Abstract: A semiconductor slider including an integral spin valve transistor (SVT) having a read width of 250 nm or less disposed on a monolithic semiconductor. substrate, useful in magnetic data storage applications. The monolithic slider may also include other magnetic and semiconductor transistor structures and is fabricated in a single process using standard thin-film processing steps. The SVT includes a sensor stack having a top surface and including a first ferromagnetic (FM) layer in contact with and forming a Schottky barrier at the monolithic semiconductor substrate, a FM shield layer disposed over the sensor stack and in electrical contact with the top surface thereof, a SVT emitter terminal coupled to the FM shield, a SVT collector terminal coupled to the substrate and a SVT base terminal coupled to the first FM layer. The sensor stack may include a spin valve (SV) stack or a tunnel valve (TV) stack, for example.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wiring degradation detector for use with telephone wire-pairs providing electric power. In one embodiment, the wiring degradation detector includes a transmission section configured to transmit load power over the telephone wire-pairs. Additionally, the wiring degradation detector also includes a test section coupled to the transmission section and configured to provide a load power test signal that determines a condition of the telephone wire-pairs. In an alternative embodiment, the wiring degradation detector further includes a degradation monitoring section coupled to the test section and configured to track values of the condition of the wiring over time.

Abstract: Several embodiments of a sense current perpendicular to the planes of the sensor (CPP) and flux guide type of read head has a gap between first and second shield layers at an air bearing surface (ABS) where the flux guide is located which is less than a gap between the first and second shield layers at a recessed location where the sensor is located. This reduced gap increases the linear bit density capability of the read head. A longitudinal bias stack (LBS) is located in the sensor stack. Several unique methods of construction are described for forming the magnetic head assemblies.

Abstract: The present invention is a magnetic head having a helical induction coil and includes hard disk drive devices that utilize the magnetic head. The helical coil is fabricated around a magnetic pole yoke in a series of process steps that include a reactive ion etch (RIE) process step which is utilized to simultaneously form vertical interconnect vias and upper helical coil member trenches. Thereafter, in a single fabrication step, such as by electroplating, the vertical interconnect lines and the upper helical coil traces are created in a single fabrication step, such that they are integrally formed. The vertical interconnect lines provide an electrical connection between outer ends of previously formed lower helical coil traces and outer ends of the integrally formed upper helical coil traces, such that a helical coil is fabricated. In the preferred embodiment, the helical coil is composed of copper.

Abstract: Converter modules for providing and receiving electric power through a single telephone wire-pair and related systems and methods. In one embodiment, a converter module for providing electric power to a single telephone wire-pair includes: (1) a DC/DC boost converter configured to receive input power from an existing power supply and an existing distribution bus at a central office and further configured to provide output power to the single wire-pair and (2) a current-limiting converter controller coupled to the DC/DC boost converter and configured to limit a current output of the DC/DC boost converter to the single wire-pair.

Abstract: A magnetic recording system is provided having a write head employing a combination of magnetic write field gradient and thermal gradient to write data on a ‘thermal spring’ magnetic recording media. The write head comprises a magnetic element using a write current to induce a magnetic write field at the magnetic media and a thermal element using a very small aperture laser to heat a portion of the media. The thermal spring magnetic media comprises [comprises] first and second stacks providing two exchange coupled ferromagnetic layers having different Curie temperatures [The first stack has a high magneto-crystalline anisotropy, a relatively low saturation magnetization and a low Curie temperature.] [The second stack has a relatively low magneto-crystalline anisotropy, a high saturation magnetization and a high Curie temperature.

Abstract: A circuit board assembly which includes an electrically insulating layer, a conductive printed wiring layer formed on the surface of the electrically insulating layer and includes a plurality of conductive paths, a conductive trace on the electrically insulating layer and apparatus for dissipating a transient in addition to a surface mount resistor fixed in relation to the trace. In some forms of the invention the surface mount resistor has opposed generally planar lips. The trace may also be generally planar. In some cases the lower lips and the trace are generally parallel. The generally planar lips of the surface mount resistor may be closer to the trace than the thickness of the surface mount resistor. A single geometric plane may extend through substantially all of the lips and all of the trace. In some cases the lower surface of the lips and the lower surface of the trace are substantially coplanar.

Abstract: Several embodiments of a sense current perpendicular to the planes of the sensor (CPP) and flux guide type of read head has a gap between first and second shield layers at an air bearing surface (ABS) where the flux guide is located which is less than a gap between the first and second shield layers at a recessed location where the sensor is located. This reduced gap increases the linear bit density capability of the read head. A longitudinal bias stack (LBS) is located in the sensor stack. Several unique methods of construction are described for forming the magnetic head assemblies.

Abstract: A semiconductor slider including an integral spin valve transistor (SVT) having a read width of 250 nm or less disposed on a monolithic semiconductor substrate, useful in magnetic data storage applications. The monolithic slider may also include other magnetic and semiconductor transistor structures and is fabricated in a single process using standard thin-film processing steps. The SVT includes a sensor stack having a top surface and including a first ferromagnetic (FM) layer in contact with and forming a Schottky barrier at the monolithic semiconductor substrate, a FM shield layer disposed over the sensor stack and in electrical contact with the top surface thereof, a SVT emitter terminal coupled to the FM shield, a SVT collector terminal coupled to the substrate and a SVT base terminal coupled to the first FM layer. The sensor stack may include a spin valve (SV) stack or a tunnel valve (TV) stack, for example.

