Abstract: The invention provides a magnetic recording medium, and a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus. The magnetic recording medium includes a substrate 11, an under layer 12 formed on the substrate 11, a magnetic recording layer 13 formed on the under layer 12, and a protective layer 14 formed on the magnetic recording layer 13. The magnetic recording layer 13 is composed of a primary recording layer 14 and a secondary recording layer 15 which are mutually exchange-coupled. The primary recording layer 14 has magnetic grains and a nonmagnetic material that surrounds the magnetic grains, and has a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The secondary recording layer 15 is made of a material having a negative crystal magnetic anisotropy and its easy plane of the magnetization is a plane of the medium.

Abstract: An FPC holding mechanism of an actuator assembly of a hard disk drive (HDD) includes an FPC holder protruding from an arm-mold of the actuator assembly, and an FPC clip mounted to the FPC holder so as to be rotatable. The FPC holder defines a guide groove into which the FPC is inserted and a first side support plate facing one side surface of the FPC. The FPC clip includes a second side support plate juxtaposed with the first side support plate and facing the other side surface of the FPC, and at least two clip arms extending in a horizontal direction over upper and lower edges of the FPC, respectively. At least one of the clip arms has a hook hooked onto the first side support plate. The FPC holding mechanism thus prevents a portion of the FPC from moving in vertical and horizontal directions.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus has a plurality of fine particles forming an array on a plane in close proximity of each other, each of the plural particles including a ferromagnetic metal, a light-emitting device for exciting a near-field light, and a photo-electric conversion element for detecting a near-field light traveled along the fine particles. Summary information may be recorded for plural information recording parts.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) are described. The magnetic transducer includes a base layer, a perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) pole on the base layer, an additional pole, a write shield, a write gap between the PMR pole and a portion of the write shield, and coil(s) that energize at least the additional pole. The base layer includes a first portion proximate to the ABS and a second portion recessed from the ABS. The first portion is nonmagnetic, while the second portion is magnetic. The PMR pole has a first front portion proximate to the ABS. The additional pole has a second front portion recessed from the ABS. At least a portion of the additional pole resides between the PMR pole and write shield. At least a portion of the write gap resides on the front portion of the PMR pole.

Abstract: A novel method and device to align a flexure tail of a head gimbal assembly (HGA) to a flex cable of a head stack assembly (HSA) is disclosed. An alignment pin is passed through a first alignment hole in the flex cable, and a second alignment hole in the flexure tail. The second alignment hole is disposed in a region of the flexure tail that lies in a flexure tail plane that is approximately parallel to the flex cable plane adjacent the first alignment hole. A novel head gimbal assembly (HGA) has a flexure tail that includes a first bend line. The flexure tail is bent out-of-plane about the first bend line to create a residual bend angle in the range 10° to 80°. The first alignment tab is abutted against a first guide surface of an alignment fixture.

Abstract: A tape cartridge includes a housing and a tape reel that is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The tape reel is adapted to cooperably engage a reel drive member of a data transfer apparatus that, in use, applies a drive torque to the tape reel to rotate the tape reel about the axis of rotation. The cooperable engagement of the tape reel and reel drive member is such as to secure the tape reel to the reel drive member to at least substantially prevent tipping of the tape reel with respect to the reel drive member.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are presented for electrically coupling a slider to ground. In one embodiment, a bonding pad is provided on a side of the slider body separate from the bonding pad(s) used for read/write signals. This separate bonding pad is electrically coupled within the slider body to components that are to be coupled to ground. A separate conductor provided on the suspension (e.g., a trace, a flex circuit, etc.) may be electrically coupled to the separate bonding pad via gold ball bonding. The conductor is also coupled to ground in the hard-disk drive device (e.g., via the preamplifier). The use of the separated bonding pad and trace may negate the need to use a conductive adhesive to electrically ground the slider via its attachment to the tongue of a slider.

Abstract: An extraordinary magnetoresistive sensor (EMR sensor) having a lead structure that is self aligned with a magnetic shunt structure. To form an EMR sensor according to an embodiment of the invention, a plurality of layers are deposited to form quantum well structure such as a two dimensional electron gas structure (2DEG). A first mask structure is deposited having two openings, and a material removal process is performed to remove portions of the sensor material from areas exposed by the openings. The distance between the two openings in the first mask defines a distance between a set of leads and the shunt structure. A non-magnetic metal is then deposited. A second mask structure is then formed to define shape of the leads.

Abstract: An actuator latch system of an HDD retains a swing arm in place when the magnetic head of the HDD is parked and includes a rotatable latch lever having a hook that absorbs shock when engaging the swing arm. A rear end of the swing arm has a corner portion. The hook has first and second portions with a third portion extending there between Inner surfaces of the first through third portions delimit a slot. The inlet of the slot has a width less than the corner portion. The inner surface of the first portion of the hook contacts a first surface of the rear end of the swing arm, and the inner surface of the second portion of the hook contacts a second surface of the rear end of the swing arm, when a shock rotates the swing arm while the magnetic head is parked.

Abstract: The head stack assembly of a hard disk drive includes a bobbin, and a printed circuit board attached to the bobbin. The bobbin forms an end of the head stack assembly that is rotatable about an axis of a shaft. The printed circuit board has a flat conductive pattern of a plurality of traces through which current is supplied. The conductive pattern constitutes the voice coil motor of the hard disk drive. The hard disk drive has magnets disposed above and below the bobbin, respectively, to generate a magnetic field across the conductive pattern such that an electromotive force that rotates the HSA is produced when current flows through the conductive pattern. The flat conductive pattern allows the voice coil motor to be relatively thin while the magnets need to encompass only a small region making the hard disk drive compact and lightweight.

