Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head includes a slider substrate and a write element. The slider substrate has an air bearing surface at one side thereof. The write element has a recording magnetic pole film. The recording magnetic pole film is disposed on a plane crossing the air bearing surface over the slider substrate and has a large-width portion and a small-width portion continuously arranged in the named order toward the air bearing surface. The small-width portion has a smaller width than the large-width portion. Of the large-width portion and the small-width portion, at least the small-width portion has a first portion and a second portion. The second portion is continuous with an upper end of the first portion and has both side faces inclined in such a direction as to increase the width. An external angle of the first portion formed by a plane parallel to a bottom face and the side face is larger than an external angle of the second portion formed by a plane parallel to the bottom face and the side face.

Abstract: An apparatus that includes a writer that includes a write pole, at least one return pole, a writer coil and a write pole tip, wherein the write coil wraps around the write pole such that the flow of electrical current through the write coil generates a magnetic flux at the write pole tip, and wherein the write coil has a writer coil shape; and a heater that includes a resistive material, wherein the heater has a heater shape that substantially matches the writer coil shape.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a shield, and first and second return path sections. The shield has an end face that is located in a medium facing surface to wrap around an end face of a main pole. The shield includes a bottom shield, two side shields, and a top shield. The first return path section is magnetically connected to the bottom shield and is greater than the bottom shield in length in a direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface. The second return path section magnetically couples the top shield and the main pole to each other. The coil includes a first portion that passes through a space defined by the main pole and the first return path section, and a second portion that passes through a space defined by the main pole and the second return path section.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk drive base, and a spindle. A disk is attached to the spindle, and the disk includes a disk outer peripheral extent. An actuator is attached to the disk drive base and defines an actuator pivot axis that is substantially parallel to the spindle rotation axis. At least one actuator arm extends away from the actuator pivot axis. A head gimbal assembly (HGA) is attached to the at least one actuator arm. A first disk limiter tab protrudes from a side of the actuator towards the spindle rotation axis. The disk drive also includes a ramp that has a parking surface that is in contact with the HGA with the disk drive in a non-operational state. The first disk limiter tab extends over the disk outer peripheral extent in the non-operational state.

Abstract: An integrated lead suspension (ILS) has a constrained layer damper (CLD) that attenuates vibration of the ILS. The CLD may be applied over an already assembled ILS such that the CLD is applied to the cover layer, to the base layer, or to both. Alternatively, the ILS may be encapsulated via a deposition process such that a damping layer is sandwiched between the conductor layer and the cover layer of the ILS, between the conductor layer and the dielectric layer of the ILS, or both.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a slanted bump magnetic shield in a perpendicular write head. The slanted bump magnetic shield provides a small throat height to maximize magnetic flux for writing to a magnetic media such as a magnetic storage disk in a hard disk drive, while avoiding saturation.

Abstract: A compact disc centering apparatus of a compact disc player includes carrying rollers which are disposed within a compact disc entry on the opposite sides thereof and a compact disc guiding; a pair of detection rods capable of synchronized rotating, which is disposed between a support plate and the compact disc entry. The apparatus also includes a control device and a trigger device, wherein, an engaging portion is disposed on the control device and extends along the direction in which the control device moves, and an engaged portion is disposed on the trigger device and engages with the engaging portion. When the engaged portion is located in the engaging portion, the contact between the engaging portion and the engaged portion makes the trigger device rotate and stop at a position such that the center of the compact disc is coincident with the center of the support plate.

Abstract: A device for sensing a magnetic field is described. The device comprises first, second and third leads and a junction between the leads. The junction and leads are arranged in a plane and the junction is configured to exhibit quantum confinement in a direction perpendicular to the plane. The first lead is arranged on one side of the junction and the second and third leads are arranged on an opposite side of the junction. The first lead is configured to limit angle of spread of charge carriers entering the junction so that, when charge carriers flow into the junction from the first lead, the charge carriers form a substantially nondivergent beam.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a substrate having a media support surface; a gap coupled to the substrate, the gap having at least one of a magnetoresistive (MR) sensor and a writer; a closure coupled to the gap on a side thereof opposite the substrate, said closure forming a portion of the media support surface; and a material formed in one or more recesses extending into the media support surface of at least one of the substrate and the closure.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a shield, and first and second return path sections. The shield has an end face that is located in a medium facing surface to wrap around an end face of a main pole. The shield includes a bottom shield, two side shields, and a top shield. The first return path section includes a yoke layer, and first and second coupling layers that magnetically couple the bottom shield and the yoke layer to each other. The first coupling layer is magnetically connected to the bottom shield. The second coupling layer magnetically couples the first coupling layer to the yoke layer. No end faces of the second coupling layer are exposed in the medium facing surface. The second return path section magnetically couples the top shield and the main pole to each other.

