Abstract: A lubricant including a plurality of segments including a divalent center segment and two sidechain segments, each including a perfluoroalkyl ether moieties is provided in which a dewetting thickness of the lubricant may be determined based in-part on a segment weight average molecular weight of the segments. A magnetic recording medium and a magnetic data storage system including the lubricant are also provided.

Abstract: A disk drive has a recording head slidably coupled to a rail and in magnetic communication with a disk surface. The recording head has an optical power interface and an optical data interface. An optical transceiver is fixably mounted proximate an end of the rail and optically coupled to the optical power interface and/or the optical data interface of the recording head. The coupling between the optical transceiver and the interfaces facilitates writing data to the disk surface and/or reading data from the disk surface via the recording head.

Abstract: A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes a medium facing surface, a main pole, a waveguide, and a plasmon generator. A second metal layer of the plasmon generator includes a second front end facing the medium facing surface. A third metal layer of the plasmon generator includes a narrow portion located on the second metal layer. The narrow portion includes a front end face located in the medium facing surface and configured to generate near-field light from a surface plasmon, and a rear end opposite the front end face. The rear end is located farther from the medium facing surface than is the second front end.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) head has a protective multilayer confined to a window of the disk-facing surface of the slider that surrounds the near-field transducer (NFT) end and write pole end. The protective multilayer is made up of a first film of silicon nitride directly on and in contact with the NFT end and the write pole end and a second film of a metal oxide on and in contact with the silicon nitride film. The silicon nitride film is preferably formed by RIBD but is thin enough so that it does not contain any significant amount of other compounds. The metal oxide is preferably silicon dioxide, or alternatively an oxide of hafnium, tantalum, yttrium or zirconium, and together with the silicon nitride film provides a protective multilayer of sufficient thickness to be optically transparent to radiation and resistant to thermal oxidation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for dynamically adjusting parameters used during a read operation to reduce stress on a read head. In certain embodiments, an apparatus may comprise a read head configured to read data stored to a data storage medium, and a control circuit that controls a parameter of the read head influencing the read head's ability to accurately read data. The control circuit may be configured to extend the working lifespan of the read head by monitoring a read performance of the read head, and adjusting the parameter to reduce the read performance when the read performance is greater than a first threshold.

Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising at least one head configured to access a magnetic tape. The head is used to write contiguously to the magnetic tape a first preamble, followed by a first sync mark, followed by symbols of a first data sector, followed by a second sync mark, followed by a second preamble, followed by a third sync mark, followed by symbols of a second data sector.

Abstract: A data storage device configured to access a magnetic tape is disclosed, wherein the data storage device comprises at least one head configured to access the magnetic tape, wherein the head comprises a write element, a first read element substantially aligned with the write element, and a second read element laterally offset from the first read element. Data is written to a data track and read-after-write verify is performed using the write element and the first read element. In response to a read command received from a host, the data track is read using the second read element to compensate for a stretching of the magnetic tape.

Abstract: An information recording/playback device includes a recording pulse generation unit generates a recording pulse based on a multi-value modulation data, and a data recording unit records the mark on the recording medium based on the recording pulse. The data recording unit executes recording processing of setting sizes of all of marks to be recorded on the recording medium to a size equal to or smaller than a spot size at a half level of a maximum value of a two-dimensional light intensity distribution of a beam spot, and executes data recording processing of forming recording regions in modes having different densities of recording marks according to the levels of the multi-value modulation data.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a disk including two first servo sectors and at least a second servo sector, a head, and a controller, wherein the first servo sector includes burst data and a first data pattern written before the circumferential direction of the burst data, the second servo sector includes the burst data, the first data pattern, and a second data pattern written after the circumferential direction of the burst data, a first frequency of the first data pattern is different from a second frequency of the second data pattern, and a first length of the first data pattern is different from a second length of the second data pattern.

Abstract: A data storage device includes at least one data storage disc, at least one head supported by a rotatable actuator arm, an elevator configured to move the rotatable actuator arm in a z direction, a first vertical guide post, a ramp assembly configured to support the head on a movable ramp, and a bracket attached to the movable ramp. The at least one head is configured to communicate with the at least one data storage disc when positioned over the at least one data storage disc. The movable ramp is moveable in a z direction parallel to the first vertical guide post. The bracket is engageable to the rotatable actuator arm so that the bracket moves along the first vertical guide post in unison with z direction motion of the rotatable actuator arm via the elevator, and the bracket is disengageable from the rotatable actuator arm.

