Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a substrate having a media bearing surface, and a first shield above the substrate. The first shield has a media facing side recessed from a plane extending along the media bearing surface of the substrate. A current-perpendicular-to-plane sensor is located above the substrate, the sensor having a media facing side recessed from the plane extending along the media bearing surface of the substrate. An electrically nonconductive first film is positioned on the media facing sides of the first shield and sensor. A second film is positioned on a media facing side of the first film, the second film comprising a refractory metal.

Abstract: An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes a plurality of first circuits, each first circuit comprising a pair of terminals coupled to a first read transducer and a first parallel circuit. A terminal resistance of each first circuit is less than the resistance of the first read transducer thereof. A second circuit has a pair of terminals that are coupled to a second read transducer having a tunnel valve structure. An area of a tunnel barrier portion of the second read transducer is larger than an area of a tunnel barrier portion of each of the first read transducers. A resistivity of a tunnel barrier of each of the first read transducers is about the same as a resistivity of a tunnel barrier layer of the second read transducer. The terminal resistance of each first circuit is less than about five times a terminal resistance of the second circuit.

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: A tape drive, according to one embodiment, includes: a magnetic head, a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic medium over the magnetic head, and a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head. The magnetic head further includes a transducer structure having: a lower shield, a current-perpendicular-to-plane sensor above the lower shield, an electrical lead layer between the sensor and the lower shield, and a spacer layer between the electrical lead layer and the lower shield. A conductivity of the electrical lead layer is higher than a conductivity of the spacer layer. Moreover, the electrical lead layer is in electrical communication with the sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus for magnetic recording having a barrier layer. One embodiment includes a magnetic head having an array of sensors, each of the sensors having a media facing surface. A barrier layer is positioned above at least the media facing surfaces of the sensors. The barrier layer includes at least one at least partially polycrystalline layer.

Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a module having an array of first read transducers each having a tunnel valve structure and a second read transducer coupled to the array of first read transducers, the second read transducer having a tunnel valve structure. The apparatus also includes a controller, and a cable coupling the read transducers to the controller, thereby forming a plurality of circuits extending from the controller, each circuit corresponding to one of the transducers. Resistances of the circuits are about the same.

Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a first read transducer having a tunnel valve structure, and a second read transducer coupled to the first read transducer. The second read transducer has a tunnel valve structure as well, but the tunnel valve structure of the first read transducer has a different resistivity than the tunnel valve structure of the second read transducer. An apparatus according to another embodiment includes an array of first read transducers, each first read transducer having a tunnel valve structure. At least a second read transducer is coupled to the first read transducers, the second read transducer having a tunnel valve structure. The tunnel valve structure of the first read transducer has a different resistivity than the tunnel valve structure of the second read transducer.

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 spacer layer is positioned between the electrical lead layer and the one of the shields. A conductivity of the electrical lead layer is higher than a conductivity of the spacer layer. 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 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: In one general embodiment, a method includes determining a distance from a transducer of a module to an edge of the module closest thereto, and selecting a wrap angle based on the determined distance for inducing tenting of a moving magnetic recording tape in a region above the transducer. In another general embodiment, a method includes running a magnetic recording tape over a tape bearing surface having at least one edge, and detecting signals from the tape at differing wrap angles for estimating a height of tenting of the tape above a transducer at each of the wrap angles. A wrap angle is selected to provide about a predefined height of tenting of the tape above the transducer.

Abstract: An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes: a tape head having: a write module, a read module, and a plurality of tunnel valve read transducers arranged in an array extending along the read module. Each of the tunnel valve read transducers includes: a sensor structure, an upper and lower magnetic shield, an upper conducting spacer layer between the sensor structure and the upper magnetic shield, a lower conducting spacer layer between the sensor structure and the lower magnetic shield, and electrically insulating layers opposite the sensor structure. The sensor structure includes a cap layer, a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer, a reference layer and antiferromagnetic layer. 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 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: A plasma sputtering apparatus according to one embodiment includes a chamber and a reservoir in fluidic communication with the chamber. The reservoir stores a vapor source therein, and is configured to release vapor at a predetermined rate. The vapor released by the reservoir is effective to diminish an etch rate of a first magnetic material, the vapor having a smaller effect on an etch rate of a second magnetic material that is different than the first magnetic material. The apparatus also includes a mount for a substrate and a plasma source.

Abstract: In one general embodiment, a method includes forming a slot on a tape bearing surface of at least a chip having a thin film layer with a plurality of transducers therein, the slot defining a skiving edge. A second operation is performed on the tape bearing surface of at least the chip for removing a portion of the chip positioned on an opposite side of the slot as the transducers.

Abstract: In one general embodiment, an apparatus includes a substrate, a thin film layer on the substrate having transducers therein, and a portion of a slot extending along the substrate, the portion of the slot defining a skiving edge. A length of a tape bearing surface between the thin film layer and the skiving edge is in a range of about 7 to about 30 microns. In another general embodiment, an apparatus includes a substrate, a thin film layer on the substrate having transducers therein, and a slot extending along the substrate, the slot defining a skiving edge. A length of a tape bearing surface between the thin film layer and the skiving edge is in a range of about 7 to about 30 microns.

Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes an array of magnetic read transducers each having a current-perpendicular-to-plane sensor, magnetic shields on opposite sides of the sensor in an intended direction of media travel thereacross, and a stabilizing layered structure between at least one of the magnetic shields and the sensor. The stabilizing layered structure has an antiferromagnetic layer, a first ferromagnetic layer adjacent the antiferromagnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer. The antiferromagnetic layer pins a magnetization direction in the first ferromagnetic layer along an antiferromagnetic polarized direction of the antiferromagnetic layer. An antiparallel coupling layer is positioned between the ferromagnetic layers such that a magnetization direction in the second ferromagnetic layer is opposite the magnetization direction in the first ferromagnetic layer.

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 according to one embodiment includes a substrate, and a thin film layer on the substrate having transducers therein. A portion of a bearing surface slot extends along the substrate, the portion of the bearing surface slot defining a skiving edge. A length of a tape bearing surface between the substrate and the skiving edge is in a range of about 7 to about 30 microns.

Abstract: A process according to one embodiment includes milling a media facing surface of a module having an array of sensors at a first angle, and milling the media facing surface of the magnetic head module at a second angle, not necessarily in that order. After the milling at the first and second angles, the media facing surface of the module is milled at a third angle between 55 degrees and 65 degrees from normal. An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a tape head module having an array of at least eight current perpendicular to plane sensors, wherein none of the sensors has a resistance more than about 10% away from the resistances of its nearest neighbors.

Abstract: A method according to one embodiment includes measuring an initial coating thickness on a tape bearing surface of a module in a carrier, running a tape across the tape bearing surface, and at intervals, measuring a residual thickness of the coating.