Abstract: A method according to one embodiment includes forming a mask above a thin film sensor stack; forming an electrically insulating layer above the mask and sensor stack, the insulating layer having a portion extending along a nonhorizontal end of the mask; selectively removing the insulating layer except for the portion thereof extending along the nonhorizontal end of the mask; removing portions of the sensor stack that are not covered by the mask and the portion of the insulating layer, wherein an end of the portion of the insulating layer positioned away from the mask is about aligned with a back end of the sensor stack after removing the portions thereof; and removing the mask.

Abstract: A flex cable assembly for a head stack assembly of a hard disk drive comprises a flex cable for conducting data signals from the head stack assembly to a connector. The flex cable has a dynamic loop section between a termination for the head stack assembly and the connector. The flex cable has a constrained layer damper for attenuating random transient vibration. The constrained layer damper has a symmetrically tapered shape for reducing stress concentration and is coupled with the dynamic loop section of the flex cable adjacent to an area of the flex cable configured for receiving a coupler for coupling the flex cable assembly with the head stack assembly.

Abstract: A hard disk drive enclosure with conductive paths. A base plate comprising an electrically conductive material with at least one contact surface that allows for an electrically conductive path, wherein the at least one contact surface has a substantially flat surface. A cover comprising an electrically conductive material comprising at least one tab with a substantially flat surface for contacting the at least one contact surface of the base plate, wherein the at least one tab contacts the at least one contact surface of the base plate with a force and forms an electrically conductive path between the cover and the based plate, and wherein the at least one tab deforms upon the contact with the at least one contact surface of the base plate with the force.

Abstract: An electronic device employing a graphene layer as a charge carrier layer. The graphene layer is sandwiched between layers that are constructed of a material having a highly ordered crystalline structure and a high dielectric constant. The highly ordered crystalline structure of the layers surrounding the graphene layer has low density of charged defects that can lead to scattering of charge carriers in the graphene layer. The high dielectric constant of the layers surrounding the graphene layer also prevents charge carrier scattering by minimizing interaction between the charge carriers and the charged defects in the surrounding layers. An interracial layer constructed of a thin, non-polar, dielectric material can also be provided between the graphene layer and each of the highly ordered crystalline high dielectric constant layers to minimize charge carrier scattering in the graphene layer through remote interfacial phonons.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic sensor that decreases area resistance and decreases MR ratio of the sensor by eliminating any oxide formation in the capping layer of the sensor. The method includes forming a sensor stack having a multi-layer capping structure formed there-over. The multi-layer capping structure can include first, second, third and fourth layers. The second layer is constructed of a material that is not easily oxidized and which is different from the first layer. The sensor can be formed using a mask that includes a carbon hard mask. After the sensor stack has been formed by ion milling, the hard mask can be removed by reactive ion etching. Then, a cleaning process is performed to remove the second, third and fourth layers of the capping layer structure using an end point detection method such as secondary ion mass spectrometry to detect the presence of the second layer.

Abstract: A system for plating according to one embodiment includes a plating cell containing plating solution; an anode in contact with the plating solution; a cathode in contact with the plating solution; and a hydrogen electrode in contact with the plating solution.

Abstract: A method for forming a planarized surface for at least one bar of sliders for utilization in a hard disk drive is disclosed. In general, at least one bar of sliders is placed on an adhesive layer. A single thermoplastic layer is then provided above the at least one bar of sliders. The single thermoplastic layer is then heated to a softening temperature such that the single thermoplastic layer will flow between the at least one bar of sliders. The single thermoplastic layer is then cooled to form a planarized surface of both said single thermoplastic layer and said at least one bar of sliders at said adhesive layer.

Abstract: A pure rotary microactuator comprising a spring assembly etched within a silicon substrate is disclosed. A first piezoelectric device is coupled with a first portion of the spring assembly and a second piezoelectric device coupled with a second portion of the spring assembly. The first piezoelectric device changes shape in response to an electrical input signal, and this change in shape provides a first push force to the first portion of the spring assembly in a first direction. The second piezoelectric device also changes shape in response to the electrical input signal, and this change in shape provides a second push force to the second portion in a second direction, which is different from the first direction. The combination of the first and the second push forces rotates the spring assembly with respect to the silicon substrate.

Abstract: A magnetic head having an electrostatic shunt structure for preventing damage to the magnetic head during manufacture. A portion of the shunt structure is removed during manufacture, however another portion remains. In order to prevent the remaining portions of the shunt structure from picking up stray magnetic and electromagnetic fields, an electromagnetic shield, is provided between the remaining portions of the shunt structure and the substrate.

Abstract: A magnetic-recording-disk test-head. The magnetic-recording-disk test-head includes a slider, a test pad and a slider-surface-shape control mechanism. The slider includes a leading edge and a trailing edge. The test pad is disposed at a trailing-edge side of the slider and is configured to remove and to detect asperities on a magnetic-recording disk. The slider-surface-shape control mechanism is configured to change a shape of an air-bearing surface of the slider and is disposed at a leading-edge side of the slider.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a differential-type magnetic read head includes a differential-type magneto-resistive-effect film formed on a substrate, and a pair of electrodes for applying current in a direction perpendicular to a film plane of the film. The film includes a first and second stacked film, each having a pinned layer, an intermediate layer, and a free layer, with the second stacked film being formed on the first stacked film. A side face in a track width direction of the film is shaped to have an inflection point at an intermediate position in a thickness direction of the film, and the side face is shaped to be approximately vertical to the substrate in an upward direction of the substrate from the inflection point. Also, the side face is shaped to be gradually increased in track width as approaching the substrate in a downward direction of the substrate from the inflection point.

