Abstract: A transducer in a magnetic storage device includes an elongated magnetoresistive element having an active region. First and second electrical contacts couple to the elongated magnetoresistive element on opposite sides of the active region. A bottom inductive write pole and shared shield is positioned adjacent the elongated magnetoresistive element and includes a body region and a pole tip region proximate the active region. The shared shield includes a notch defined between the pole tip region and the body region to thereby improve magnetic stability in the pole tip region. A top inductive write pole is spaced apart from the bottom inductive write pole and shared shield to form a magnetic gap with the pole tip region for inductively writing information.

Abstract: A magnesium alloy structural member for supporting at least one actuator arm in a hard disk drive and a method for making a shaped magnesium part having a fluorocarbon coating is disclosed. The coating is applied by exposing the member to a reactive gas in the presence of a glow discharge plasma to prevent corrosion. The glow discharge is generated by providing a vacuum environment at a pressure of between 250 and 300 millitorr in a reaction chamber and applying power to a pair of electrodes contained within the reaction chamber. Power is supplied at between about 100 and about 200 watts at about 13.6 megahertz, forming a low temperature glow discharge plasma. A reactive gas comprising a fluorinated alkane is introduced to the reaction chamber, and a pressure of between about 100 and about 300 millitorr is maintained. The structural member is exposed to the reactive gas and the plasma for an amount of time sufficient to form a thin and uniform polymeric fluorocarbon coating on the surface of the part.