Abstract: Particles are removed from electronic components, such as components of data storage devices by use of an electrochemical process. An electronic component is immersed in an electrochemical bath, and a voltage is applied across the +ve electrode and ?ve electrode in an amount sufficient to remove charged particles present on a surface of the electronic component.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer-readable storage media for determining a new optimal read threshold voltage associated with a group of pages of non-volatile memory. It is determined whether the current optimal read threshold voltage associated with the group of pages is out of tolerance based at least in part on a retention drift history associated with the group of pages. Upon determining that the current optimal read threshold voltage is out of tolerance, reference cells associated with the group of pages are written with a pattern having a known statistical distribution of ones and zeroes. The new optimal read threshold voltage associated with the group of pages is determined by reading the reference cells, and the retention drift history associated with the group of pages is updated with the new optimal read threshold voltage and an indication of a new reference cell generation.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to examples of reducing memory write operations using coalescing memory buffers. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a method comprises computing a difference between a current state of data of at least one block of a storage device to which data is to be written and a state that would result from a write operation. The method further comprises populating at least one coalescing memory buffer with difference information associated with the difference and to be used to update an associated block of the storage device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for fine pitch component placement on printed circuit boards are described. In one embodiment, a printed circuit board includes multiple vias and multiple of electrically conductive pads. The multiple vias include at least a first via and a second via. The multiple electrically conductive pads include a first pad and a second pad. The first pad and/or the second pad may include an electrically conductive material such as copper, silver, gold, or another conductive material. In some cases, the first pad and the second pad each have a reduced width portion positioned between and spaced apart from the first via and the second via.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for configuring a data storage device as a write once read many (WORM) drive. In some embodiments, the storage device has a rotatable disc with at least one data recording layer, and a data transducer that is selectively moveable with respect to the rotatable disc. The data transducer has a write element configured to write data to the data recording layer, and a read element configured to read data from the data recording layer. A control circuit is configured to physically disable the write element in response to a write element disable signal. The disabling of the write element prevents further writing of data to the data recording layer. The read element remains operative to continue reading data from the data recording layer after the write element has been disabled.

Abstract: A method operable with the storage device includes determining a workload to the storage device based on host Input/Output (I/O) requests to the storage device. When the workload is above a threshold, a first portion of the storage device is selected for garbage collection based on the I/O requests. Otherwise, when the workload is below the threshold, a second different portion of the storage device is selected for garbage collection based on a storage ability of the second portion of the storage device.

Abstract: A method includes writing first data to a first track of a magnetic recording medium of a storage device. First parity sectors corresponding to the first data are written. The first parity sectors have a first size. Second parity sectors corresponding to the first data are written. The second parity sectors have a second size. Second data is written to a second track of the magnetic recording medium. The second track is adjacent to the first track. It is determined whether an unrecoverable data error has occurred on the second track. After writing to the second track and determining that no unrecoverable data error has occurred, the first and second parity sectors corresponding to the first data are released.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for error recovery in a digital data channel. In an error recovery approach when the hardware fails to recover a sector, the sample for that sector can be saved along with a metric measure that indicates the quality of the sample. This process can begin from a first on-the-fly receiving and decoding of data. During each step of error recovery, a retry attempt may either use samples obtained during a new decoding attempt or may use a sample, or a combination of samples, having the best metric from an earlier attempt, or a combination of earlier attempts, to perform the recovery during a current retry recovery attempt.

Abstract: An apparatus can include a circuit configured to process an input signal using a set of channel parameters. The circuit can produce, using a first adaptation algorithm, a first set of channel parameters for use by the circuit as the set of channel parameters in processing the input signal. The circuit can further approximate a second set of channel parameters of a second adaptation algorithm for use by the circuit as the set of channel parameters in processing the input signal based on the first set of channel parameters and a relationship between a third set of channel parameters generated using the first adaptation algorithm and a fourth set of channel parameters generated using the second adaptation algorithm. In addition, the circuit can perform the processing of the input signal using the second set of channel parameters as the set of channel parameters.

Abstract: A recording head includes a waveguide core layer that delivers light from a light source to a region proximate a magnetic write pole. A near-field transducer that is formed of a thin metal film is deposited over the waveguide core layer. The near-field transducer includes an enlarged part with two straight edges facing a media-facing surface and at obtuse angles relative to the media-facing surface. A peg extends from the enlarged part towards the media-facing surface. The near-field transducer includes a metal aperture plate at the media-facing surface. The metal aperture plate surrounds at least three sides of the end of the peg.

