Abstract: Systems and methods for die resistance-capacitance (RC) extraction and validation are described. In one embodiment, the method includes generating a chip power model (CPM) based at least in part on single domain excitation to determine a die capacitance; and performing loop-based static IR drop analysis to determine a die resistance for each power domain of a die. In some cases, the generating of the chip power model (CPM) includes generating a separate CPM for each power domain of the die.

Abstract: Active pressure in the air bearing surface of a slider in the region of the transducer is reduced by introducing two channels in the center pad of the advanced air bearing along each side of the centerline and spaced apart from the transducer. This configuration moves the high pressure region away from the transducer zone at the trailing edge of the slider.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to examples of controlling recycling of blocks of memory. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a method comprises allocating at least one block of memory selected from a subset of blocks to be written in accordance with an equalizing technique to equalize a variation between blocks of memory based on at least one factor. The method further comprises resupplying the subset of blocks.

Abstract: Devices having an air bearing surface (ABS), the devices including a write pole; a near field transducer (NFT) that includes a peg and a disc, wherein the peg is at the ABS of the device; a heat sink positioned adjacent the disc of the NFT; a dielectric gap positioned adjacent the peg of the NFT at the ABS of the device; and a conformal diffusion barrier layer positioned between the write pole and the dielectric gap, the disc, and the heat sink, wherein the conformal diffusion barrier layer forms at least one angle that is not greater than 135°.

Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT having at least one external surface; and at least one multilayer adhesion layer positioned on at least a portion of the at least one external surface, the multilayer adhesion layer including a first layer and a second layer, with the second layer being in contact with the portion of the at least one external surface of the NFT, the first layer including: yttrium (Y), scandium (Sc), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), silicon (Si), boron (B), tantalum (Ta), barium (Ba), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), niobium (Nb), calcium (Ca), beryllium (Be), strontium (Sr), magnesium (Mg), lithium (Li), or combinations thereof; and the second layer including: lanthanum (La), boron (B), lutetium (Lu), aluminum (Al), deuterium (D), cerium (Ce), uranium (U), praseodymium (Pr), yttrium (Y), silicon (Si), iridium (Ir), carbon (C), thorium (Th), scandium (Sc), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), phosphorus (P), barium (Ba), europium (Eu), or combinations thereof.

Abstract: Log likelihood ratio (LLR) values that are computed in a flash memory controller during read retries change over time as the number of program-and-erase cycles (PECs) that the flash memory die has been subjected to increases. Therefore, in cases where an LLR table is used to provide pre-defined, fixed LLR values to the error-correcting code (ECC) decoding logic of the controller, decoding success and the resulting BER will degrade over time as the number of PECs to which the die has been subjected increases. In accordance with embodiments, a storage system, a flash memory controller for use in the storage system and method are provided that periodically measure the LLR values and update the LLR table with new LLR values. Periodically measuring the LLR values and updating the LLR table with new LLR values ensures high decoding success and a low BER over the life of the flash memory die.

Abstract: A slider of a heat-assisted magnetic recording head comprises an air bearing surface and an optical waveguide configured to receive light from a laser source. The slider comprises a plurality of electrical bond pads including a first bond pad and a second bond pad. A first resistive sensor is configured to sense for spacing changes and contact between the slider and a magnetic recording medium at or near a first close point of the slider. A second resistive sensor is configured to sense for spacing changes and contact between the slider and the medium at or near a second close point of the slider. A bolometer is situated at a location within the slider that receives at least some of the light communicated along the optical waveguide. The first resistive sensor, the second resistive sensor, and the bolometer are coupled together and between the first and second bond pads.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a slider configured to facilitate heat assisted magnetic recording. The slider comprises a plurality of bond pads including a first electrical bond pad, a second electrical bond pad, and a ground pad. A laser diode comprises an anode coupled to the first electrical bond pad and a cathode coupled to the second electrical bond pad. The laser diode is operable in a non-lasing state and a lasing state. A heater is coupled between the ground pad and at least one of the anode and cathode of the laser diode. The heater is configured to generate heat for heating the laser diode during the non-lasing state and the lasing state.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for full utilization of a data path's dynamic range. In certain embodiments, an apparatus may comprise a circuit including a first filter to digitally filter and output a first signal, a second filter to digitally filter and output a second signal, a summing node, and a first adaptation circuit. The summing node combine the first signal and the second signal to generate a combined signal at a summing node output. The first adaptation circuit may be configured to receive the combined signal, and filter the first signal and the second signal to set a dynamic amplitude range of the combined signal at the summing node output by modifying a first coefficient of the first filter and a second coefficient of the second filter based on the combined signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for implementing sector management in drives having multiple modulation coding. A circuit may be configured to generate a data sector having a first number of bits based on a first modulation encoding scheme associated with a first location of a data storage medium, determine a difference between the first number of bits and a second number of bits corresponding to a second modulation encoding scheme associated with a second location of the data storage medium, append a number of padding bits to the data sector based on the difference, and store the data sector to the second location of the data storage medium. The data sector may be a sector reallocated from the first location to the second location. The data sector may also be an intermediate parity sector stored to a media cache region of the data storage device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to perform a function level reset in a memory controller, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, an apparatus may comprise a storage controller circuit configured to receive a function reset indicator from a host device, the function reset indicator identifying a selected storage controller function executing at a storage controller of the apparatus. The circuit may abort each command associated with the selected function and pending at the apparatus based on the function reset indicator, verify that no commands associated with the selected function remain pending at the apparatus, and clear registers associated with the selected function based on the determination that no commands associated with the selected function remain.

