Abstract: A magnetic recording transducer, useful in a magnetic data storage device, having a read element with improved magnetic stability and a narrow track width is described. An MR stripe according to the invention has a magnetic-stability inducing (MSI) shape selected from an essentially trapezoidal shape, an essentially hexagonal shape, an essentially race-track shape, and an essentially half race track shape. These MSI shapes are oriented in a plane perpendicular to the air-bearing surface (ABS). The MSI shapes are used to encourage the formation of a single magnetic domain state with magnetization direction parallel to the ABS in the absence of a magnetic bias. In one embodiment according to the invention the sensor structure is overlaid on the sides of the top surface with layers of electrically conductive material (overlaid leads) to define an approximately rectangular active region of the larger MSI shape.

Abstract: A subambient pressure air bearing slider for disk drives and the like is presented where the subambient pressure area is divided into two or more areas. For example, a first area extending between the rails can have a depth (e.g., between 20 and 100 microinches) relative to the height of the rails, while the second area has a deeper depth (e.g., between 20 and 200 microinches). In one embodiment, the second area is placed in the outside rear quadrant relative to the rear edge of the slider and the rail closer to the outside diameter of the moving disk. By partitioning the subambient pressure area and properly selecting the depths of the partitioned areas, the slider can achieve a more uniform flying height over the range of diameters of the moving disk, at different rotational speed velocities for the disk and at different operation altitudes.

Abstract: A first magnetic sublayer includes a region containing X (e.g., Cr), which extends from the interface with an antiferromagnetic layer toward a nonmagnetic intermediate sublayer, and a region not containing X, which extends from the interface with the nonmagnetic intermediate sublayer toward the antiferromagnetic layer. Consequently, both the unidirectional exchange bias magnetic field (Hex*) in the pinned magnetic layer and the rate of change in resistance (?R/R) can be improved.

Abstract: A disk cartridge incorporating a disk-shaped recording medium and having an opening portion for enabling a recording and/or reproducing operation by a recording and/or reproducing device having a disk cartridge main body, a disk holder detachably mountable to the disk cartridge main body, and a reverse insertion preventing structure for preventing the disk holder having a surface and a rear face from being inserted turning inside out into the disk cartridge main body when the disk holder is mounted to the disk cartridge main body.