Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a module having a tape bearing surface, a magnetic transducer in a thin film region, and an edge closest to the transducers. A guide is positioned relative to the edge for inducing tenting of a moving magnetic recording tape above a tape tenting region of the tape bearing surface. The magnetic transducer is positioned along the tape tenting region. The magnetic transducer is positioned a distance from a location on the tape bearing surface directly under a peak that is more than one-fourth the length from the location directly under the peak to the edge closest thereto.

Abstract: An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes: an array of write transducers, each write transducer having: a first write pole having a pole tip extending from a media facing side of the first write pole, a second write pole having a pole tip extending from a media facing side of the second write pole, a nonmagnetic write gap between the pole tips of the write poles, and a high moment layer between the write gap and the pole tip of the second write pole. The high moment layer has a higher magnetic moment than a magnetic moment of the pole tip of the second write pole. Moreover, the high moment layer protrudes beyond a plane extending along a media facing side of the second pole tip. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes an array of transducer structures arranged along a tape bearing surface of a common module. Each transducer structure includes a lower shield, an upper shield above the lower shield, a current-perpendicular-to-plane sensor between the upper and lower shields, at least one lead, and an insulating layer between the at least one lead and the shield closest thereto. The at least one lead is selected from a group including an upper electrical lead between the sensor and the upper shield, and a lower electrical lead between the sensor and the lower shield. The at least one lead is in electrical communication with the sensor. A width of one or more of the at least one lead in a cross track direction is about equal to a width of the sensor.

Abstract: In one general embodiment, an apparatus includes a magnetic sensor structure, a magnetic shield having at least one laminate pair comprising a magnetic layer and an electrically conductive nonmagnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the sensor structure and the magnetic shield. In another general embodiment, an apparatus includes a magnetic tunnel junction sensor structure, and a magnetic shield having at least two laminate pairs, each pair comprising a magnetic layer and an electrically conductive nonmagnetic layer. A deposition thickness of the nonmagnetic layer in each laminate pair is about 10% or less of a total deposition thickness of the laminate pair.

Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a module having a tape bearing surface, an array of magnetic transducers, and a channel in the tape bearing surface. The channel has a longitudinal axis oriented about parallel to a longitudinal axis of the array of magnetic transducers for inducing tenting of a moving magnetic recording tape above the array of magnetic transducers. A method according to one embodiment includes forming a channel in a tape bearing surface of a module. The channel is formed to have a longitudinal axis about parallel to a longitudinal axis of an array of magnetic transducers. The channel is formed proximate to the array of magnetic transducers for inducing tenting of a moving magnetic recording tape above the array of magnetic transducers.

Abstract: A tape head writer yoke pole tip and a substrate ground plane are electrically coupled by an electrically conductive wear layer is disposed over the pole tip and the ground plane at the tape bearing surface. A magnetic tape is transported across the tape head and wears away the wear layer. It is identified when a circuit that includes the pole tip, the wear layer, and the ground plane becomes open, and the amount of tape travel until the open circuit occurred is transmitted to a host computer for determination of a tape abrasivity measure as a function of the amount of tape travel. The write element can be used for write operations while the wear layer is present, and after the wear layer has been worn away.

Abstract: A magnetic recording tape writing apparatus includes an array of write transducers extending along a common tape bearing surface. Each of the write transducers has a lower pole having a lower pole tip, a lower coil layer above the lower pole, an intermediate coil layer above the lower coil layer, and an upper coil layer above the intermediate coil layer. An upper pole is positioned above the upper coil layer, the upper pole having an upper pole tip. In one embodiment, a nonmagnetic write gap is positioned between the pole tips, a plane of deposition of the write gap extending between the intermediate coil layer and the lower coil layer. In another embodiment, a nonmagnetic write gap is positioned between the pole tips, a plane of deposition of the write gap extending between the intermediate coil layer and the upper coil layer.

Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a module having a tape bearing surface, an array of magnetic transducers, and a channel in the tape bearing surface. The channel has a longitudinal axis oriented about parallel to a longitudinal axis of the array of magnetic transducers for inducing tenting of a moving magnetic recording tape above the array of magnetic transducers. A method according to one embodiment includes forming a channel in a tape bearing surface of a module. The channel is formed to have a longitudinal axis about parallel to a longitudinal axis of an array of magnetic transducers. The channel is formed proximate to the array of magnetic transducers for inducing tenting of a moving magnetic recording tape above the array of magnetic transducers.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a transducer structure. The transducer structure has a lower shield and an upper shield above the lower shield, the upper and lower shields providing magnetic shielding. A current-perpendicular-to-plane sensor is positioned between the upper and lower shields. An electrical lead layer is positioned between the sensor and one of the shields. The electrical lead layer is in electrical communication with the sensor. A resistance of the electrical lead layer along a direction orthogonal to a media facing surface is less than a resistance across the sensor along a direction parallel to the media facing surface. A spacer layer is positioned between the electrical lead layer and the one of the shields. One or both of the shields has at least one laminate pair comprising a magnetically permeable layer and a harder layer, where the harder layer has a mechanical hardness that is higher than a mechanical hardness of the magnetically permeable layer.

Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a tape head module having an array of at least eight current perpendicular to plane sensors. None of the sensors has a resistance more than about 10% away from the resistances of its nearest neighbors. An apparatus according to another embodiment includes a tape head module having an array of at least eight current perpendicular to plane sensors. The resistance of each sensor is within about 10% of the median resistance value of all sensors in the array.

Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a module having a tape bearing surface, a magnetic transducer in a thin film region, and an edge closest to the transducers. A guide is positioned relative to the edge for inducing tenting of a moving magnetic recording tape above a tape tenting region of the tape bearing surface. The magnetic transducer is positioned along the tape tenting region.

Abstract: An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes: an array of write transducers, each write transducer having: a first write pole having a pole tip extending from a media facing side of the first write pole, a second write pole having a pole tip extending from a media facing side of the second write pole, a nonmagnetic write gap between the pole tips of the write poles, and a high moment layer between the write gap and the pole tip of the second write pole, the high moment layer having a higher magnetic moment than a magnetic moment of the pole tip of the second write pole. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

Abstract: An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes: an array of write transducers, each write transducer having: a first write pole having a pole tip extending from a media facing side of the first write pole, a second write pole having a pole tip extending from a media facing side of the second write pole, a nonmagnetic write gap between the pole tips of the write poles, and a high moment layer between the write gap and the pole tip of the second write pole. The high moment layer has a higher magnetic moment than a magnetic moment of the pole tip of the second write pole. Moreover, the high moment layer protrudes beyond a plane extending along a media facing side of the second pole tip. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a sensor having an active region, a magnetic shield adjacent the active region, a spacer between the active region and the magnetic shield, a second magnetic shield on an opposite side of the active region as the magnetic shield, and a second spacer between the active region and the second magnetic shield. Both spacers include an electrically conductive ceramic layer. The electrically conductive ceramic layer of the spacer has a different composition than the electrically conductive ceramic layer of the second spacer.

Abstract: An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes: a plurality of tunnel valve read transducers arranged in an array extending along a read module. Each of the tunnel valve read transducers includes: a sensor structure having a cap layer, a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer, a reference layer and an antiferromagnetic layer, and electrically insulating layers on opposite sides of the sensor structure. Moreover, a height of the free layer measured in a direction perpendicular to a media bearing surface of the read module is less than a width of the free layer measured in a cross-track direction perpendicular to an intended direction of media travel.

Abstract: An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes: a transducer structure having: a lower shield, an upper shield above the lower shield, a current-perpendicular-to-plane sensor between the upper and lower shields, an electrical lead layer between the sensor and one of the shields, and a spacer layer between the electrical lead layer and the one of the shields. The upper and lower shields provide magnetic shielding. The electrical lead layer is in electrical communication with the sensor. A conductivity of the electrical lead layer is higher than a conductivity of the spacer layer. A width of the electrical lead layer in a cross-track direction is greater than the width of a free layer of the sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus for burnishing media, according to one embodiment, includes a first block with a media bearing surface having a plurality of channels and lands. The channels and lands alternate in a direction of media travel. Each of the lands has at least one skiving edge along a width thereof. The width of each land extends orthogonally to the direction of media travel. The apparatus also includes a mechanism for inducing a wrap angle of the media relative to media bearing surfaces of at least some of the lands. Each induced wrap angle is greater than zero degrees. An apparatus for burnishing media according to another embodiment includes channels having widths that are less than a width of the media.

Abstract: In one general embodiment, an apparatus includes a magnetic head having at least one tunneling magnetoresistance sensor. The resistance of the tunnel barrier of each tunneling magnetoresistance sensor is about 25 ohms or less. In another general embodiment, an apparatus includes a magnetic head having at least one tunneling magnetoresistance sensor. The resistivity of the tunnel barrier of each tunneling magnetoresistance sensor is less than a product of a target resistance of the tunnel barrier and an area of the tunnel barrier. The target resistance is about 25 ohms or less.

Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a sensor having an active region, a magnetic shield adjacent the active region, and a spacer between the active region and the magnetic shield. The spacer includes an electrically conductive ceramic layer. An apparatus according to another embodiment includes a sensor having an active tunnel magnetoresistive region, a magnetic shield adjacent the tunnel magnetoresistive region, and a spacer between the tunnel magnetoresistive region and the magnetic shields. The spacer includes an electrically conductive ceramic layer.

Abstract: An apparatus for burnishing media, according to one embodiment, includes a first block with a media bearing surface having a plurality of channels and lands. The channels and lands alternate in a direction of media travel. Each of the lands has at least one skiving edge along a width thereof. The width of each land extends orthogonally to the direction of media travel. The apparatus also includes a mechanism for inducing a wrap angle of the media relative to media bearing surfaces of at least some of the lands. Each induced wrap angle is greater than zero degrees. An apparatus for burnishing media according to another embodiment includes channels having widths that are less than a width of the media.