Abstract: A tape-shaped magnetic recording medium includes a substrate; and a magnetic layer that is provided on the substrate and contains a magnetic powder. An average thickness of the magnetic layer is not more than 90 nm, an average aspect ratio of the magnetic powder is not less than 1.0 and not more than 3.0, the coercive force Hc1 in a vertical direction is not more than 3000 Oe, the coercive force Hc1 in the vertical direction and a coercive force Hc2 in a longitudinal direction satisfy a relationship of Hc2/Hc1?0.8, and a value of ?1.5??0.5 is not more than 0.6 N in a tensile test of the magnetic recording medium in the longitudinal direction, where ?0.5 is a load at an elongation rate of 0.5% in the magnetic recording medium and ?1.5 is a load at an elongation rate of 1.5% in the magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: An electrical connection structure for connecting a piezoelectric element and an electrical circuit to each other with a conductive adhesive is described. The electrical connection structure includes an epoxy, a conductive component surrounded by the epoxy, and a trace feature implemented on top of the electrical connection structure.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a suspension assembly includes a support plate having a distal end portion and a base end portion, a wiring member having a gimbal portion and provided on the support plate, and a magnetic head mounted on the gimbal portion. In the gimbal portion, the wiring member includes a head mounting region where the magnetic head is mounted, and an etching region including a recess located and formed at least partially in the head mounting region. The magnetic head is bonded to the head mounting region of the wiring member by an adhesive filled in the head mounting region and the recess.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a first actuator assembly and a second actuator assembly which are respectively supported by a first bearing unit and a second bearing unit to be rotatable about a support shaft. The first bearing unit includes a first sleeve and a ball bearing. The second bearing unit includes a second sleeve and a ball bearing. The first sleeve includes a first end surface opposed to the second sleeve and an annular first step projecting from the first end surface, and the second sleeve includes a second end surface opposed to the first step with a gap and an annular second step projecting from the second end surface. The second step is opposed to the first step and the first end surface with a gap.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods of using a sacrificial, protective head overcoat during the manufacture of sliders. In some embodiments, the final trailing edge topography of the transducer devices is formed before applying the sacrificial, protective head overcoat. In some embodiments, the final trailing edge topography of the transducer devices is formed after removing the sacrificial, protective head overcoat.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to spin-orbital torque (SOT) differential reader designs. The SOT differential reader is a multi-terminal device comprising a first seed layer, a first spin hall effect (SHE) layer, a first interlayer, a first free layer, a gap layer, a second seed layer, a second SHE layer, a second free layer, and a second interlayer. The gap layer is disposed between the first SHE layer and the second SHE layer. The materials and dimensions used for the first and second seed layers, the first and second interlayers, and the first and second SHE layers affect the resulting spin hall voltage converted from spin current injected from the first free layer and the second free layer, as well as the ability to tune the first and second SHE layers. Moreover, the SOT differential reader improves reader resolution without decreasing the shield-to-shield spacing (i.e., read-gap).

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a magnetic disk, a magnetic head including a read head to read data from the magnetic disk and a write head to write data to the magnetic disk, and a controller configured to control read/write from/to the magnetic disk by the magnetic head. The magnetic head includes a thermal actuator configured to project a head surface of the magnetic head to a recording surface of the magnetic disk, and a detector configured to detect a gap between the head surface and the recording surface of the magnetic disk. The controller controls a degree of projection of the magnetic head to the recording surface by the thermal actuator corresponding to the gap detected by the detector during the read/write.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly for a data storage device is provided. The head gimbal assembly includes a suspension, and a slider mounting point on the suspension. The slider mounting point includes an adhesive pocket bounded by a dielectric standoff. The dielectric standoff includes a projection disposed along a length of the dielectric standoff.

Abstract: A recording head includes a dielectric waveguide that extends towards a media-facing surface of the recording head. A hybrid waveguide is near the media-facing surface and includes the dielectric waveguide and a heat spreader plate having a crosstrack dimension that is at least twice that of a core of the dielectric waveguide. The hybrid waveguide is operable to combine a total internal reflection of the dielectric waveguide with a surface plasmon confinement of the heat spreading plate to excite TM-even mode in the hybrid waveguide. A surface-plasmonic plate is in contact with the heat spreader plate, the second surface-plasmonic plate has a peg extending from an enlarged portion. Light energy from the TM-even mode propagating from the hybrid waveguide to the surface-plasmonic plate causes the surface plasmonic plate to focus the light energy to heat a recording medium.

Abstract: Techniques are described for user authentication based on a signal that is transmitted through an individual's body, and detected using device(s) in physical contact with the individual. A signal, such as an electrical signal or a vibrational signal, may be transmitted from a first device and received by a second device that is in physical contact with the individual. The received signal may be employed to determine a body signature for the individual. The body signature may identify the individual among a population of individuals, given the particular alterations to the propagating signal caused by the individual's physiology. Accordingly, the body signature may be employed as a form of biometric data that is useable to authenticate the individual to access a secure area, log in to a device or an application, or for other purposes.

