Abstract: Dynamically varying Over-Provisioning (OP) enables improvements in lifetime, reliability, and/or performance of a Solid-State Disk (SSD) and/or a flash memory therein. A host coupled to the SSD writes newer data to the SSD. If the newer host data is less random than older host data, then entropy of host data on the SSD decreases. In response, an SSD controller dynamically alters allocations of the flash memory, decreasing host allocation and increasing OP allocation. If the newer host data is more random, then the SSD controller dynamically increases the host allocation and decreases the OP allocation. The SSD controller dynamically allocates the OP allocation between host OP and system OP proportionally in accordance with a ratio of bandwidths of host and system data writes to the flash memory. Changes in allocations are selectively made in response to improved compression or deduplication of the host data, or in response to a host command.

Abstract: Apparatus and method contemplating a magnetoresistive memory apparatus having a read element having a high resistance material selected to optimize read sensitivity and a write element having a material selected for a lower critical current response than the read element critical current response to optimize switching efficiency, wherein the read element resistance is higher than the write element resistance, and a shared storage space for both elements.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for detection of a selected signal pattern, such as a servo sector preamble, and for frequency offset determination. A circuit may be configured to divide a signal into detection windows of a selected size, and sample the signal a selected number of times within each detection window. The circuit may then determine an error value for each detection window based on values of the samples for each detection window, and determine the preamble is detected when a threshold number of most-recently sampled detection windows have error values below a threshold value. The circuit may then organize the sample values corresponding to the preamble into groups, and calculate phase estimates representing a phase at which the groups were sampled. The circuit may determine a frequency offset based on the phase estimates, and modulate the sampling frequency according to the frequency offset.

Abstract: A recording head has a near-field transducer overlapping a core near a media-facing surface of the recording head. The near-field transducer has an enlarged portion formed of a plasmonic material and a peg extending from the enlarged portion. The enlarged portion includes a stacked feature that reduces the emission of a polarization rotated portion of light to a recording medium.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a light source configured to generate light, and a modulator coupled to the light source and configured to modulate the light above a predetermined frequency. A slider is configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording and to receive the modulated light. A resistive sensor is integral to the slider and subject to heating by absorption of electromagnetic radiation and conduction of heat. Measuring circuitry is coupled to the resistive sensor and configured to measure a response of the resistive sensor due to absorbed electromagnetic radiation and not from the heat conduction. The measuring circuitry may further be configured to determine output optical power of the light source using the measured resistive sensor response.

Abstract: Provided herein is an apparatus, including an excitation arm including excitation optics; a collection arm including collection optics, wherein the excitation arm and the collection arm are geometrically off-axis from one another for independent control of the excitation optics or the collection optics; and a full-surface spectroscopic analyzer to analyze a thin-film over an article from Raman-scattered light collected by the collection optics.

Abstract: A recording head includes a near-field transducer proximate a media-facing surface. The near-field transducer comprises an aperture portion surrounded by walls of plasmonic material, the walls oriented normal to the media-facing surface. A notch protrudes within the aperture. The notch comprises at least one of Rh and Ir. A write pole is proximate the near-field transducer. The write pole has a back surface facing away from the media-facing surface and an aperture-facing surface proximate the aperture.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting surface features is disclosed. The apparatus may include a plurality of strands configured to contain light and further configured to transmit light from a light source to a surface of an article. The apparatus may also include a detector configured to receive light reflected from the surface of the article via the plurality of strands, wherein the detector is further configured to detect features associated with the article.

Abstract: Devices having air bearing surfaces (ABS), the devices including a near field transducer (NFT) that includes a disc configured to convert photons incident thereon into plasmons; and a peg configured to couple plasmons coupled from the disc into an adjacent magnetic storage medium, wherein at least one of a portion of the peg, a portion of the disc, or a portion of both the peg and the disc include a multilayer structure including at least two layers including at least one layer of a first material and at least one layer of a second material, wherein the first material and the second material are not the same and wherein the first and the second materials independently include aluminum (Al), antimony (Sb), bismuth (Bi), boron (B), barium (Ba), calcium (Ca), cerium (Ce), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), erbium (Er), gadolinium (Gd), gallium (Ga), germanium (Ge), gold (Au), hafnium (Hf), indium (In), iridium (Ir), iron (Fe), lanthanum (La), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), ni

Abstract: Method and apparatus for managing data such as in a flash memory. In some embodiments, a memory module electronics (MME) circuit writes groups of user data blocks to consecutive locations within a selected section of a non-volatile memory (NVM), and concurrently writes a directory map structure as a sequence of map entries distributed among the groups of user data blocks. Each map entry stores address information for the user data blocks in the associated group and a pointer to a subsequent map entry in the sequence. A control circuit accesses a first map entry in the sequence and uses the address information and pointer in the first map entry to locate the remaining map entries and the locations of the user data blocks in the respective groups. Lossless data compression may be applied to the groups prior to writing.