Abstract: A magnetic head, according to one embodiment, includes a main magnetic pole having a protruding portion such that a distance from a first side of a trailing edge of the main magnetic pole to a leading edge of the main magnetic pole is different from a distance from a second side of the trailing edge of the main magnetic pole to the leading edge of the main magnetic pole, an auxiliary magnetic pole, and a coil wound around a magnetic circuit, the magnetic circuit including the main magnetic pole and the auxiliary magnetic pole. In another embodiment, a disk drive system includes a magnetic storage medium, at least one magnetic head as described previously for writing to the magnetic medium, a slider for supporting the magnetic head, and a control unit coupled to the magnetic head for controlling operation of the magnetic head. Additional systems and heads are also presented.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive head which has a high head SNR by reducing generated mag-noise without deteriorating an output comprises, according to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive sensor having a laminated structure which includes an antiferromagnetic layer, a magnetization pinned layer, a non-magnetic intermediate layer, a magnetization free layer, and a magnetization stable layer arranged adjacent to the magnetization free layer. The magnetization stable layer comprises non-magnetic coupling layer, a first ferromagnetic stable layer, an antiparallel coupling layer, and a second ferromagnetic stable layer. A magnetization quantity of a first ferromagnetic stable layer and a second ferromagnetic stable layer are substantially equal, and the magnetization of the first ferromagnetic stable layer and the second ferromagnetic stable layer are magnetically coupled in the antiparallel direction from each other.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for forming at least a portion of a magnetic head includes forming a keeper layer, forming a reference layer, and forming an AFM coupling layer which is positioned between the keeper layer and the reference layer. In addition, forming the reference layer includes forming a layer of CoFe, depositing a layer of CoFeHf which is about 20 atomic % Hf, and depositing a layer of CoFeB such that the layers of CoFeHf and CoFeB are directly adjacent and a ratio of respective physical thicknesses of CoFeHf to CoFeB is less than about 0.66. Other embodiments are also included such as a magnetic head and additional methods for forming at least a portion of a magnetic head.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system comprises an upper yoke having a first length defined between a pole tip thereof and a back gap thereof. In addition, the system includes a lower yoke having a second length defined between a pole tip thereof and a back gap thereof, the second length being greater than the first length. Also, the system includes coil turns in the upper and lower yokes. Additional systems and methods are also presented.

Abstract: A hard magnet biasing structure for a CPP-GMR or CPP-TMR read head for a magnetic recording disk drive is located between the two sensor shields and abutting the side edges of the sensor free layer. An insulating layer is located between the biasing structure and the lower shield and the side edges of the free layer. The biasing structure includes a seed layer of either Ir or Ru, a layer of ferromagnetic chemically-ordered FePt alloy hard bias layer on the seed layer, and a Ru or Ru/Ir capping layer on the FePt alloy hard bias layer. The FePt alloy has a face-centered-tetragonal structure with its c-axis generally in the plane of the layer. The relatively thin seed layer and capping layer allow the biasing structure to be made very thin while still permitting the FePt alloy hard bias layer to have high coercivity (Hc), a high remanent magnetization-thickness product (Mrt) and a high squareness (S=Mrt/Ms).

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive read sensor that allows the sensor to be constructed with clean well defined side junctions, even at very narrow track widths. The method involves using first and second etch mask layers, that are constructed of materials such that the second mask (formed over the first mask) can act as a mask during the patterning of the first mask (bottom mask). The first mask has a well defined thickness that is defined by deposition and which is not affected by the etching processes used to define the mask. This allows the total ion milling etch mask thickness to be well controlled before the ion milling process used to define the sensor side walls.

Abstract: A horizontal cavity, surface emitting laser (HCSEL) with internal polarization rotation is used in thermally assisted recording in hard disk drives. The desired polarization of the laser is accomplished with two beam reflections off of facets within the diode. The facets are formed in a single ion beam etching step. This device can be used in a thermally assisted recording head to produce polarization incident on the disk aligned with the direction of the tracks on the disk.

Abstract: A head-gimbal assembly (HGA). The HGA includes a deformable plate affixed to a load beam, a piezoelectric element affixed to the deformable plate, and a base plate affixed to the deformable plate. The deformable plate includes: a hole; a first section in front of the hole and affixed to the load beam; a second section behind the hole and affixed to the base plate; and, first and second spring members that join the first section and the second section, can deform in a front-back direction, and are positioned to sandwich the hole in a left-right direction. The piezoelectric element is affixed between the first section and the second section. The base plate includes projection members on a front edge of the plate and projecting out toward the first section. The front edges of the projection member are positioned further to a front edge than a back edge of the hole.

Abstract: A narrow track-width magnetoresistive sensor by defining a trench formed between first and second hard bias layers and depositing the sensor into the trench. The sensor can include a sensor stack sandwiched between first and second electrically conductive lead layers. First and second electrically insulating side walls are formed at either side of the sensor stack. First and second hard bias layers extend from the sides of the sensor stack, being separated from the sensor stack by the first and second electrically insulating side walls. First and second physically hard insulation layers are provided over each of the hard bias layers.