Abstract: An optical disc recording and/or reproducing device comprising a drive for rotating an optical disc around an axis of rotation, a movable optical pickup unit (5) and a frame (1) having at least one guiding rod (4) for guiding a displacement of the optical pickup unit (5) in a substantially radial direction with respect to the axis of rotation. The guiding rod (4) is provided with a protrusion (17) for restricting the movement of the optical pickup unit (5) when the guiding rod (4) is in a is in a predetermined rotational position. The guiding rod (4) is rotationally drivable by an electric drive motor in order to move the protrusion (17) for either releasing or blocking the optical pickup unit (5).

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) media including a non-magnetic or superparamagnetic grain isolation magnetic anisotropy layer (GIMAL) to provide a template for initially well-isolated small grain microstructure as well as improvement of Ku in core grains of a magnetic recording layer. The GIMAL composition may be adjusted to have lattice parameters similar to a bottom magnetic recording layer and to provide a buffer for reducing interface strains caused by lattice mismatch between the bottom magnetic recording layer and an underlying layer.

Abstract: There is provided a disk drive that includes a base, a limiting member, an actuator, and a latch. The actuator includes an actuator catch with a catch path. The latch contacts the limiting member with the latch in an open position. The latch is biased to rotate to a defeat position. An arresting portion is in the catch path with the latch in a closed position. The arresting portion is not in the catch path with the latch in the open position, and not in the catch path with the latch in the defeat position. A crash stop portion contacts the actuator with the latch in the closed position and with the actuator in a stop position. The crash stop portion does not contact the actuator with the latch in the defeat position.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head including an MR laminated body composed of a first and second MR magnetic layers, first and second shield layers, and a bias magnetic field application layer provided on an opposite side of an air bearing surface (ABS) of the MR laminated body in order to apply a bias magnetic field orthogonal relative to the ABS. The first shield layer includes a first exchange coupling magnetic field application layer and a first antiferromagnetic layer; and the second shield layer includes a second exchange coupling magnetic field application layer and a second antiferromagnetic layer.

Abstract: A bottom end of a main pole includes first, second, and third portions that are contiguously arranged in order of increasing distance from the medium facing surface. A top surface of the main pole includes fourth, fifth, and sixth portions that are contiguously arranged in order of increasing distance from the medium facing surface. A distance from the top surface of the substrate to any given point on each of the first and second portions decreases with increasing distance from the given point to the medium facing surface. The second portion has an angle of inclination greater than that of the first portion with respect to a direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface. A distance from the top surface of the substrate to any given point on each of the fourth and fifth portions increases with increasing distance from the given point to the medium facing surface.

Abstract: A spin torque oscillator includes an amorphous soft magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic layer and a hard magnetic layer. The nonmagnetic layer with a close-packed crystal structure is provided on the amorphous soft magnetic layer. The hard magnetic layer with a close-packed crystal structure and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is provided on the nonmagnetic layer.

Abstract: A suspension for a head gimbal assembly comprises a flexure having a flexure having a tail with a plurality of electrical traces and a plurality of bonding terminals adapted for connecting with a flexible printed circuit formed thereon. Each of the bonding terminals comprises a connecting pad and a hole formed at one end of the connecting pad for electrically and mechanically connecting the connecting pad to the flexible printed circuit by bonding material. And the connecting pad has a bonding portion adjacent to the hole and an exposed portion for testing. The invention also discloses a head gimbal assembly and a disk drive unit with the same.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head includes a magnetoresistive element having a recording-medium-facing-surface which is to be faced with a magnetic recording medium; a magnetic bias layer located on a side opposite to the recording-medium-facing-surface of the magnetoresistive element, and applying a bias magnetic field to the magnetoresistive element in a direction orthogonal to the recording-medium-facing-surface; and a resistive film pattern having the recording-medium-facing-surface, the resistive film pattern being located side by side with the magnetoresistive element in a track-width direction.

Abstract: A housing included in an optical disc device 1 includes a top case 2 and a bottom case 3. The top case 2 includes a ceiling plate 2a and side plates 2b. The bottom case 3 includes a bottom plate 3a and side plates 3b. The top case 2 and the bottom case 3 are assembled and fixed to each other so that the side plates 2b of the top case are located on the outer sides of the side plates 3b of the bottom case. The top case is formed with a groove 2d and flat portions 2e on an inner-side end portion of the ceiling plate 2a of the top case, the groove 2d and flat portions 2e extending along bent portions 2c of the side plates 2b of the top case. The flat portions shield the groove 2d.

Abstract: A chucking device includes a disk support unit on which a disk is placed, a resin-made turntable arranged to directly or indirectly support the disk support unit from below, a metal member including a circular plate portion closely secured to a lower surface of the turntable, and a plurality of balls rollably arranged below the disk support unit and above the circular plate portion about a center axis in a circumferential direction. The turntable includes an antiskid member, a bottom rolling surface arranged to support the balls from below through the antiskid member and a cylindrical side rolling surface positioned radially outwards of the balls.