Abstract: An information recording apparatus comprises 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.

Abstract: A disk apparatus compatible with a disk cartridge having a large head window even with a small external size. A disk apparatus includes a cartridge holder, a pair of guide walls, a disk motor, a head, a base, first and second slider guides, first and second open/close sliders respectively having first and second engageable portions. The slider guides are provided in the cartridge holder for supporting the disk cartridge, and the sliders are slidably engaged with the slider guides. The sliders slide to allow the engageable portions to be engaged with the disk cartridge such that a distance between the engageable portions is smaller than a distance between the guide walls while the disk cartridge is inserted, and such that the distance between the engageable portions is larger than the distance between the guide walls when the disk cartridge is mounted, and thus form a window in the disk cartridge so as to allow the head to access the disk and allow the disk to be mounted on the disk motor.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head substrate includes a plurality of head element portions having read elements and write elements in rows. Adjacent head element portions interpose a read monitor element and a write monitor element that are used as element resistance monitors for the read element and the write element when a lapping process is performed to form a medium-facing surface on the head element portion. A common electrode terminal is connected with the read monitor element and the write monitor element. A pair of individual electrode terminals are each connected to the read monitor element and the write monitor element, respectively.

Abstract: A magneto-resistance effect element, a magneto-resistance effect head, a magnetic storage and a magnetic memory, in which noise caused by a spin-transfer torque is reduced, are provided. In a fixed magnetization layer or a free magnetization layer of a magneto-resistance effect element including the fixed magnetization layer, a spacer layer and the free magnetization layer; a layer containing one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, La, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt and Au is disposed.

Abstract: One embodiment in accordance with the invention is an apparatus comprising a movement guide that can be utilized with a data storage device. The movement guide can be for preventing a magnetic head of the data storage device from contacting a disk of the data storage device during operation.

Abstract: A metal foil disk offers some of the best characteristics of both the hard disk and floppy disk for digital data storage. One embodiment uses an opposed slider air bearing arrangement that provides advantages when used with a high speed metal foil disk in either a fixed or removable format. Use is made of the fact that the opposing sliders interact through their influence on the flexible disk that is sandwiched between them. Asymmetry of opposing air bearings may be created by etching the air bearing pad opposite the recording element pad to a depth sufficient that the flying height and air film stiffness of the opposing pad reach desired levels. The result is an air bearing interface with low flying height and high stiffness over the recording element opposed by a high flying height and low stiffness on the other side of the disk. This air bearing interface provides an enhanced dynamic flexibility to the metal foil disk when it is subjected to mechanical shock.

Abstract: A magnetic recording head includes a spin wave oscillator having a lamination film including a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer, and a pair of electrodes adapted to inject a current between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer to generate a spin wave in one of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer; and a recording magnetic pole provided on one side with the spin wave oscillator, the spin wave oscillator locally heating the recording track prior to recording by the recording magnetic pole.

Abstract: A magnetic memory device includes a magnetic tunnel junction element having a plurality of ferromagnetic layers stacked with a dielectric layer interposed between the adjacent ferromagnetic layers and storing magnetic information through reversal of magnetization of at least one of the magnetization layers, and a spin wave oscillator having a magnetization free layer, a nonmagnetic layer stacked on the magnetization free layer, a magnetization pinned layer stacked on the nonmagnetic layer, and a pair of electrodes adapted to apply current in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the magnetization free layer, the nonmagnetic layer and the magnetization pinned layer to thereby generate a spin wave. The spin wave oscillator is arranged in vicinity of the magnetic tunnel junction element to allow heating of the magnetic tunnel junction element and reversal of magnetization.

Abstract: An integrated lead head suspension flexure including a plurality of integrated leads each including at least one lead portion unbacked by the flexure spring metal layer and configured to be substantially inline with the general plane of the spring metal layer. The leads are disposed on a dielectric layer including an unbacked dielectric layer portion having a surface positioned between the major surfaces of the spring metal layer.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head having an MR element in which the tolerance of external magnetic field is improved even under the condition that shields have smaller areas. The head includes: an MR element includes lower and upper shield layers provided so as to sandwich an MR multilayer, one of edges of each of the layers reaching a head end surface on an ABS side; and an electromagnetic transducer including main and auxiliary magnetic pole layers, one of edges of each of the layers reaching the head end surface, wherein at least one laminate shield layer for tolerating an external magnetic field is provided adjacently on one side or on both sides in a track width direction of at least one layer out of the upper and lower shield layers and the auxiliary magnetic pole layer, and one edge of the at least one laminate shield layer reaching the head end surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a highly reliable patterned medium without generating an error in recording and reproduction, and a magnetic disc memory device using the same. The patterned medium has a substrate, a soft magnetic layer, a non-magnetic layer, an intermediate layer and a recording layer. The recording layer has a pattern structure of a non-magnetic material and a magnetic material, and the Young's modulus of the non-magnetic material is larger than the Young's modulus of the magnetic material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thin film magnetic device realizing effective improvement in magnetic permeability in a high frequency area. The thin film magnetic device includes a thin film coil and a plurality of strip-shaped magnetic films disposed along a plane in which the thin film coil extends. The plurality of strip-shaped magnetic films are disposed to extend in one direction only in a pair of areas facing each other. The pair of areas is selected from four areas obtained by dividing, in the winding direction, the area where the thin film coil extends.

