Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a magnetic recording device comprising a read head. The read head comprises a bottom shield, a first lead, a second lead, and a third lead each disposed over the bottom shield at a media facing surface, a sensing layer disposed in contact with at least the second lead, an optional spacer layer, a free layer disposed over the sensing layer or optional spacer layer, a cap layer disposed on the free layer, side shields disposed adjacent to the free layer, and a top shield disposed over the free layer and side shields. In some embodiments, the bottom shield comprises the second lead, or is disposed in contact with the second lead. In other embodiments, the first, second, and third leads are spaced from the bottom shield by an insulating layer.

Abstract: A dynamic voltage level translation interface allows a second circuit component to operate within a secondary voltage domain referenced to a floating substrate potential and to communicate with a first circuit component operating within a primary voltage domain. A substrate tracking regulator generates a supply voltage that is dynamically tracked relative to the floating substrate potential and supplied to the second circuit component. A voltage level translator shifts voltage levels between the secondary and primary voltage domains to enable communication therebetween. The substrate tracking regulator includes a bandgap circuit that generates a bandgap voltage independent of the floating substrate potential, and an LDO regulator that regulates the supply voltage at a stable offset from the floating substrate potential.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a two dimensional magnetic recording (TDMR) read head. The read head comprises a lower shield, a lower sensor disposed on the lower shield, a middle shield disposed over the lower sensor, an upper sensor disposed on the middle shield, and an upper shield disposed over the upper sensor. In one embodiment, the middle shield is a simple pinned shield comprising a first ferromagnetic (FM) layer, an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer disposed on the first FM layer, and a second FM layer disposed on the AFM layer, and the upper shield is a synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) pinned shield comprising a first pinning layer, an antiferromagnetic coupling (AFC) layer disposed on the first pinning layer, and a second pinning layer disposed on the AFC layer. In another embodiment, the middle shield is a SAF pinned shield and the upper shield is a simple pinned shield.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices, systems, and methods that can improve the SNR of nanopore measurements by mitigating the effect of parasitic capacitance between the sense electrode and the counter electrode. In some embodiments, a feedback circuit is used to inject a charge into the sense electrode to at least partially cancel the parasitic capacitance between the sense electrode and the counter electrode. In some embodiments, bootstrapping of a signal from the amplifier output or from the sense electrode is used to inject a charge on the counter electrode to substantially cancel the parasitic capacitance.

Abstract: A data storage device configured for heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) may include a disk; a head configured to read/write data to the disk; a laser module comprising a laser diode to heat an area of the disk near the head, and a heater to heat the LD; and one or more processing devices configured to determine a target laser voltage (LV) value for the LD; drive, using an LD driver, the LD, based on the target LV value; determine a temperature adjustment value for the LD; and drive, using a heater driver, the heater to adjust one or more of a LV value and a temperature of the LD, based on the temperature adjustment value. In some embodiments, the one or more processing devices are configured to independently control the LD and heater drivers for a plurality of compensation phases.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to spin-orbit torque (SOT) device comprising a bismuth antimony (BiSb) layer. The SOT device comprises a seed layer and a BiSb layer having a (012) orientation. The seed layer comprises at least one of an amorphous/nanocrystalline material with a nearest neighbor x-ray diffraction peak with a d-spacing in the range of about 2.02 ? to about 2.20 ?; a polycrystalline material having a (111) orientation and an a-axis of about 3.53 ? to about 3.81 ?; and a polycrystalline material having a cubic (100) or tetragonal (001) orientation and an a-axis of about 4.1 ? to about 4.7 ?. When the seed layer comprises an amorphous material or a polycrystalline material having a (111), the BiSb layer is doped, and the seed layer has a lower a/c ratio than when the seed layer comprises polycrystalline material having a cubic (100) or tetragonal (001) orientation.

Abstract: A dual free layer (DFL) read head oftentimes has a sidebump in a signal amplitude vs. cross-track profile plot. The sidebump is a magnetic signal of the reader in response to the magnetic field of magnetic media. The sidebump magnitude is far below the main magnetic signal of the reader and is offset from the center of the track in the cross-track direction. The sidebump presence indicates that the magnetic signal of the reader is a little out of phase. When a pair of sidebumps is present, the sidebump should be symmetrically offset in the cross-track direction else there is a negative impact on reader performance. To obtain offset symmetry, a synthetic antiferromagnetic shield may be used, magnetic moments of soft bias layers can be adjusted, and spacing between the free layers of the DFL read head and the layers of the soft bias can also be adjusted.

