements associated with the sensing circuit closer to a heat sink.

Abstract: A HDD comprising a temperature sensor disposed inside the HDD configured to periodically measure temperature inside of said hard disk drive; a magnetic disk; a read head; a write head; memory for storing RWO data. The RWO data is a function of a distance between the read head and the write head. The HDD also includes a RWO data adjustor configured to adjust the RWO data in response to a change in temperature of the HDD to compensate for a change in the distance between the read head and the write head based on the change in temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooling a nanowire in a wire assisted magnetic recording head using a radiator in close proximity to a shield of the write pole. The radiator may further contain current restraints (e.g., slits, cuts, or resistive materials) that maximize current density in the nanowire at a location that corresponds to the current restraints. These current restraints may be further arranged to align with a write pole such that the current is forced to flow primarily through the nanowire when the nanowire is closest to the write pole. The nanowire may then be used either as main or auxiliary writing element for recording signals to a high coercivity media. Moreover, the nanowire and radiator may be combined into a single nanofoil which has a least two portions that perform a similar function as both the nanowire and radiator.

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 thermally-assisted recording (TAR) disk has an improved insulating layer beneath the chemically-ordered FePt (or CoPt) alloy recording layer. The insulating layer is a solid substitution crystalline alloy MgXO, where the element X is selected from nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co). The composition of the MgXO crystalline solid substitutional alloy is of the form (Mg(100-y)Xy)O where y is between 10 and 90, and more preferably between 20 and 80. An optional layer of crystalline “pure” MgO may be located between the MgXO layer and the FePt recording layer and in contact with the recording layer, or between an underlayer and the MgXO layer.

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 magnetic disk drive system that has a suspension assembly that includes a slider having a heating element and a suspension configured with a protective structure that protects the heating element. The heating element of the slider can extend through the suspension to extend from the suspension assembly from a side that is opposite the slider. The protective structure is configured to protect the heating element and to prevent the heating element from contacting the heating element of an adjacent suspension during an event such as a physical shock to the disk drive system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a signal for driving a heating element in a TAR or HAMR enabled disk storage system that includes an optical transducer (or near-field optical source) for further focusing the beamspot of a laser onto a magnetic media, thereby heating the media. The storage system includes a temperature sensor proximate to the near-field transducer which provides a feedback loop to the laser driver to adjust the power of the laser.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a signal for driving a heating element in a TAR or HAMR enabled disk storage system that includes an optical transducer (or near-field optical source) for further focusing the beamspot of a laser onto a magnetic media, thereby heating the media. The storage system includes a temperature sensor proximate to the near-field transducer which provides a feedback loop to the laser driver to adjust the power of the laser.

Abstract: A bulk eraser for erasing recorded information on a magnetic-recording disk. The bulk eraser includes a plurality of magnets and a structure magnetically coupled with the plurality of magnets to produce magnetic-flux density in a gap. The gap has a first portion, a second portion and a third portion. Two magnets are disposed with opposing polarity across the first portion of the gap. The plurality of magnets and the structure are configured to produce a magnetic-flux density in the second portion of the gap sufficient to erase recorded information from a portion of at least one magnetic-recording disk in a disk-stack of the hard-disk drive when the hard-disk drive is inserted into the second portion of the gap. The plurality of magnets and the structure are configured to direct the magnetic-flux density in a substantially radial direction of the portion of the magnetic-recording disk.

Abstract: Approaches for inducing a magnetic bias in a magnetic recording disk. A biasing apparatus comprises a soft magnetic material member having a shape comprising two opposing recesses, denoted an upper recess and a lower recess. A first magnet is disposed within the upper recess and a second magnet disposed within the lower recess. An air gap exists between the first magnet and the second magnet. An opening in the soft magnetic material member is sized to accommodate at least a portion of the magnetic recording disk between the first magnet and the second magnet. The magnetic field produced by both the first magnetic and the second magnetic flows (a) in the same direction, and (b) perpendicular to the plane of the magnetic recording disk. Using this approach, magnetic material on the disk, such as magnetic islands of a bit pattern media, may be erased and polarized in the same direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooling a nanowire in a wire assisted magnetic recording head using a radiator in close proximity to a shield of the write pole. The radiator may further contain current restraints (e.g., slits, cuts, or resistive materials) that maximize current density in the nanowire at a location that corresponds to the current restraints. These current restraints may be further arranged to align with a write pole such that the current is forced to flow primarily through the nanowire when the nanowire is closest to the write pole. The nanowire may then be used either as main or auxiliary writing element for recording signals to a high coercivity media. Moreover, the nanowire and radiator may be combined into a single nanofoil which has a least two portions that perform a similar function as both the nanowire and radiator.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a ramp having a fixed portion that is fixed to the disk drive base, and a guide portion that is not. The guide portion includes a guide surface having a parking region that is in contact with an HGA lift-tab with the disk drive in a non-operational state. The guide surface also has a load/unload region that extends over a disk outer periphery. The guide surface defines a guide surface length that is measured from the parking region to the load/unload region. The ramp also includes a torsionally-compliant member connecting the fixed portion to the guide portion. A distance between the torsionally-compliant member and the parking region, measured approximately parallel to the guide surface length, is less than half the guide surface length. The guide portion is not connected to the fixed portion over at least two-thirds of the guide surface length.

