Abstract: Stability or instability zones are determined for ambient temperatures and one or more operational parameters applied to a heat-assisted magnetic recording head. Operations within the stability or instability zones resulting in respective stable or unstable operation of a laser of the recording head. During operation of the recording head, it is determining that a current ambient temperature and currently applied values of the one or more operational parameters are at or near one of the instability zones, and a write operation of the recording head is modified in response.

Abstract: Stability or instability zones are determined for ambient temperatures and one or more operational parameters applied to a heat-assisted magnetic recording head. Operations within the stability or instability zones resulting in respective stable or unstable operation of a laser of the recording head. During operation of the recording head, it is determining that a current ambient temperature and currently applied values of the one or more operational parameters are at or near one of the instability zones, and a write operation of the recording head is modified in response.

Abstract: First and second nominal head-to-media spacings of a magnetic recording head are determined that result in tracks being written to a magnetic recording medium at respective narrower and wider tracks widths. Three or more adjacent tracks of user data are written to the magnetic recording medium using one of the first and second nominal head-to-media spacings so that the adjacent tracks alternate between the narrower and wider track widths.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a magnetic pole and a near-field transducer positioned at or near a media-facing surface and is separated from the magnetic pole, the near-field transducer configured to generate a thermal spot. The apparatus further comprises a layer proximate the magnetic pole and the near-field transducer, and the layer is configured to reduce a magnetic field proximate a center of the thermal spot.

Abstract: A transducing device includes a writer having a pole tip region and a heater circuit. The heater circuit has a heating portion and a heater current return path. The heating portion has at least two branches positioned with respect to the writer so that current flowing through the at least two branches heat the writer. The heater current return path is electrically connected to the at least two branches of the heating portion near the pole tip region and includes an electrically conductive portion of the writer.

Abstract: A read/write head includes a bottom shield and a shared shield. The shared shield includes a first domain and a plurality of closure domains. The read/write head also includes a magnetoresistive sensor deposited adjacent an air bearing surface between the bottom shield and the shared shield. The magnetoresistive sensor includes a magnetoresistor aligned with the first domain. Non-magnetic material separates the magnetoresistive sensor from the bottom shield and the shared shield. The shared shield includes a shaped feature that defines an unambiguous direction of magnetization for the first domain.

Abstract: A disc drive includes a disc and a read/write head accessing the disc. The head includes a thermally conductive substrate and a write coil window surrounded by a shared pole piece thermally coupled to the substrate, a central core, a write pole piece and a write gap. A bottom coil adjacent the shared pole piece has multiple turns that have bottom narrowed regions passing through the window. A top coil adjacent the write pole piece has multiple turns that have top narrowed regions passing through the window. The top turns are fewer in number and flattened relative to the bottom turns.

Abstract: A read/write head includes a bottom shield and a shared shield. The shared shield includes a first domain and a plurality of closure domains. The read/write head also includes a magnetoresistive sensor deposited adjacent an air bearing surface between the bottom shield and the shared shield. The magnetoresistive sensor includes a magnetoresistor aligned with the first domain. Non-magnetic material separates the magnetoresistive sensor from the bottom shield and the shared shield. The shared shield includes a shaped feature that defines an unambiguous direction of magnetization for the first domain.

Abstract: A disc drive includes a disc and a read/write head accessing the disc. The head includes a thermally conductive substrate and a write coil window surrounded by a shared pole piece thermally coupled to the substrate, a central core, a write pole piece and a write gap. A bottom coil adjacent the shared pole piece has multiple turns that have bottom narrowed regions passing through the window. A top coil adjacent the write pole piece has multiple turns that have top narrowed regions passing through the window. The top turns are fewer in number and flattened relative to the bottom turns.

Abstract: The invention provides a cartridge-mounted mechanical seal in which a set of bellows acts against the rotary component to urge its face into mating contact with the stationary component face, and wherein the stationary component is mounted in the seal so as to allow it a degree of pivotal movement, in use, relative to the stationary parts of an item of equipment in which the seal is used, about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the seal, hence maintaining the stationary and rotary components substantially in alignment despite any out-of-squareness in the equipment.