Abstract: A data storage device comprises a magnetic medium and a head configured to be actuated over the magnetic medium. The head comprises a write element and a write driver configured to generate a write current to be applied to the write element. The write driver comprises a data switch section configured to switchably output low-level signals and high-level signals, and a stationary cascode section configured to receive the low-level signals and high-level signals from the data switch section and to generate a cascode pass through current. The data switch section comprises low voltage CMOS devices and the stationary cascode section comprises high voltage CMOS devices.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems for detecting molecules. In some embodiments, a system includes a multiplexer, a read amplifier coupled to the multiplexer, a digitizer coupled to the read amplifier, a first nanopore, a first sense electrode situated on a first side of the first nanopore, a first counter electrode situated on a second side of the first nanopore, a first shield at least partially surrounding the first sense electrode and coupled to the multiplexer, a first shield driver coupled to the first shield, drive circuitry coupled to the first sense electrode, and control logic coupled to the drive circuitry, the multiplexer, and to the digitizer. In some embodiments, the control logic is configured to control the drive circuitry and/or the multiplexer to select the first sense electrode and/or the first counter electrode, and obtain a digitized signal from the digitizer, the digitized signal representing a current through the first nanopore.

Abstract: A head stack assembly (HSA) for a hard disk drive includes a carriage from which multiple arms extend, where the arms include an outer arm at each end of the carriage and inner arms between the outer arms, such that each inner arm carries two suspension assemblies and each outer arm carries only one suspension assembly coupled with an inner side of the outer arm, with each suspension assembly including a corresponding fine actuator. The HSA further includes a counter-suspension assembly coupled to an outer side of each outer arm, where each counter-suspension assembly includes a structurally flexible dummy load beam having a mass distribution and a stiffness distribution configured to mitigate multiple structural dynamics modes of the operating suspension assembly coupled to the inner side of the outer arm.

Abstract: An amplifier for a data storage device is configured with a BiCMOS impedance-matched topology with transducer bias to amplify a differential input signal generated by a read transducer. Input nodes defined by bases of a first pair of BJTs receive the input signal, which is amplified using a second pair of BJTs having shared emitters. A differential output signal is formed at output nodes defined by cross-coupled collectors of the BJTs. The output signal is fed back to the input nodes through a feedback resistor and an emitter follower. A differential bias voltage across the read transducer is regulated based on the output signal, and a common-mode voltage is regulated based on a voltage at a center tap of a resistive divider connected between the input nodes.

Abstract: A multidentate lubricant comprising an anchoring moiety Ra attached to a plurality of sidechain moieties —(Rb—Re) according to the general formula: Ra—(Rb—Re)x; wherein Ra is a multivalent radical of valance x; and each sidechain includes a perfluoroethyl ether moiety. The lubricant can be used in conjunction with a magnetic recording medium and/or a magnetic data storage system.

Abstract: A hard disk drive flexible printed circuit (FPC) includes fingers extending from a main portion from a root to a tip, with each finger including a first conductive trace layer positioned on a first side of a base layer and including a particular plurality of electrical pads extending to an edge, and a second conductive trace layer positioned on an opposing second side of the base layer. Particular traces of the second conductive trace layer electrically connected to the pads are configured to inhibit bubbling of an adhesive layer in response to heating of the pads. This may involve routing so as not to overlap with the pads to inhibit heat transfer from the pads to the second conductive trace layer during soldering, and/or configuring such that the adhesive layer between the particular traces is wider than each particular trace to maximize exposure of evaporative surface area of adhesive layer.

Abstract: Various illustrative aspects are directed to a data storage device, method, and one or more processing devices that are configured to perform a read operation by: concurrently reading first data from a first band of tracks on one or more disk surfaces and second data from a second band of tracks on the one or more disk surfaces; and combining the first data and the second data into a digital output of the read operation, wherein the reading the first data comprises moving a first one of two or more selected heads in a first radial direction of the one or more disk surfaces, and wherein the reading the second data comprises moving a second one of the two or more selected heads in a second radial direction of the one or more disk surfaces opposite the first radial direction.

