Abstract: A method of writing to a data storage drive having a first media partition having a first write speed and a second media partition having a second write speed slower than the first write speed includes mapping a plurality of logical block addresses (LBAs) to a plurality of physical block addresses (PBAs) of the first media partition, and writing to the plurality of LBAs mapped to the PBAs of the first media partition. It is determined whether the first media partition is at or above a predetermined storage level, and, when the first media partition is at or above the predetermined storage level, data is moved moving data from the first media partition to a plurality of PBAs in the second media partition, and mapping of LBAs and PBAs in the data storage device is updated.

Abstract: A recording head includes a dielectric waveguide that extends towards a media-facing surface of the recording head. A hybrid waveguide is near the media-facing surface and includes the dielectric waveguide and a heat spreader plate having a crosstrack dimension that is at least twice that of a core of the dielectric waveguide. The hybrid waveguide is operable to combine a total internal reflection of the dielectric waveguide with a surface plasmon confinement of the heat spreading plate to excite TM-even mode in the hybrid waveguide. A surface-plasmonic plate is in contact with the heat spreader plate, the second surface-plasmonic plate has a peg extending from an enlarged portion. Light energy from the TM-even mode propagating from the hybrid waveguide to the surface-plasmonic plate causes the surface plasmonic plate to focus the light energy to heat a recording medium.

Abstract: A system includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory, where the processor is configured to perform various operations. The operations include receiving, in response to a first read input/output operation, a first location of a first data block. The operations also include executing the first read input/output operation at the first data block at the first location. The operations also include selecting a second location within a first search range for destaging a second data block based at least in part on the first location. The operations also include destaging the second data block at the second location upon a determination that a second read input/output operation is not currently executing or queued for execution.

Abstract: An apparatus may include a circuit configured to initialize a read operation to read one or more requested data segments of a respective data unit having a plurality of data segments. Based on a number of failed data segments of the requested data segments and an erasure capability of an outer code error correction scheme, the circuit may perform erasure recovery to recover the failed data segments. Based on the number of failed data segments, the erasure capability of the outer code error correction scheme, and a threshold value, the circuit may perform iterative outer code recovery to recover the failed data segments.

Abstract: A device may include a SSD having multiple storage units and a deduplication control circuit configured to determine whether selected data content to be stored is a duplicate of previous data content already in a first buffer of data buffered to be stored in a set of storage units. The deduplication circuit may be further configured to, based on a determination that the selected data content is a duplicate of first previous data content already buffered in the first buffer, instead of buffering another copy of the selected data content, buffer a first header including a first pointer that associates the first header with the first previous data content already buffered in the first buffer. The deduplication circuit may also be configured to reorder the first buffer such that individual data contents in the first buffer are grouped near headers associated with the individual data contents.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly for supporting a disk drive includes a slider, a load beam, a ring gimbal affixed to the load beam, and a flexure. The gimbal includes a curved outer gimbal strut comprising a protrusion located between a first straight section of the curved outer gimbal strut and a second straight section of the curved outer gimbal strut. The flexure includes a first end extending along the load beam through a center region of a longitudinal axis of the head gimbal assembly and second end that includes a plurality of bond pads electrically coupled to the slider.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of storage media mounted on a rotatable spindle. The apparatus also includes an actuator with at least one actuator arm configured to translate among the plurality of storage media and at least two heads supported on the at least one actuator arm. Each of the at least two heads is configured to communicate with the plurality of storage media.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to separating parts (e.g., sliders and/or row bars) from an adhesive and carrier during the manufacture of parts to be used in a data storage device such as a hard disc drive.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the fabrication of head sliders for use in hard disk drives, and in particular the provision and usage of electrical bond pads on the slider surface structure to accommodate needs of the fabrication process as well as slider operation within a disk drive.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods and systems for lapping a row bar of sliders. According to the present disclosure, an electrical interconnect configuration is provided that permits the net current provided to a row bar to heat electrical heating devices during lapping to be managed so as help prevent exceeding breakdown currents of related electrical channels.

Abstract: Two or more different elapsed time values are determined between transitions of a data signal applied to a magnetic write transducer of a heat-assisted magnetic recording apparatus. Two or more different power values of the laser are respectively associated with the two or more different elapsed time values. The two or more different power levels are selected to reduce differences between track widths of recorded marks having the two or more different elapsed time values.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly for a hard disk drive includes a slider, a load beam, a gimbal, and a flexure. The gimbal is disposed between the load beam and the slider. The gimbal is configured to provide motive support to the slider as the slider moves in proximity to a media surface. The flexure is disposed between the gimbal and the slider. The flexure includes an electrical trace ribbon configured to provide electrical signal pathways to and from active components of the head gimbal assembly.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes one or more resilient members for use in an apparatus used to form lapping plates. The resilient members can permit processing members such as charging elements and shaving blades to conform to irregularities in surface topography of lapping plate platens.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to electronic devices that include a composition that actively generates a gaseous oxidizing agent component within the interior gas space of the electronic device. The present disclosure also relates to electronic devices that include a container that includes a gaseous oxidizing agent component in a manner that the gaseous oxidizing component can transfer from the container to the interior gas space of the electronic device. The present disclosure also involves related methods.

Abstract: Channel information and channel conditions determined by an Offline Tracking process are used to determine whether or not an adjustment to the read reference voltage can be avoided altogether without detrimentally affecting performance, or, alternatively, to determine a precision with which a read reference voltage adjustment should be made. If it is determined based on the channel conditions that a read reference voltage adjustment can be avoided altogether, read performance is improved by reducing the probability that a read reference voltage adjustment needs to be made during normal read operations. If it is determined based on the channel conditions that a read reference voltage adjustment needs to be made with a particular precision, the read reference voltage is so adjusted. This latter approach is advantageous in that relatively fewer adjustments will be made during normal read operations.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for distributing wear in a disc stack. A data transducer is used to record data to a data recording surface in the disc stack. Performance statistics are accumulated including a dwell metric value indicative of dwell time of the transducer adjacent a selected radial location and an operational life metric value indicative of accumulated elapsed operation of the transducer. Data are migrated from the selected radial location to a target location within the disc stack responsive to at least a selected one of the dwell metric value or the operational life metric value. In some cases, the dwell metric value may indicate an estimated amount of lubricant disturbance and the operational life operation may indicate operational hours of a heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) element. The target location may be on a different data recording surface having an associated transducer with a lower operational life metric value.

Abstract: Systems and methods for placing capacitors between IC bumps and BGA balls are described. In one embodiment, the method may include placing a ball grid array (BGA) package or integrated circuit (IC) package on a printed circuit board (PCB) of an electronic device, and placing a capacitor between a first BGA ball and a second BGA ball of the BGA package and/or placing a capacitor between a first IC bump and a second IC bump of the IC package to maintain impedance of a power delivery network (PDN) of the BGA package or IC package below a target impedance.

Abstract: An apparatus may include a circuit configured to receive an input signal at an input and process the input signal using a set of channel parameters. The circuit may further determine an error metric for the processing of the input signal using the set of channel parameters, compare the error metric to a plurality of thresholds, and when the error metric matches one of the plurality of thresholds, adapt, using an adaptation algorithm, the set of channel parameters to produce an updated set of channel parameters for use by the circuit as the set of channel parameters in subsequent processing of the input signal, the adaptation of the set of channel parameters being based on a weight corresponding to the matching threshold of the plurality of thresholds.

Abstract: Methods of forming near field transducers (NFTs) including electrodepositing a plasmonic material.