Abstract: A cartridge memory is a cartridge memory used in a magnetic tape cartridge, including: an antenna unit; a storage unit that stores data; and a control unit that reads the data from the storage unit in response to a request from a recording/reproduction apparatus, adds an error correction code to the data, and transmits the obtained data via the antenna unit.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic head includes first and second magnetic poles, and a stacked body provided between the first and second magnetic poles. The stacked body includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer provided between the first magnetic pole and the first magnetic layer, a third magnetic layer provided between the first magnetic pole and the second magnetic layer, a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the second and first magnetic layers, a second nonmagnetic layer provided between the third and second magnetic layers, and a third nonmagnetic layer provided between the first magnetic pole and the third magnetic layer. The second magnetic layer includes first and second magnetic regions. The second magnetic region is between the second nonmagnetic layer and the first magnetic region. The first magnetic region includes a first element. The second magnetic region includes the first element, and a second element.

Abstract: An optical isolator has a first optical property with respect to transmitted components of the light traveling towards a target and a second optical property with respect to reflected components of the light traveling towards the laser. The second optical property suppresses the reflected components of the light. The optical isolator can be used in applications such as heat-assisted magnetic recording and LIDAR.

Abstract: 3D optical data storage refers to forms of optical data storage in which information can be recorded and/or read with 3D resolution. 3D optical media are generally limited in areal density by the diffraction limit of laser light used to read and/or write data to and/or from the optical media. It is thus advantageous to find ways to store data on 3D optical media with a spot size below the diffraction limit of an associated laser reader to further increase areal density of the optical media. A hybrid approach that utilizes plasmon technology to access a surface layer of the 3D optical media with an extremely small spot size and photon technology to access interior layers of the 3D optical media with a larger spot size may substantially increase overall data density of the 3D optical media.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a substrate. A laser is formed on a non-self supporting structure and bonded to the substrate. A waveguide having a gap portion is deposited proximate the laser. The waveguide is configured to communicate light from the laser to a near-field transducer (NFT) that directs energy resulting from plasmonic excitation to a recording medium. An optical isolator is disposed over the gap portion.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a substrate. A laser is deposited above the substrate. The laser includes one or more non-self-supporting layers of crystalline material. A metallic adhesive is disposed between the laser and the substrate. The metallic adhesive is configured to adhere the laser to the substrate. A waveguide is deposited proximate the laser. The waveguide is configured to receive light from the laser and direct the light to a recording medium.

Abstract: A cartridge memory used for a tape cartridge includes: a communication unit that communicates with a recording and reproducing device using a wireless communication method defined by an ISO 14443-2 standard which is a wireless communication standard; a non-volatile memory with a storage capacity exceeding 16 KB; and a control unit that writes or reads data to or from the non-volatile memory on a word-by-word basis (2 bytes at a time) or on a block-by-block basis (32 bytes at a time). The non-volatile memory includes a plurality of memory banks each having a storage capacity of 128 KB or less. The control unit writes or reads data defined by a magnetic tape standard to or from one or two or more first memory banks among the plurality of the memory banks, and writes or reads additional data to or from one or two or more second memory banks other than the first memory bank.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) head has a gas-bearing slider that supports a near-field transducer (NFT) and a main magnetic pole. First heat-sink material is located on the cross-track sides of the main pole and second heat-sink material is located on the cross-track sides of the waveguide. The second heat-sink material may be in contact with the first heat-sink material, and a thermal shunt of high thermal conductivity may interconnect the NFT with the first and second heat-sink material. Heat from the NFT output tip flows to the second heat sink material through the NFT and the thermal shunt. Optically reflective material may be located between the waveguide and the second heat-sink material to improve the optical efficiency of the NFT.

Abstract: A media processing apparatus includes a medium drive, a label printer, and a medium-processing-apparatus control section. When the medium-processing-apparatus control section receives a first photographic data file, the medium-processing-apparatus control section causes the medium drive to write the first photographic data file to a medium. After the medium-processing-apparatus control section has received the first photographic data file, the medium-processing-apparatus control section receives a second photographic data file and causes the medium drive to write the second photographic data file to the medium. When the medium-processing-apparatus control section receives a medium close command from a control apparatus, the medium-processing-apparatus control section terminates write processing by the medium drive in response to the received medium close command, and causes the label printer to perform printing.

Abstract: A plasmon generator (PG) is formed between a waveguide and main pole, and has a front portion (Au/Rh bilayer) wherein the upper Rh layer has a peg shape at an air bearing surface (ABS), and a tapered backside that is separated from a PG back portion by a dielectric spacer. The lower Au layer has a front side recessed from the ABS and curved sides self-aligned with the Rh layer sides. A key feature is that the back section of lower Au layer curved side forms a smaller angle with a plane aligned orthogonal to the ABS than a front section thereof thereby selectively enabling a deformation of the back end of the Au layer during a heat treatment to >300° C. at the wafer level. Accordingly, the front end of the lower Au layer is densified and provides an improved heat sink to improve reliability and area density capability (ADC).