Abstract: Example storage medium servo patterns, data storage devices, and methods to provide position error burst pattern track-to-track phase adjustment relative to other servo data in the servo sector are described. The data storage device may include storage media, such as magnetic disks, having servo sectors that define servo tracks, where each servo sector has a first portions, such as a preamble, servo address mark, and Gray code, and a set of position error bursts, where the position error bursts are written with a phase offset relative first portion. For example, a first burst in the set of position error bursts may be shifted by a phase offset value in one direction and a second burst may be shifted in the opposite direction and the shifts may vary from track-to-track in direction and phase offset value.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a magnetic recording drive comprising a magnetic recording head having a read head. The read head comprises a first reader and a second reader, where the first reader is configured to read in-plane magnetic fields from a magnetic recording medium, and the second reader is configured to read out-of-plane fields from the medium. The first and second read heads are different. The read head is configured to perform vector reading. In one embodiment, both the first and second readers are single free layer (SFL) readers, where the first reader comprises soft bias side shields and the second reader comprises a rear hard bias structure. In another embodiment, the first reader comprises a dual free layer structure and the second reader comprises a SFL. In yet another embodiment, the second reader comprises a spin orbit torque layer while the first reader does not.

Abstract: Disclosed are sliders, data storage devices comprising them, and methods of making them. A slider may include a trailing-edge surface, a trailing pad, and a trailing horizontal surface. The trailing pad may comprise an air-bearing surface (ABS) and a trailing pad rear surface, wherein the trailing pad rear surface is substantially perpendicular to the ABS and substantially parallel to the trailing-edge surface, and wherein the trailing pad rear surface is recessed from the trailing-edge surface by a down-track distance. The trailing horizontal surface may be situated between a base of the trailing pad rear surface and the trailing-edge surface. A width of the trailing horizontal surface in a down-track direction may be the down-track distance, which is greater than zero and less than or equal to about 12 microns. In some embodiments, the trailing horizontal surface is eliminated, and the trailing pad rear surface is coincident with the trailing-edge surface.

Abstract: A method for predicting and mitigating recording head failure in a data storage device. Thermal condition parameters of recording heads are monitored during operation. The thermal condition parameters are analyzed to identify conditions indicating a likelihood of failure of the recording heads. The analysis is performed by a simple model that compares the thermal condition parameters to predefined thresholds, or a machine learning model trained to predict time-to-failure of the recording heads based on the thermal condition parameters. Corrective actions are implemented to mitigate the likelihood of failure and extend the operational lifetime of the recording heads.

Abstract: Disclosed are sliders, data storage devices comprising them, and methods of making them. A slider may include a trailing-edge surface, a trailing pad, and a trailing horizontal surface. The trailing pad may comprise an air-bearing surface (ABS) and a trailing pad rear surface, wherein the trailing pad rear surface is substantially perpendicular to the ABS and substantially parallel to the trailing-edge surface, and wherein the trailing pad rear surface is recessed from the trailing-edge surface by a down-track distance. The trailing horizontal surface may be situated between a base of the trailing pad rear surface and the trailing-edge surface. A width of the trailing horizontal surface in a down-track direction may be the down-track distance, which is greater than zero and less than or equal to about 12 microns. In some embodiments, the trailing horizontal surface is eliminated, and the trailing pad rear surface is coincident with the trailing-edge surface.

Abstract: Various apparatuses, systems, methods, and media are disclosed to provide a heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) medium that includes a Co-rich Pt-doped capping material and a CoFe-based absorption layer. The absorption layer has a higher magnetization than the capping layer. Both layers include segregants such as BN, SiO2, B2O3, and ZrO2. In some examples, the volume percentage (vol. %) of segregants in the absorption layer is greater than the vol. % of segregants in the capping layer by, e.g., 5% to 15% to provide an increasing gradient in segregant percentage. The absorption layer may include two absorption sub-layers, one on top of the other, with the upper sub-layer having a greater vol. % of segregants than the lower absorption sub-layer to provide an additional gradient in segregant vol. %. In some examples, an etching process using a sacrificial layer is applied to the absorption layer to reduce head to media spacing.