Abstract: An improved formulation for free layers in MTJ sensors is disclosed. Optimized results of the prior art suggest free layer iron concentrations less than 20 atomic % give the best performance. The present invention discloses improved TMR ratio, Hce, and ? performance for high free layer iron concentrations between about 70 and 91.5 atomic %, when compared to the prior art.

Abstract: In a read-write head, the shields can serve as magnetic flux conductors for external fields, so that they direct a certain amount of flux into the recording medium. This problem has been overcome by the addition to the shields of a pair of tabs located at the edges closest to the ABS. These tabs serve to prevent flux concentrating at the edges so that horizontal fields at these edges are significantly reduced. Said tabs need to have aspect ratios of at least 2 and may be either triangular or rectangular in shape. Alternatively, the tabs may be omitted and, instead, outer portions of the shield's lower edge may be shaped so as to slope upwards away from the ABS.

Abstract: An airflow diverter is used to overcome the adverse effect of flow-induced vibration of a disk drive pivot actuator. The diverter may be formed as a separate component or as an integral portion of the flex stiffener or the actuator itself. The invention streamlines the actuator to the incoming airflow and helps reduce the torque disturbance to the actuator as it reduces the sail or parachute effect. This helps reduce power consumption due to a lower drag from the actuator assembly. The contour of the flow deflector is designed to conform closely to the curvature of the disk boundaries when the actuator is rotated to the ID position on the disk. This design serves as a shroud around the disk stack which further helps to reduce power by preserving flow momentum.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head is provided, in which thermal protrusion can be suppressed. The thin film magnetic head includes a main magnetic pole layer which conducts a magnetic flux into the recording medium so that the recording medium is magnetized in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the recording medium, a first return yoke layer provided in a trailing side of the main magnetic pole layer, and has a recess in a top surface, a second return yoke layer provided so as to fill at least the recess of the first return yoke layer, and a thermal expansion suppression layer provided in a trailing side of the second return yoke layer. Thus, since the thermal expansion suppression layer can be provided on a surface having no recess, a possibility of a crack in the thermal expansion suppression layer can be eliminated.

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: Described herein is a mobile data storage magazine for interacting with a docking station. The magazine can include a magazine frame containing a plurality of operatively interconnected disk drives, a first contact element associated with the magazine frame capable of conducting electrical power to at least one of the plurality of disk drives when engaged with a second contact element associated with the docking station wherein the first and second contact elements are adapted to cooperate in a non male/female relationship. The magazine can further comprise a first communication element capable of conducting data between at least one of the plurality of disk drives and the docking station when the first communication element is operatively linked to a second communication element associated with the docking station.

Abstract: A cartridge transport robot transports a cartridge of information storage media between differing locations in a cartridge library. The cartridge robot comprises a robot carriage; a robot tray; and a carriage motive system. The robot tray comprises a guide configured to facilitate linear motion of the robot carriage, the robot carriage being situated on a first side of the robot tray. The robot carriage comprises cartridge engagement elements configured to selectively engage and release the cartridge. The carriage motive system is configured to provide linear motion to the robot carriage along the robot tray from a carriage retracted position to a carriage extracted position and thereby linearly displace the cartridge engaged by the cartridge engagement elements.

Abstract: A cartridge library (30) comprises at least one drive (60); a cartridge magazine (52); and, a transport mechanism (54) configured to transport the cartridge between the magazine and the drive. The transport mechanism (54) is configured to transport the cartridge between, e.g., cells of the magazine (52) and/or between the magazine (52) and the drive (60). The transport mechanism (54) comprises a robot (300) and a robot motive system. The robot comprises a robot carriage (308) and a robot tray (302). The robot carriage (308) carries or comprises cartridge engagement elements (310) configured to selectively engage and release the cartridge. The robot tray (302) facilitates linear motion of the robot carriage, the robot carriage being situated on a first side of the robot tray. The robot motive system comprises three robot motive subsystems (312, 360, 450) and a (robot) carriage motive subsystem (380).