Abstract: A recording head includes a near-field transducer proximate a media-facing surface of the recording head. A light delivery waveguide extends from an energy source to the near-field transducer. The light delivery waveguide includes, proximate the near-field transducer, a C-shaped core of a first dielectric material. The C-shaped core has a hollow aligned with the near-field transducer. A cladding of a second dielectric material surrounds the C-shaped core.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a near-field transducer, a waveguide, and a solid immersion mirror. The near-field transducer is configured to focus and emit an optical near-field. The waveguide is configured to receive electromagnetic radiation and propagate the electromagnetic radiation toward and proximal to the near-field transducer. The solid immersion mirror is disposed proximal to the near-field transducer and along a media-facing surface of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head. The solid immersion mirror includes a first segment and a second segment disposed on opposite sides of the near-field transducer relative to a cross-track dimension of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head. The solid immersion mirror includes a thermally robust metal having a melting temperature of at least 1500 degrees Celsius. The thermally robust metal is a primary material of the solid immersion mirror.

Abstract: Described are magnetic recording heads that include auxiliary current wires that drive the write pole tip, augmenting the main coils that provide magnetomotive force to the write pole. The auxiliary wires are provided in close proximity to the write pole tip near the media-facing surface of the recording head, and are preferably in closer proximity to the write pole tip than are the main coils. In certain writer designs that include one or more heat sink structures positioned near or around the write pole tip, such as may be found in heat-assisted magnetic recording writer constructions, the auxiliary wire(s) may be accommodated near or around the heat sink structures, or the heat sink structures themselves can serve as the auxiliary wires.

Abstract: Described are hard disk drives (HDDs) operable for archival applications and utilizing the same mechanical and electrical design of conventional HDDs. The capacity of a conventional HDD may be extended by up to 25% to 40% or more by employing multiple write and/or read spins before declaring success in write and read processes. The multiple write and/or read spins are designed to address the lower reliability that would otherwise result from high density packing of the data, at the cost of reducing performance. The result is an HDD with lower performance at higher capacity without sacrificing reliability and without altering conventional HDD mechanical or electrical design.

Abstract: Described are systems, devices and methods for regulating speculative reading in a hard disk drive that has a read reliability budget. Regulating speculative reading under a read reliability budget involves selecting an amount of read look ahead (RLA) in response to determining whether or not a read rate exceeds the read reliability budget. When the read rate is lower than the read reliability budget, a full RLA amount can be used, thus ensuring high performance. When the read rate exceeds the read reliability budget, the RLA amount can be adjusted down while maintaining performance at acceptable levels. Adjustments to RLA may be made at periodic intervals, and in response to whether the workload is more sequential or more random.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a hard drive having a heat-assisted magnetic recording head is provided. The method includes performing, across an increasing temperature ramp, a first set of write/read operations using the head, performing, across a decreasing temperature ramp, a second set of write/read operations using the head, generating performance data associated with the head based on the first set of write/read operations and the second set of write/read operations, calculating a comparison value based on the performance data associated with the head and performance data associated with a plurality of heads, and adjusting an operating parameter value of the head based on the comparison value exceeding a threshold, the adjusted operating parameter reducing a likelihood that a laser of the head will exhibit write instability.

Abstract: Described are methods for processing microelectronic device substrates by a lapping step, e.g., a final lapping step, wherein the step includes the use of an elastomeric pressure-sensitive adhesive to secure the microelectronic device substrate to a carrier that holds the substrate to a surface of the carrier during the lapping step, and wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive can be a non-polysilicone based adhesive having mechanical properties that include a tan delta that is below about 0.2.

