Abstract: A hard disk drive has a magnetic media disk comprising a substrate having an axis, and an exchange coupled, bit patterned media on the substrate arranged in a plurality of tracks. Each of the tracks has a pattern of islands extending in an axial direction from the disk. Each island comprises a first layer having a first anisotropy and a first layer radial width, and a second layer on the first layer and having a second anisotropy that is lower than the first anisotropy. The second layer radial width is less than the first layer radial width.

Abstract: To effectively suppress a signal in a low frequency region in which the medium noise and the signal distortion are concentrated, and in order to effectively utilize a detected component of the reproduced signal in the low frequency region, a target of partial response equalization to the perpendicularly recorded/reproduced signal is set so that the low-frequency component around the direct current is suppressed to a regulated quantity for both the effective suppression and the effective utilization. Accordingly, a maximum-likelihood decoding process is carried out through the target of partial response equalization. Reliability of data detection is made higher and a signal-to-noise ratio is improved, so that the noise from the recording medium can be reduced more and it is possible to provide a high-density magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention help to reduce the resistance variation of the heater provided in order to adjust the flying height of the slider. According to one embodiment, a magnetic head slider has a magnetic read/write device and a heater formed on the trailing end surface of the slider. The heater comprises a heating portion, terminal portions and lead portions. Where a terminal portion overlaps with a lead portion, a diffusion stop film is disposed between them. In addition, a diffusion stop film is disposed between a lead portion and a lower shield seed film (NiFe) under the associated stud. The diffusion stop films and are Ta films with a thickness of 5 nm or preferably at least 10 nm.

Abstract: An integrated pivot-carriage for a hard disk drive for improving a pivot bonding process. Embodiments include a pivot-bearing assembly comprising an upper bearing, a lower bearing and a pivot-bearing spacer there between; a carriage comprising: a center-bore within which a pivot-shaft coupled with the pivot-bearing assembly is disposed; and a plurality of pivot-bonding glue dispensers, each of the pivot-bonding glue dispensers comprising: a glue inlet; a glue outlet; and an enclosing wall defining an interior flow passage between the glue inlet and the glue outlet, the interior flow passage configured for conveying bonding glue there through; and a glue receiving region coupling the glue outlet with a bearing of the upper and the lower bearing, the glue receiving region configured for receiving bonding glue dispensed thereto, thereby bonding the pivot-bearing assembly with the carriage.

Abstract: An apparatus for removal of retentive mechanisms retaining a cover of a component device. The apparatus includes a structure. The apparatus also includes a component device positioner coupled to the structure. The apparatus additionally includes a plurality of retentive mechanism removers coupled with the structure. Each of the plurality of retentive mechanism removers are configured for interoperability with each retention mechanism retaining a cover of a component device having a plurality of retention mechanisms disposed therein. The apparatus further includes a drive mechanism that is coupled with the structure. The drive mechanism is for rotation of each of the plurality of retentive mechanism removers, causing removal of each retention mechanism retaining the cover of the component device.

Abstract: A hard disk drive flex cable assembly conveys data between a connector to a host system and a head stack assembly. It comprises a flex cable which in part has a first end for coupling to the connector, and a second end for coupling to the head stack assembly; and a stiffener coupled to the second end. The stiffener comprises an end formed to approximate a J-shape. A filling material is applied to the concave surface of the J-shape, whereby a dynamic response frequency of the flex cable assembly is moved away from a dynamic response frequency of the head stack assembly upon which the flex cable assembly is coupled.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a c-aperture or E-antenna plasmonic near field source for thermal assisted recording applications in hard disk drives is disclosed. A c-aperture or E-antenna is built for recording head applications. The technique employs e-beam lithography, partial reactive ion etching and metal refill to build the c-apertures. This process strategy has the advantage over other techniques in the self-alignment of the c-aperture notch to the c-aperture internal diameter, the small number of process steps required, and the precise and consistent shape of the c-aperture notch itself.