Abstract: A device for providing an external display and keypad for a smart-phone. The device has a port for receiving the smart phone. The device does not have its own computing power, but uses the computing power of the smart phone itself, thereby allowing the device to be smaller, lighter and less expensive than a standard lap-top computer not notebook device. The device is configured with a port for receiving a smart-phone and preferably holds the smart phone so that does not extend above the surface of the device or is flush with the surface of the device. The device can also be configured to allow the smart phone itself to act as a numerical keypad adjacent to the keypad provided on the device.

Abstract: Approaches for a fluid dynamic bearing (FDB) system for use within a hard-disk drive. A fluid dynamic bearing (FDB) system may comprise an upper conical bearing and a lower conical bearing that are both disposed along a stationary shaft on which a magnetic-recording disk is rotatably mounted. The upper conical bearing and the lower conical bearing may have different cone angles, diameters, and/or lubricants to produce a desired difference in stiffness between the first conical bearing and the second conical bearing. By adjusting characteristics of the fluid dynamic bearing (FDB) system to achieve the desired bearing stiffness ratio, the tendency for the magnetic-recording disks to experience a sustained vibration when the hard-disk drive receives a mechanical shock is reduced. By preventing the magnetic-recording disks from sustained vibration after a mechanical shock, data may be written to and read from the magnetic-recording disks with greater reliability.

Abstract: Approaches for inducing a magnetic bias in a magnetic recording disk. A biasing apparatus comprises a soft magnetic material member having a shape comprising two opposing recesses, denoted an upper recess and a lower recess. A first magnet is disposed within the upper recess and a second magnet disposed within the lower recess. An air gap exists between the first magnet and the second magnet. An opening in the soft magnetic material member is sized to accommodate at least a portion of the magnetic recording disk between the first magnet and the second magnet. The magnetic field produced by both the first magnetic and the second magnetic flows (a) in the same direction, and (b) perpendicular to the plane of the magnetic recording disk. Using this approach, magnetic material on the disk, such as magnetic islands of a bit pattern media, may be erased and polarized in the same direction.

Abstract: Approaches for a fluid dynamic bearing (FDB) system for use within a hard-disk drive. A fluid dynamic bearing (FDB) system may comprise an upper conical bearing and a lower conical bearing that are both disposed along a stationary shaft on which a magnetic-recording disk is rotatably mounted. The upper conical bearing and the lower conical bearing may have different cone angles, diameters, and/or lubricants to produce a desired difference in stiffness between the first conical bearing and the second conical bearing. By adjusting characteristics of the fluid dynamic bearing (FDB) system to achieve the desired bearing stiffness ratio, the tendency for the magnetic-recording disks to experience a sustained vibration when the hard-disk drive receives a mechanical shock is reduced. By preventing the magnetic-recording disks from sustained vibration after a mechanical shock, data may be written to and read from the magnetic-recording disks with greater reliability.

Abstract: Multilayer magnetic structures control the switching field and tighten the switching field distribution in bit patterned media. A strain-inducing layer is excited, e.g., by a localized magnetic field or a localized thermal heating or a voltage, and induces a strain on the magnetic layer(s) of the patterned bit to initiate switching of the bit magnetization. The strain induced on the magnetic layer forces a rotation or an amplitude variation of the magnetic layer anisotropy. A localized magnetic field is simultaneously or subsequently applied to complete the switching of the bit magnetization. The invention provides control of switching field and switching field distribution for bit-patterned media devices.

Abstract: A HDD comprising a temperature sensor disposed inside the HDD configured to periodically measure temperature inside of said hard disk drive; a magnetic disk; a read head; a write head; memory for storing RWO data. The RWO data is a function of a distance between the read head and the write head. The HDD also includes a RWO data adjustor configured to adjust the RWO data in response to a change in temperature of the HDD to compensate for a change in the distance between the read head and the write head based on the change in temperature.