Abstract: Electronic devices that include a composition that can generate a gaseous oxidizing agent component; and a generating device configured to actively cause the composition to generate the gaseous oxidizing agent component. The generating device includes at least one metal-air battery that is in electrical communication with a power source that is configured to apply power to the metal-air battery according to a predetermined time interval to recharge the metal-air battery to generate the gaseous oxidizing agent component.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for executing controller memory buffer (CMB) based data transfer commands in a distributed data processing environment. In some embodiments, a storage device having a device controller and a main non-volatile memory (NVM) is coupled to a client device via an interface. The client device respectively issues normal data transfer commands and bypass data transfer commands to the storage device. The normal data transfer commands include read and write commands that result in transfer of data between the NVM and the client device using a normal data path through the storage device. The bypass data transfer commands involve an allocated CMB of the storage device directly controlled and accessed by the client device. In this way, write data are directly placed into the CMB for writing to the NVM, and readback data from the NVM are directly recovered from the CMB by the client device.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a near-field transducer, a waveguide, and a resonance enhancing feature. The near-field transducer is configured to focus and emit an optical near-field. The waveguide is configured to receive electromagnetic radiation and propagate the electromagnetic radiation toward and proximal to the near-field transducer. The resonance enhancing feature is disposed proximal to the near-field transducer and to a media-facing surface of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head. The resonance enhancing feature includes a first segment and a second segment disposed on opposite sides of the near-field transducer relative to a cross-track dimension of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head. Each of the first segment and the second segment of the resonance enhancing feature includes a liner and a filler. The liner of each of the first segment and the second segment at least partially faces the near-field transducer.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a laser, a near-field transducer, a primary waveguide, a secondary waveguide, and a photodiode. The laser is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation. The near-field transducer is configured to focus and emit an optical near-field. The primary waveguide configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation and propagate the electromagnetic radiation toward and proximal to the near-field transducer. The secondary waveguide configured to receive a portion of the electromagnetic radiation from the primary waveguide. The photodiode configured to receive the portion of the electromagnetic radiation from the secondary waveguide and emit a signal that represents a magnitude of the electromagnetic radiation that the laser emits.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording head comprises a near-field transducer (NFT). The NFT comprises a near-field emitter configured to heat a surface of a magnetic disk, and a hybrid plasmonic disk. The hybrid plasmonic disk comprises a plasmonic region and a thermal region. The plasmonic region comprises a first material or alloy that is a plasmonic material or alloy. The thermal region comprises a second material or alloy that is different than the first material or alloy.

Abstract: A storage command is received from a client computer. The storage command includes a key associated with a content object that is to be written to two or more storage nodes in response to the command. A virtual address space is used to indicate a storage location of the content object. A virtual address of the virtual address space is assigned to the content object. The content object is redundantly stored the two or more storage nodes at respective two or more device addresses of the respective two or more storage nodes. The two or more device addresses are mapped to the virtual address, and the virtual address is returned to the client computer as a hint.

Abstract: A data storage system for use in a high radiation environment runs first and second operating time counters to monitor a field-programmable, gate array (FPGA) configured as a storage controller. Based on the first operating time counter passing a first threshold, the FPGA is fully reprogrammed. Based on the second operating time counter passing a second threshold less than the first threshold, the FPGA is partially reprogrammed.

Abstract: A method involves forming a recording head that comprises a waveguide, a write pole, and a near-field transducer proximate the write pole. The near-field transducer has an extended portion extending towards a surface of the recording head and operable to direct plasmons to a recording medium. The surface of the recording head is lapped to form a lapped surface. A resist or hardmask is patterned on the lapped surface in a region that encompasses the extended portion. The lapped surface is etched with the resist or hardmask pattern to form a media-facing surface such that the extended portion protrudes beyond the media-facing surface by a first distance, and the resist or hardmask is removed.

Abstract: A method includes creating a table with a plurality of cells indicative of intersections of tracks and wedges on a data storage disc surface. The method also includes storing disc pending command information for different disc pending commands in corresponding different cells of the plurality of cells according to locations for the different disc pending commands on the data storage disc surface. The method further includes searching the table for one or more next disc pending commands of the different disc pending commands to schedule for execution.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a substrate. A laser is deposited above the substrate. The laser includes one or more non-self-supporting layers of crystalline material. The laser has a length along a light path in a range of about 40 um to about 350 um. An optical input coupler is configured to receive light from the laser. A waveguide is deposited proximate the optical input coupler. The waveguide is configured to communicate light from the laser via the optical input coupler to a near-field transducer that directs energy resulting from plasmonic excitation to a recording medium.

Abstract: A method of rotating a set of keys, having a media encryption key (MEK) and a current media encryption key encryption key (MEKEK) encrypted and stored in a self-encrypting drive (SED) having data encrypted with the MEK (MEK(data)), includes decrypting the stored MEK and the current MEKEK. A new MEK (MEK?) and a new MEKEK (MEKEK?) are generated. The MEKEK? is encrypted to replace the current encrypted MEKEK. A concatenation of the MEK and the MEK? is encrypted with MEKEK?. The encrypted data MEK(data) is re-encrypted with MEK?.

Abstract: A distributed data storage system can be configured with a host connected to a device and a distribution module. The distribution module identifies a manufacturing origin of the device and diverts a system operation from an upstream component connected to the distribution module to the device in response to the identified manufacturing origin of the device. The manufacturer installed operating parameters of the device are then used to complete the system operation.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods of forming adhesive films having at least one pressure-sensitive adhesive polymer, related films, and related methods of using such films in lapping processes.