Abstract: A current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) or giant magnetoresistance (GMR) read sensor with ferromagnetic buffer and seed layers is proposed for high-resolution magnetic recording. The ferromagnetic buffer layer is preferably formed of an amorphous Co—X (where X is Hf, Y, Zr, etc.) film. It provides the CPP read sensor with microstructural discontinuity from a ferromagnetic lower shield, thus facilitating the CPP read sensor to grow freely with preferred crystalline textures, and with ferromagnetic continuity to the ferromagnetic lower shield, thus acting as a portion of the ferromagnetic lower shield. The ferromagnetic seed layer is preferably formed of a polycrystalline Ni—X (where X is Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru, etc.) film. It exhibits a face-centered-cubic (fcc) structure and does not exchange-couple with the antiferromagnetic pinning layer.

Abstract: A current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) or giant magnetoresistance (GMR) read sensor with ferromagnetic buffer, shielding and seed layers is proposed for high-resolution magnetic recording. The ferromagnetic buffer layer is preferably formed of an amorphous Co—X (where X is Hf, Y, Zr, etc.) film. It provides the CPP read sensor with microstructural discontinuity from a ferromagnetic lower shield, thus facilitating the CPP read sensor to grow freely with preferred crystalline textures, and with ferromagnetic continuity to the ferromagnetic lower shield, thus acting as a portion of the ferromagnetic lower shield. The ferromagnetic shielding layer is preferably formed of a polycrystalline Ni—Fe film. It exhibits magnetic properties exactly identical to those of the ferromagnetic lower shield, thus acting identically as the ferromagnetic lower shield, and a uniform columnar grain morphology, thus initiating a uniform large grain morphology in the CPP read sensor.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording write head has an improved antiferromagnetically-coupled laminated main pole (MP) formed on a substrate. The MP has two ferromagnetic multilayers, each comprising at least one FeCo/NiFe/FeCo ferromagnetic trilayer, antiferromagnetically coupled across an antiferromagnetically coupling (AFC) film consisting essentially of ruthenium (Ru). The MP has a NiFe layer directly above the AFC film, on the side of the AFC film opposite the side facing the substrate, and in contact with the Ru AFC film and the lower FeCo layer of the upper multilayer. There is no NiFe layer directly below the Ru AFC film so the side of the AFC film facing the substrate is in direct contact with the upper FeCo layer of the lower multilayer.

Abstract: A thermally-assisted recording (TAR) slider has an integrated TAR head and an integrated external-cavity VCSEL. The TAR head is integrated with the slider at the trailing end and includes an optical waveguide having a grating coupler oriented in a plane generally parallel to the slider trailing end, and a near-field transducer (NFT) at the slider air-bearing surface (ABS) and coupled to the waveguide. The external cavity is an angled structure and has an input surface for receipt of laser radiation output from the VCSEL, an output surface near the slider trailing end, a partially reflecting third mirror near the output surface, and at least one reflective surface between the input surface and the third mirror for turning the laser radiation and reflecting it between the VCSEL and the third mirror. The laser radiation is output from the external cavity's output surface, through the trailing end of the slider and to the grating coupler.

Abstract: A magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording. The magnetic write head includes a write pole having a pole tip region and a flared region. The write pole also has a trailing, wrap-around magnetic shield that is separated from the sides of the write pole by a non-magnetic side gap layer. The write head is formed such that the side gap spacing is larger in the flared region than in the pole tip region. This varying gap spacing can be formed by depositing a non-magnetic material using a collimated sputter deposition aligned substantially perpendicular to the air bearing surface. This collimated sputtering deposits the non-magnetic material more readily on the sides of the write pole in the flared region than in the pole tip region.