Abstract: The present invention is a magnetic head having a helical induction coil and includes hard disk drive devices that utilize the magnetic head. The helical coil is fabricated around a magnetic pole yoke in a series of process steps that include a reactive ion etch (RIE) process step which is utilized to simultaneously form vertical interconnect vias and upper helical coil member trenches. Thereafter, in a single fabrication step, such as by electroplating, the vertical interconnect lines and the upper helical coil traces are created in a single fabrication step, such that they are integrally formed. The vertical interconnect lines provide an electrical connection between outer ends of previously formed lower helical coil traces and outer ends of the integrally formed upper helical coil traces, such that a helical coil is fabricated. In the preferred embodiment, the helical coil is composed of copper.

Abstract: A suspended resist bridge suitable for lithographically patterning MR sensors having trackwidths narrower than 0.2 micron is fabricated using the method of the present invention. First, PMGI is spun onto a substrate to form a first thin resist layer. Next, PMMA is spun onto the first resist layer to form a second resist layer. The PMMA layer is exposed to an electron beam to pattern the trackwidth of the MR sensors. E-beam exposed PMMA is then developed in an IPA solution. The resist structure is then placed in a basic solution for dissolving PMGI, which results in a fully undercut resist bridge that is used for patterning the MR sensors.

Abstract: A magnetic head having a helical induction coil. The helical coil is fabricated around a magnetic pole yoke in a series of process steps that include a reactive ion etch (RIE) process step which is utilized to simultaneously form vertical interconnect vias and upper helical coil member trenches. Thereafter, in a single fabrication step, such as by electroplating, the vertical interconnect lines and the upper helical coil traces are created in a single fabrication step, such that they are integrally formed. The vertical interconnect lines provide an electrical connection between outer ends of previously formed lower helical coil traces and outer ends of the integrally formed upper helical coil traces, such that a helical coil is fabricated. In the preferred embodiment, the helical coil is composed of copper.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a read head employ a bias stack which is in a sensor stack of the read head. The bias stack includes a biasing layer and is separated from a free layer in the sensor by a spacer layer. A magnetic moment of the free layer is longitudinally biased antiparallel to a magnetic moment of the biasing layer because of the coupling therebetween. The free layer is therefore more uniformly longitudinally biased than when hard bias layers are employed at first and second side surfaces of the sensor. Various methods are described for making the various read heads of the present invention.

Abstract: A semiconductor slider including an integral spin valve transistor (SVT) having a read width of 250 nm or less disposed on a monolithic semiconductor substrate, useful in magnetic data storage applications. The monolithic slider may also include other magnetic and semiconductor transistor structures and is fabricated in a single process using standard thin-film processing steps. The SVT includes a sensor stack having a top surface and including a first ferromagnetic (FM) layer in contact with and forming a Schottky barrier at the monolithic semiconductor substrate, a FM shield layer disposed over the sensor stack and in electrical contact with the top surface thereof, a SVT emitter terminal coupled to the FM shield, a SVT collector terminal coupled to the substrate and a SVT base terminal coupled to the first FM layer. The sensor stack may include a spin valve (SV) stack or a tunnel valve (TV) stack, for example.

Abstract: An electronic lapping guide (ELG) and method of making are provided for precisely lapping a read sensor to a designed air bearing surface (ABS). In the method a sensor material layer is formed on a wafer after which a portion of the sensor material layer is removed and ELG material is deposited therein. This is followed by forming track widths and back edges for each of the ELG and the read sensor to be followed by lapping to the ABS. Various films are employed for the ELG to minimize magnetoresistance and optimize the resistance of the ELG. The resistance of the ELG is then sensed by a computer for controlling a lapping tool to lap to the aforementioned ABS.

Abstract: Several embodiments of a sense current perpendicular to the planes of the sensor (CPP) and flux guide type of read head has a gap between first and second shield layers at an air bearing surface (ABS) where the flux guide is located which is less than a gap between the first and second shield layers at a recessed location where the sensor is located. This reduced gap increases the linear bit density capability of the read head. A longitudinal bias stack (LBS) is located in the sensor stack. Several unique methods of construction are described for forming the magnetic head assemblies.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a read head employ a bias stack which is in a sensor stack of the read head. The bias stack includes a biasing layer and is separated from a free layer in the sensor by a spacer layer. A magnetic moment of the free layer is longitudinally biased antiparallel to a magnetic moment of the biasing layer because of the coupling therebetween. The free layer is therefore more uniformly longitudinally biased than when hard bias layers are employed at first and second side surfaces of the sensor. Various methods are described for making the various read heads of the present invention.

Abstract: A spin valve transistor (SVT) for a magnetic head and a method of making the same are described. A slider of a disk drive is formed of a semiconductor material, such as silicon. A free layer is formed over the semiconductor material and a magnetic pinned layer is formed over a portion of the free layer. The free layer has an edge that is substantially flush with an air bearing surface (ABS) between the magnetic head and the disk, whereas the magnetic pinned layer has an edge that is recessed away from the ABS. Advantageously, since the free layer serves as a flux guiding structure for the sensor, the sensor has a thinner profile at the ABS to accommodate higher recording densities.

Abstract: A magnetic recording system is provided having a write head employing a combination of magnetic write field gradient and thermal gradient to write data on a ‘thermal spring’ magnetic recording media. The write head comprises a magnetic element using a write current to induce a magnetic write field at the magnetic media and a thermal element using a very small aperture laser to heat a portion of the media. The thermal spring magnetic media comprises comprises first and second stacks providing two exchange coupled ferromagnetic layers having different Curie temperatures. The first stack has a high magneto-crystalline anisotropy, a relatively low saturation magnetization and a low Curie temperature. The second stack has a relatively low magneto-crystalline anisotropy, a high saturation magnetization and a high Curie temperature.

Abstract: First and second longitudinal biasing layers for a free layer of a tunnel junction sensor are electrically insulative so as to not shunt any of the sense current conducted through the tunnel junction sensor. The first and second longitudinal biasing layers are composed of gamma iron oxide (&lgr;Fe2O3).