Abstract: In a balanced head gimbal assembly for improved seeking performance, a slider having a magnetic head with a set of read elements to read data and a set of write elements to write data, an air-bearing surface, and a non-air-bearing surface is coupled to a suspension. The suspension includes a loadbeam, a flexure, and a balancing weight. The loadbeam is coupled to an actuator arm. The flexure, coupled to the loadbeam, has a window through which a dimple, coupled to the loadbeam, contacts a dimple contact point. The balancing weight, coupled to the flexure, has a configuration which permits alignment of a center of mass of the head gimbal assembly with the dimple contact point.

Abstract: A magnetic disk is protected by a bilayer. The bilayer is formed as an adhesion enhancing underlayer and a protective diamond-like carbon (DLC) overlayer. The underlayer is formed of an aluminum or alloyed aluminum oxynitride, having the general formula AlOxNy or MezAlOxNy where Mez symbolizes Tiz, Siz or Crz and where x, y and z can be varied within the formation process. By adjusting the values of x and y the adhesion underlayer contributes to such qualities of the protective bilayer as stress compensation, chemical and mechanical stability and low electrical conductivity. Various methods of forming the underlayer are provided, including reactive ion sputtering, plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition, pulsed laser deposition and plasma immersion ion implantation.

Abstract: The invention provides a magnetoresistive device of the CPP (current perpendicular to plane) structure, comprising a magnetoresistive unit, and a first shield layer and a second shield layer which are located and formed such that the magnetoresistive unit is sandwiched between them from above and below, with a sense current applied in the stacking direction, wherein said magnetoresistive unit comprises a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer stacked and formed such that said nonmagnetic intermediate layer is sandwiched between them.

Abstract: An air bearing surface of a slider, which achieves low crown sensitivity is described. In one embodiment, the air bearing surface comprises a center channel and a plurality of side channels, wherein at least one side channel of the plurality of side channels is open to the center channel. The center channel and the plurality of side channels are configured to allow air to flow along the center channel toward the trailing edge of the ABS, such that there is low crown sensitivity.

Abstract: A method for forming a protective bilayer on a magnetic read/write head or magnetic disk. The bilayer is formed as an adhesion enhancing underlayer and a protective diamond-like carbon (DLC) overlayer. The underlayer is formed of an aluminum or alloyed aluminum oxynitride, having the general formula AlOxNy or MezAlOxNy where Mez symbolizes Tiz, Siz or Crz and where x, y and z can be varied within the formation process. By adjusting the values of x and y the adhesion underlayer contributes to such qualities of the protective bilayer as stress compensation, chemical and mechanical stability and low electrical conductivity. Various methods of forming the underlayer are provided, including reactive ion sputtering, plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition, pulsed laser deposition and plasma immersion ion implantation.

Abstract: The thickness of the semiconductor layer forming a part of the spacer layer is set in the thickness range for a transitional area showing conduction performance halfway between ohmic conduction and semi-conductive conduction in relation to the junction of the semiconductor layer with the first nonmagnetic metal layer and the second nonmagnetic metal layer. This permits the specific resistance of the spacer layer to be greater than that of an ohmic conduction area, so that spin scattering and diffusion depending on a magnetized state increases, resulting in an increase in the MR ratio. The CPP-GMR device can also have a suitable area resistivity (AR) value. If the device can have a suitable area resistivity and a high MR ratio, it is then possible to obtain more stable output power in low current operation. The device is also lower in resistance than a TMR device, so that significant noise reductions are achievable.

Abstract: A removable hard disk device includes a handle, a first holder, a hard disk drive located between the handle and the first holder, and two second holders pivotally connected to ends of the first holder and detachably connected to ends of the handle with the two second holders firmly holding the hard disk drive there between and detachably connected to the disk drive. When the second holders are forced to pivotally move outwardly relative to each other, the second holders will be separated from the first holder and the handle such that the hard disk drive can be dismounted from the first holder without using any tool.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a perpendicular recording magnetic head. A main magnetic pole film includes an electrode film and a plated magnetic film. The electrode film includes a Ru film and a conductive magnetic film, and the Ru film, which follows the shape of an inner wall surface of a recess formed in a first non-magnetic film, is adhered to the inner wall surface of the recess or a surface of a second non-magnetic film adhered thereto. The conductive magnetic film is adhered to a surface of the Ru film, thereby following the shape of the inner wall surface of the recess. The plated magnetic film is disposed adjacent the conductive magnetic film, thereby filling up the recess.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thin-film magnetic head which surely improves the writing and reading characteristic with reducing the flying height and surely handles the contact or collision with the magnetic recording medium. A thin-film magnetic head is provided, which includes, an substrate with ABS; a read or write head element provided on an element-formed surface of the substrate; at least one protrusion adjustment portion whose end reaches a slider end surface on the ABS side, which provides on an element-formed surface of the substrate; at least one heating portion provided rear at least one protrusion adjustment portion viewed from the slider end surface on the ABS side.

Abstract: The base improves manufacturing efficiency and yield and has an advantage in cost. The base includes a panel having a through-hole, a motor holder, having a cylindrical shape that protrudes from a first face of the panel in a thickness direction of the panel, integrally formed on the panel corresponding to the through-hole, the motor holder holds a motor fitted to an inner circumferential surface of the motor holder through adhesives, and the motor holder is provided with at least one depression pressure-formed on the inner circumferential surface thereof, thereby eliminating cutting processing, facilitating accuracy control, suppressing nonconformity such as corrosion because no base material is exposed, requiring no measures against burs and the like, improving production capacity and yield, and resulting in cost advantages, too.