Abstract: An apparatus may include a circuit configured to receive a first phase control value of a phase control value signal, generate a first phase interpolator control signal value of a phase interpolator control signal and generate a first digital interpolator control signal value of a digital interpolator control signal. The apparatus may further be configured to phase interpolate a clock signal based on the first phase interpolator control signal value to produce a phase shifted clock signal and digitally interpolate a digital sample based on the first digital interpolator signal value to produce a phase shifted digital sample having an effective phase based on the first phase control value, the digital sample generated using the phase shifted clock signal as a sample clock.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an interface and a control circuit. The interface may be configured to process transfers to/from a medium. The control circuit may be configured to generate a trapping set list of trapping sets of a low-density parity check code, classify bit positions of the trapping sets as belonging to either a user bits field or a parity bits field of a codeword, encode data using the low-density parity check code to generate the codeword, and present the codeword to the interface to transfer the codeword to the medium. The generation of the codeword may include at least one of a shortening or a puncturing of bit locations in the codeword in response to the classifying of the bit positions of the trapping sets. All of the data may be held in the bit locations of the codeword other than the bit locations that are shortened or punctured.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for managing data in a memory, such as a flash memory. In accordance with some embodiments, a memory module has a non-volatile memory (NVM) and a memory module electronics (MME) circuit. A controller circuit communicates a first command to the MME circuit to perform a selected action upon a selected address of the NVM. After a variable delay time interval, a second command is communicated by the controller circuit to the MME circuit as a status request regarding the first command. The variable delay time interval is determined based on an accumulated count of status requests that were issued, prior to the first command, for the selected address.

Abstract: A data storage device includes a first system-on-a-chip (SOC) associated with a first read transducer that accesses one or more magnetic disks of the data storage drive. The first SOC has a first read channel operable to receive data from the first read transducer. A second SOC is associated with a second read transducer that accesses the one or more magnetic disks of the data storage drive independently of the first read transducer. The second SOC has a second read channel operable to receive second data from the second read transducer. The first and second SOCs are coupled via a data bus that facilitates communicating the first and second data to a host via a first host interface.

Abstract: A drive-to-drive data transfer may be performed by means of a host configuring registers in a source device and a sink device and triggering a transfer. Data copy logic of controllers of the source and sink devices may then proceed to perform the endpoint to endpoint transfer, for example, using transaction layer packets (TLPs).

Abstract: A read channel is configured to obtain an analog readback waveform from a magnetic recording medium of a disk drive at a sampling rate of one sample per one written bit. A buffer is coupled the read channel. Circuitry is configured to inject a plurality of different phase offsets into the read channel for each of a plurality of revolutions of the medium. The circuitry is also configured to store, in a buffer, an amplitude of the readback waveform for each of the different phase offsets. The circuitry is further configured to generate an oversampled readback waveform using the amplitudes stored in the buffer.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a slider having an air bearing surface (ABS), a leading edge, and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge. A writer having a write pole is situated at or near the ABS. A near-field transducer (NFT) is situated at or near the ABS and between the write pole and the leading edge of the slider. An optical waveguide is configured to couple light from a laser source to the NFT. A contact sensor is situated between the write pole and the trailing edge. The contact sensor comprises a first ABS section situated at or near the ABS, a second ABS section situated at or near the ABS and spaced apart from the first ABS in a cross-track direction by a gap, and a distal section extending away from the ABS and connecting the first ABS section with the second ABS section.

Abstract: This disclosure is related to systems, devices, processes, and methods to optimize a laser power boost amplitude, a laser power boost duration, or both in a heat-assisted data recording device, such as in heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). The amplitude and duration for the laser power boost may be determined for a specific portion of a write operation, such as a first sector of the write operation. During operation of a data storage device, the laser power boost may provide additional power to the laser for the specific portion. Once the laser power boost duration has elapsed, the data storage device may continue providing power to the laser at the normal power input range of the laser. The laser power boost settings may be determined on a per head per zone basis, per track basis, or another configuration.

Abstract: A folded lasing cavity comprises at least one bend. The folded lasing cavity is disposed on and configured to emit light along a substrate-parallel plane. An etched facet is on an emitting end of the folded lasing cavity and an etched mirror is on another end of the folding lasing cavity. An etched shaping mirror redirects light received from the etched facet in a direction normal to the substrate-parallel plane.