Abstract: A first time period is determined during which a first head driven by a first actuator will be performing a track-following operation. A second time period is also determined during which a second head driven by a second actuator will be performing a low-priority disk access operation that includes a seek. The first and second actuators are independently movable such that the first and second disk access operations are capable of being performed in parallel. If it is determined that the seek of the second head will impact servo control of the track-following operation of the first head, a start time of the seek of the second head is changed to correspond to a time that mitigates impacts to the track-following operation of the first head.

Abstract: An apparatus may include a controller configured search a hash database storing entries corresponding to hash values of previously stored data to find a hash page of the hash database corresponding to a range of hash values including the first hash value. When the hash page is found, the controller may be configured to determine whether the hash page does not include an entry for the first hash value, the first hash page further including a base hash value for the range of hash values. When the hash page does not include an entry for the first hash value, the controller may be configured to generate a first entry of the first hash page for the first hash value, the first entry including an offset value from the base hash value corresponding to the first hash value and a data location at which the received data is to be stored.

Abstract: It has been discovered that the cavity of data storage devices may be temporarily sealed to inhibit loss of gasses from the cavity by use of a sealing solution comprising a sealing component that is in contact with the gasket of the device, so that the gasket and sealing solution, together with the structural cover and base deck of the device, temporarily seals the cavity. The sealing solution comprises a sealing component having molecular weight of from about 1000 to about 30,000 Daltons.

Abstract: A method includes processing, via an integrated circuit, data read from a first servo wedge; processing, via the integrated circuit, data from a second servo wedge; and skipping processing data from a third servo wedge positioned between the first servo wedge and the second servo wedge.

Abstract: An apparatus may include a circuit configured to determine a first encoded address is in a bitwise range of addresses, determine a first physical address in a storage memory from the first encoded address using bitwise mapping and retrieve first data from the first physical address in the storage memory. The circuit may further be configured to determine a second encoded address is in an offset linear range of addresses, determine a second physical address in the storage memory from the second encoded address using offset linear mapping and write second data to the second physical address in the storage memory.

Abstract: A magnetic recording head is provided including a body with a trailing surface, a plurality of bond pads in a row, each of which is spaced by a gap from an adjacent bond pad along a width of the trailing surface. Each bond pad includes a base layer having a top surface, a coating layer covering at least a portion of the top surface of the base layer, two side edges spaced from each other across a width of the bond pad, wherein a width of the gap between adjacent bond pads is defined by one side edge of each of two adjacent bond pads, a top edge extending between the two side edges, and at least one solder dam comprising a nonwettable, electrically conductive material positioned adjacent to the top edge of at least one of the bond pads.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of making a planar optical waveguide, the method including depositing an uncured waveguide material on a substrate, the uncured waveguide material having a first temperature when deposited and the uncured waveguide material having a density dependent on the temperature thereof; changing the temperature of at least a portion of the uncured waveguide material to a second temperature before curing, after curing, during curing or any combination thereof; and curing the uncured waveguide material to form the planar optical waveguide.

Abstract: A device including a near field transducer, the near field transducer including gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), or aluminum (Al), and at least two other secondary atoms, the at least two other secondary atoms selected from: boron (B), bismuth (Bi), indium (In), sulfur (S), silicon (Si), tin (Sn), manganese (Mn), tellurium (Te), holmium (Ho), lutetium (Lu), praseodymium (Pr), scandium (Sc), uranium (U), barium (Ba), chlorine (Cl), cesium (Cs), dysprosium (Dy), europium (Eu), fluorine (F), germanium (Ge), hydrogen (H), iodine (I), rubidium (Rb), selenium (Se), terbium (Tb), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), carbon (C), antimony (Sb), gadolinium (Gd), samarium (Sm), thallium (Tl), cadmium (Cd), neodymium (Nd), phosphorus (P), lead (Pb), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), erbium (Er), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), palladium (Pd), vanadium (V), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), lithium (Li), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), sodium (Na), strontium (Sr), calcium (Ca), yttrium (Y), thorium (Th), beryllium (Be), thulium (Tm), erbium

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods disclosed herein relate to detecting a signal generated by a spin torque oscillator (STO). The signal is outputted, wherein the signal includes a direct current (DC) component, a wide bandwidth noise component, and an STO oscillating radio frequency (RF) component. The signal is filtered, wherein the filtering removes the DC component and the STO oscillating RF component, leaving the wide bandwidth noise component. A value of the wide bandwidth noise component is converted into a binary value, and a bit from the binary value is selected and combined with another bit to form a random number.

Abstract: A method for testing and grading electronic devices includes receiving a set of testing data associated with an electronic device that is following a testing routine. Based on the set of testing data, the method includes computing a first performance metric of the electronic device by using a first artificial neural network and computing a second performance metric of the electronic device by using a second artificial neural network. Based on at least the first predicted performance metric and the second predicted performance metric, the method includes computing a grade for the electronic device.