Abstract: An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes a module having an array of transducers, and a thermoelectric cooling element positioned proximate to the array of transducers. An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes a module having an array of transducers, a thermoelectric cooling element positioned proximate to the array of transducers, and a heating element positioned proximate to the array of transducers. A method of maintaining a span of an array of transducers of module to a specification, according to one embodiment, includes determining whether the span of the array of transducers in a module is different than a target based on a specification. In response to determining the span is greater than the target, a control signal is applied to a thermoelectric cooling element positioned proximate to the span of the array of transducers for contracting the span of the array of transducers toward the target.

Abstract: A near-field light generator includes a plasmon generator including a plasmon exciting portion on which a surface plasmon is excited, and a near-field transducer including a front end face that generates near-field light from the surface plasmon. The near-field transducer is formed of a first metal material. The plasmon generator includes a first portion formed of the first metal material and a second portion formed of a second metal material. The first portion is in contact with the near-field transducer. The second portion includes at least part of the plasmon exciting portion.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly for supporting a disk drive includes a slider, a load beam, a ring gimbal affixed to the load beam, and a flexure. The gimbal includes a curved outer gimbal strut comprising a protrusion located between a first straight section of the curved outer gimbal strut and a second straight section of the curved outer gimbal strut. The flexure includes a first end extending along the load beam through a center region of a longitudinal axis of the head gimbal assembly and second end that includes a plurality of bond pads electrically coupled to the slider.

Abstract: A near field transducer (NFT) with an upper RhIr layer having an Ir content from 20-80 atomic % and a lower Au layer is formed between a waveguide and main pole at an air bearing surface (ABS). The RhIr layer has a rod-like front portion (peg) up to height h1, and a substantially triangular shaped back portion (body) from h1 to height h2. In some embodiments, there is a Rh underlayer with a thickness from 10 Angstroms to 200 Angstroms between the upper and lower NFT layers, and extending from the ABS to h2 so that the RhIr layer has a substantially uniform microcrystalline structure throughout to prevent thermally induced rupture defects proximate to h1. Optionally, the Rh underlayer may have a front side at h1, and may further comprise a lower Al or Zr adhesion layer. Accordingly, there is improved device reliability.

Abstract: An approach to a reduced-head hard disk drive (HDD) involves an actuator elevator subsystem that includes a ball screw cam assembly with a hybrid permanent magnet (PM)-variable reluctance (VR) stepper motor disposed therein, to rotate the cam screw, which vertically translates an actuator arm assembly so that a corresponding pair of read-write heads can access different magnetic-recording disks of a multiple-disk stack. A suitably configured hybrid stepper motor can provide 200 full steps/rev for a 3.8 mm translation. Thus, to meet or surpass a step resolution of 6 ?m/?step or 0.5625°/?step, the hybrid stepper motor would only need to be operated at 4 micro-step mode in order to achieve a 0.45°/?step or 0.00475 mm/?step, which enables a smoother motion since the available holding torque at the 4th micro-step provides sufficient torque margin to overcome load torque, frictional torque, and detent torque.

Abstract: An automatic tonearm lifter for use in a turntable that includes a main body and a tonearm rotatably mounted on the main body. The tonearm lifter includes a casing adapted to be fixedly mounted to the main body of the turntable, a lifting unit adapted to be mounted to the main body, adapted for supporting the tonearm, movable relative to the casing along a vertical axis, and non-rotatable about the axis relative to the casing, and a rotating unit including a threaded seat that is rotatable about the axis and that is threadably engaging the lifting unit, and a driving module that is connected to the threaded seat and that is operable to drive rotation thereof, thereby moving the lifting unit along the axis.

Abstract: A glass material of a glass spacer has a surface resistivity of 103 to 109 (?/sq) at 22 (° C.). The surface resistivity of a surface of the glass material of the glass spacer at 22 (° C.) is lower than the surface resistivity of an inner portion of the glass material at 22 (° C.). The glass spacer contains at least one oxide selected from the group consisting of TiO2, Nb2O5, WO3, and Bi2O3, as a glass component.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a main pole configured to serve as a first electrode, an upper pole containing a trailing magnetic shield configured to a serve as a second electrode, and a record element located in a trailing gap between the main pole and the trailing magnetic shield. The record element includes an electrically conductive, non-magnetic material portion which is not part of a spin torque oscillator stack. The main pole and the trailing magnetic shield are electrically shorted by the record element across the trailing gap between the main pole and the trailing magnetic shield such that an electrically conductive path is present between the main pole and the trailing magnetic shield through the record element.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a main pole configured to serve as a first electrode, an upper pole containing a trailing magnetic shield configured to a serve as a second electrode, and a record element located in a trailing gap between the main pole and the trailing magnetic shield. The record element includes an electrically conductive, non-magnetic material portion which is not part of a spin torque oscillator stack. The main pole and the trailing magnetic shield are electrically shorted by the record element across the trailing gap between the main pole and the trailing magnetic shield such that an electrically conductive path is present between the main pole and the trailing magnetic shield through the record element.

Abstract: An optically shielded (thermally assisted magnetic recording (TAMR) head comprises a perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) write head and a near-field transducer (NFT) having an emerging peg at the air-bearing surface (ABS). Self-aligned optical side shields (SA-OSS) are formed using a self-aligning process that positions the shields symmetrically relative to the emergent peg of the NFT. As a result of the symmetric positioning the down-track and cross-track near-field and near-field gradients are significantly sharpened.