Abstract: A data storage system may have a number of data storage devices that each have a non-volatile memory connected to a memory buffer. The memory buffer can consist of a map unit having a predetermined size. In receipt of a data sector into the map unit of the memory buffer, the data sector may be identified as a runt with a runt module connected to the memory buffer and the non-volatile memory. The runt module can generate and subsequently execute a runt handling plan to fill the size of the map unit before storing the filled map unit in the non-volatile memory.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes embodiments of an electrical device that includes an interior having a saturated salt solution and desiccant disposed therein to manage the relative humidity of the interior.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for managing data in a distributed data storage system. In some embodiments, a plurality of storage devices define an overall available memory space. A control circuit stores a first copy of user data from a selected distributed data set in a working set of memory buffers, stores a duplicate, second copy of the user data in an alias set of memory buffers, generates parity data based on the second copy of the user data in the alias set of the memory buffers, and flushes the user data and the parity data from the alias set of memory buffers to the storage devices while the first copy of the user data remains in the working set of the memory buffers. In this way, subsequently received access commands can be serviced using the working set of the memory buffers.

Abstract: Systems and methods for active power management are described. In one embodiment, the systems and methods include obtaining power dissipation metrics for a plurality of components under one or more operating scenarios, generating a reference dissipation model based on the power dissipation metrics of the plurality of components, and implementing the reference dissipation model in a storage system to make component scheduling decisions in relation to power management of the storage system. In some embodiments, the storage system includes any combination of a hard disk drive, a solid state drive, a hybrid drive, and a system of multiple storage drives.

Abstract: Systems and methods presented herein provide a controller that is operable to monitor a plurality of background commands to a storage device over a pre-determined period of time and to determine how often each of the background commands is issued during the pre-determined period of time. The controller is further operable to establish a time interval for each of the background commands, and to issue each of the background commands at their respective time intervals.

Abstract: Based on a command to interrupt operation of a selected one or more of a plurality of data storage drives coupled to two or more storage controllers, two or more signals are sent from the two or more storage controllers via two or more data busses associated with and coupled to the respective two or more controllers. The selected data storage drive receives the two or more signals via the two or more data busses. Based on determining that the two or more signals agree, the operation of the selected drive is interrupted.

Abstract: A data storage device can have at least a buffer memory, a selection module, and a non-volatile memory. The buffer memory and non-volatile memory may consist of different types of memory while the non-volatile memory has one or more rewritable in-place memory cells. The buffer memory and non-volatile memory may each store data associated with a pending data request as directed by the selection module until a settle time of the rewritable in-place memory cell has expired.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for providing proactive cloud orchestration services for a cloud hardware infrastructure. A health management system may monitor component(s) of the cloud hardware infrastructure. The health management system may determine a failure probability metric for the component(s) based on the monitoring of the component and in consideration of historical information associated with the component, or similar components. The health management system may determine an optimization strategy for the component and, when an optimization decision has been reached, initiate a reconfiguration procedure to implement the optimization strategy. The optimization strategy may provide for mitigating or eliminating the consequences of the component failure associated with data loss, downtime, and the like.

Abstract: A method for interconnecting multiple components of a head-gimbal assembly with a solder joint, including the steps of positioning a first component adjacent to a second component to provide a connection area between the first and second components, dispensing a solder sphere to a capillary tube comprising tapered walls, wherein the capillary tube is positioned with an exit orifice above the connection area between the first and second components, pressurizing the capillary tube until a predetermined pressure is reached, applying a first laser pulse to the solder sphere to provide a level of thermal energy to liquefy the solder sphere, detecting the movement of the liquefied solder sphere after it has exited the exit orifice of the capillary tube, and applying a second laser pulse to reflow the solder sphere to create the solder joint between the first and second components.