Abstract: A method includes accessing a cache including a first cache block and setting the first cache block to a passive sub-state, where the first cache block in the passive sub-state is configured to be accessed or modified. The method also includes receiving at least one access or modification request of the first cache block and transitioning the first cache block from the passive sub-state to an active sub-state. The method also includes incrementing an ordinal cache activation count at an active cache counter in response to the transitioning, where the active cache counter is configured to track the activation counts such that oldest cache use counts are designated to be overwritten in the cache in an oldest-first fashion.

Abstract: A slider configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording comprises a magnetic writer, a near-field transducer, and an optical waveguide coupling the near-field transducer to a light source. The writer is situated proximate the near-field transducer at an air bearing surface of the slider and comprises a first return pole, a second return pole, and a write pole situated between and spaced apart from the first return pole and the second return pole. A structural element is situated at or near the air bearing surface between the write pole and one of the first and second return poles. The structural element comprises a cavity. A thermal sensor is disposed in the cavity. The thermal sensor is configured for sensing contact between the slider and a magnetic recording medium, asperities of the medium, and output optical power of the light source.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes charging members for charging abrasive particles into the surface of a lapping plate. The charging members include one or more channels to permit abrasive slurry to flow through when the charging member is in contact with the lapping plate.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods to sequence DNA. A DNA sequencing device includes a passage, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The passage has a width and a length. The first and second electrodes are exposed within the passage and spaced apart from each other to form an electrode gap. The electrode gap is no greater than about 2 nm. The DNA sequencing device is operable to measure with the first and second electrodes a change in electronic signal in response to nucleotides of a DNA strand passing through the electrode gap.

Abstract: A data storage device can employ a gimbal tongue flexure suspended from a load beam with a transducing head mounted to the gimbal tongue flexure. The transducing head can be separated from a magnetic recording medium by an air bearing. At least one active or non-active damper may be positioned on a strut of the gimbal tongue flexure.

Abstract: A method for interconnecting multiple components of an electrical assembly with a solder joint, including the steps of positioning a first component adjacent to a second component to provide a connection area, dispensing a solid solder sphere to a capillary tube, wherein the capillary tube is positioned with an exit orifice above the connection area between the first and second components, applying a first laser through the capillary tube while measuring light from the first laser that reflects off the connection area as the solder sphere moves through the capillary tube, and applying a second laser to at least partially melt the solder sphere when the measured light decreases to a predetermined level and as the solder sphere falls from the exit orifice toward the connection area between the first and second components.

Abstract: Described are electronic hard disk drives that are made to include: a base; a cover; interior components such as a stack of magnetic recording disks, reading and recording heads, electronics to read and record and to transfer data to and from an external electronic device; and a cover support at the interior of the device to inhibit movement of the cover.

Abstract: A DNA sequencing device, and related methods, include a nanochannel sized to receive a DNA strand, a first electrode member exposed within the nanochannel, and a second electrode member exposed within the nanochannel and spaced apart from the first electrode to form an electrode gap. The second electrode member has a wedge shaped profile, and the first and second electrode members are operable to detect a change in electronic signal as the DNA strand passes through the electrode gap.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to execute a startup program on a computer, the startup program being stored on an external storage device connected with the computer; download a file management program from a remote server to the computer; install the file management program on the computer; send a message to a cloud storage management server requesting the creation of a cloud storage account associated with the external storage device; and receive an indication that the cloud storage account has been created.

Abstract: An apparatus may include a virtual flash device configured to emulate a flash memory device. The virtual flash device may include a flash interface configured to communicate with a flash controller, an address translation module configured to translate memory addresses from a flash based memory space to another memory space of another memory, a threshold voltage shift module configured to modify data on a data path between the flash controller and the other memory to simulate data corruption caused by threshold voltage shifts in cells of the emulated flash memory device, and a non-flash memory controller configured to communicate with the other memory.

Abstract: A write command includes data targeted to a data sector of a non-volatile memory. The data is committed to be stored in the data sector. Protection information bytes of the data are stored together with the data in the data sector, and the protection information bytes are copied to a distilled protection sector. A read request is received for the data and in response, the protection information in the data sector is validated against the copy of the protection information in the distilled protection sector.