Abstract: A magnetic head having non-GMR shunt for perpendicular recording and method for making magnetic head having non-GMR shunt for perpendicular recording is disclosed. A shunt is provided for shunting charge from a read sensor. The shunt is formed co-planar with the read sensor and is fabricated using non-GMR materials.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording system has a write head with a main perpendicular write pole connected to a yoke with first and second electrical coils. The first coil is wrapped around the yoke on one side of the main pole, and the second coil is wrapped around the yoke on the other side of the main pole. The first end of each coil is connected to a respective terminal. The second ends of the two coils are connected together and connected to a common terminal. A lead-time circuit is connected between the common terminal and the first end of one of the coils. Immediately after the direction of write current is switched by the write driver, the lead-time circuit causes the current in one of the coils to lead the current in the other coil. The current displacement between the two coils creates a precession of the magnetic flux reversal, thereby reducing the switching time of the write head.

Abstract: In a method for negatively biasing a slider with respect to a disk to reduce slider wear and provide burnish rate control a negative bias voltage is generated between the slider and the disk surface respectively, the negative bias voltage causing slider/disk contact wear to occur on the disk instead of on the slider.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head that avoids the challenges associated with the formation of fence structures during write pole definition. A magnetic write pole material is deposited. A mask structure is deposited over the magnetic write pole material. The mask structure includes a first hard mask, a marker layer, a physically robust, inorganic RIEable image transfer layer, a second hard mask structure over the image transfer layer and a photoresist layer over the second hard mask. A reactive ion etching process can be used to transfer the image of the photoresist mask and second hard mask layer onto the image transfer layer. An ion milling is performed to define the write pole. A layer of non-magnetic material such as alumina is deposited. An ion milling is performed until the marker layer has been reached, and another reactive ion etching is performed to remove the remaining hard mask.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention help to provide a method for manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic recording head including a main magnetic pole having a width that does not generally vary. According to one embodiment, a magnetic film, a first inorganic mask film, an organic film, a second inorganic mask film, and a resist pattern are formed in this order. Reactive ion etching (RIE) is performed using the resist pattern as a mask to etch the second inorganic mask film and the organic film and form a mask for the subsequent step. A flow rate of an Ar gas is then controlled, and ion milling is performed, to correct a difference between the width of the mask located at the central portion of the wafer and the width of the mask located at the outer peripheral portion of the wafer. The magnetic film is processed to have a uniform track width. Ion milling is then performed to form the main magnetic pole having an inverted trapezoidal shape.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide a refill configuration adjacent a back-edge that defines a height of a magnetoresistive read sensor. Milling through layers of the sensor forms the back-edge and may be initially conducted at a first angle of incidence greater than a second angle of incidence. In combination, an insulating material and a polish resistant material, such as a non-magnetic metal, disposed on the insulating material fills a void created by the milling. The sensor further includes first and second magnetic shields with the layers of the sensor along with the polish resistant material and insulating material disposed between the first and second magnetic shields.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head having a wrap around magnetic trailing shield and a very narrow track width. A magnetic write pole is formed by forming a mask over a magnetic write pole material and performing a first ion milling to define the write pole. The mask includes a hard mask layer such as diamond like carbon (DLC) and further mask layers formed over the hard mask layer. In order to facilitate manufacture at very narrow track widths processes are employed to remove re-deposited material and the remaining portions of the mask structure (except the hard mask). Further processing can then be employed without the risk of a very narrow mask structure and redep bending or breaking during later manufacturing steps.

Abstract: A graphene magnetic field sensor has a ferromagnetic biasing layer located beneath and in close proximity to the graphene sense layer. The sensor includes a suitable substrate, the ferromagnetic biasing layer, the graphene sense layer, and an electrically insulating underlayer between the ferromagnetic biasing layer and the graphene sense layer. The underlayer may be a hexagonal boron-nitride (h-BN) layer, and the sensor may include a seed layer to facilitate the growth of the h-BN underlayer. The ferromagnetic biasing layer has perpendicular magnetic anisotropy with its magnetic moment oriented substantially perpendicular to the plane of the layer. The graphene magnetic field sensor based on the extraordinary magnetoresistance (EMR) effect may function as the magnetoresistive read head in a magnetic recording disk drive.