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: Zones of a magnetic recording medium are allocated as a respective plurality of distributed media caches arranged in in a predetermined order. For each of a plurality of caching events, cache data is written to one or more of the distributed media caches. A next of the media caches in the predetermined order is selected for the next caching event if the selected caches are not a last in the predetermined order. Otherwise a first media cache is selected in the predetermined order.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for implementing a space-efficient internal energy storage apparatus in a data storage device or other electronic device have a metallic or otherwise electrically-conductive housing or case structure. The energy storage apparatus comprises an interior surface of the metallic housing, a conductive layer disposed parallel to the interior surface of the metallic housing, and a separator disposed between the interior surface and the conductive layer. The metallic housing is configured to act as a first electrode of the energy storage apparatus and the conductive layer is configured to act as an opposing electrode to the first electrode.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for managing metadata in a data storage device. In some embodiments, a metadata object has entries that describe data sets stored in a non-volatile write cache. During an archival (persistence) operation, the metadata object is divided into portions, and the portions are copied in turn to a non-volatile memory at a rate that maintains a measured latency within a predetermined threshold. A journal is formed of time-ordered entries that describe changes to the metadata object after the copying of the associated portions to the non-volatile memory. The journal is subsequently stored to the non-volatile memory, and may be subsequently combined with the previously stored portions to recreate the metadata object in a local memory. The measured performance latency may be related to a specified customer command completion time (CCT) for host commands.

Abstract: A method involves depositing a near-field transducer on a substrate of a slider. The near-field transducer comprises a plate-like enlarged portion and a peg portion. A first hard stop extending from the near field transducer and an air bearing surface is formed. A heat sink is formed on the enlarged portion and the first hard stop. A dielectric material is deposited over the near-field transducer and the heat sink. A second hard stop is deposited on the dielectric material away from the air bearing surface. The second hard stop comprises a recess corresponding in size and location to the heat sink. The method involves milling at an oblique angle to the substrate between the first hard stop and second hard stop to cut through the heat sink at the angle. The recess of the second hard stop increases a milling rate over the heat sink compared to a second milling rate of the dielectric away from the heat sink.

Abstract: Exemplary systems, apparatus, and methods may write data to data blocks defining health levels corresponding to the quality-of-service levels of the data. Further, when health levels of the data blocks change over time, the data may be moved in an attempt to maintain the data in data blocks defining health levels that correspond to the quality-of-service levels of the data.

Abstract: A method includes depositing a plurality of layers over a substrate. The layers include read sensor layers and an electrically conductive layer substantially coplanar with the read sensor layers and substantially surrounding the read sensor layers. The electrically conductive layer is in contact with at least one of the read sensor layers. The electrically conductive layer provides an electrical path between the at least one of the read sensor layers and ground. The method further includes forming an isolation structure around the read sensor layers by removing a portion of the electrically conductive layer substantially surrounding the read sensor layers. The isolation structure is substantially coplanar with the read sensor layers and substantially surrounds the read sensor layers. The isolation structure breaks the electrical path between the at least one of the read sensor layers and the ground.

Abstract: A data management system includes a chassis metalwork that is electrically conductive. The chassis metalwork is electrically coupled to the power supply to form a return power path. The return power path may include a sub-chassis frame and a drawer frame. The return power path may also include uninsulated return power cables. The return power cables may be maintained in a cable chain along with outgoing power cables and data cables. The return power cables may be coupled to the drawer frame and the sub-chassis frame.

Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT having a disc and a peg, and the peg having five surfaces thereof; and at least one adhesion layer positioned on at least one of the five surfaces of the peg, the adhesion layer including one or more of the following: yttrium (Y), tin (Sn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), carbon (C), holmium (Ho), gallium (Ga), silver (Ag), ytterbium (Yb), chromium (Cr), tantalum (Ta), iridium (Ir), zirconium (Zr), yttrium (Y), scandium (Sc), cobalt (Co), silicon (Si), nickel (Ni), molybdenum (Mo), niobium (Nb), palladium (Pd), titanium (Ti), rhenium (Re), osmium (Os), platinum (Pt), aluminum (Al), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), vanadium (V), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), tungsten (W), hafnium (Hf), carbon (C), boron (B), holmium (Ho), antimony (Sb), gallium (Ga), manganese (Mn), silver (Ag), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), zinc (Zn), ytterbium (Yb), and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Systems and methods may include a motor and an output shaft apparatus. The output shaft apparatus may be configured to position a manufacturing component using the motor. The output shaft apparatus may move linearly along a longitudinal axis and/or rotationally about the longitudinal axis. The system may also include an engagement apparatus coupling the motor to the output shaft apparatus. The engagement apparatus may be configured in a linear configuration for linearly moving the output shaft apparatus or a rotational configuration for rotationally moving the output shaft apparatus.