Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for providing thin shields in a multiple sensor array are provided. One such apparatus is a magnetic read transducer including a first read sensor, a second read sensor, and a shield assembly positioned between the first read sensor and the second read sensor at an air bearing surface (ABS) of the magnetic read transducer, the shield assembly including a first shield layer assembly having a first footprint with a first area, and a second shield layer assembly having a second footprint with a second area, where the second area is greater than the first area.

Abstract: A magnetic read apparatus includes a first sensor, a shield layer, an insulating layer, a shield structure and a second sensor. The shield layer is between the first sensor and the insulating layer. The shield structure is in the down track direction from the insulating layer. The shield structure includes a magnetic seed structure, a shield pinning structure and a shield reference structure. The magnetic seed structure adjoins the shield pinning structure. The shield pinning structure is between the shield reference structure and the magnetic seed structure. The second sensor includes a free layer and a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the shield reference structure and the free layer. The shield reference structure is between the shield pinning structure and the nonmagnetic spacer layer. The shield pinning structure includes a pinned magnetic moment. The shield reference structure includes another magnetic moment weakly coupled with the pinned magnetic moment.

Abstract: A magnetic read apparatus includes a read sensor, a shield structure and a side magnetic bias structure. The read sensor includes a free layer having a side and a nonmagnetic spacer layer. The shield structure includes a shield pinning structure and a shield reference structure. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is between the shield reference structure and the free layer. The shield reference structure is between the shield pinning structure and the nonmagnetic spacer layer. The shield pinning structure includes a pinned magnetic moment in a first direction. The shield reference structure includes a shield reference structure magnetic moment weakly coupled with the pinned magnetic moment. The side magnetic bias structure is adjacent to the side of the free layer.

Abstract: A magnetic read apparatus has a media-facing surface (MFS) and includes a read sensor, a magnetic bias structure and an insulating layer. The read sensor has a side, a front occupying part of the MFS and a back. The read sensor includes a free layer, a pinned layer and a barrier layer between the free and pinned layers. The barrier layer has a barrier layer coefficient of thermal expansion. The magnetic bias structure is adjacent to the side of the free layer. The insulating layer includes first and second portions. The first portion of the insulating layer is between the read sensor side and the magnetic bias structure. The second portion of the insulating layer adjoins the read sensor back. The insulating layer has an insulating layer coefficient of thermal expansion that is at least ? of and not more than 5/3 of the barrier layer coefficient of thermal expansion.

Abstract: A spin transfer torque magnetic junction includes a magnetic reference layer structure with magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to a substrate plane. A laminated magnetic free layer comprises at least three sublayers (e.g. sub-layers of CoFeB, CoPt, FePt, or CoPd) having magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to the substrate plane. Each such sublayer is separated from an adjacent one by a dusting layer (e.g. tantalum). An insulative barrier layer (e.g. MgO) is disposed between the laminated free layer and the magnetic reference layer structure. The spin transfer torque magnetic junction includes conductive base and top electrodes, and a current polarizing structure that has magnetic anisotropy parallel to the substrate plane. In certain embodiments, the current polarizing structure may also include a non-magnetic spacer layer (e.g. MgO, copper, etc).

Abstract: A magnetic read apparatus includes a read sensor, a shield structure and a side magnetic bias structure. The read sensor includes a free layer having a side and a nonmagnetic spacer layer. The shield structure includes a shield pinning structure and a shield reference structure. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is between the shield reference structure and the free layer. The shield reference structure is between the shield pinning structure and the nonmagnetic spacer layer. The shield pinning structure includes a pinned magnetic moment in a first direction. The shield reference structure includes a shield reference structure magnetic moment weakly coupled with the pinned magnetic moment. The side magnetic bias structure is adjacent to the side of the free layer.

Abstract: A method and system provide a magnetic transducer including first and second read sensors, a shield and a conductive via. The shield is between the first and second read sensors. The magnetic transducer also includes first and second read shields. The shield has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface. The bottom surface faces the first read sensor. The conductive via is isolated from the first read shield and the second read shield. The conductive via provides electrical contact to the shield and is electrically connected to the bottom surface of the shield.

Abstract: A method and system provide a magnetic transducer including a first shield, a plurality of read sensors, and a second shield. The read sensors are between the first shield and the second shield. The read sensors have a plurality of widths in a track width direction and are separated by at least one distance in a down track direction. The down track direction is perpendicular to the track width direction.

Abstract: A tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) read sensor having a tabbed AFM layer and an extended pinned layer and methods for making the same are provided. The TMR read sensor has an AFM layer recessed from the air bearing surface, providing a reduced shield-to-shield distance.

Abstract: A spin transfer torque magnetic junction includes a magnetic reference layer structure with magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to a substrate plane. A laminated magnetic free layer comprises at least three sublayers (e.g. sub-layers of CoFeB, CoPt, FePt, or CoPd) having magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to the substrate plane. Each such sublayer is separated from an adjacent one by a dusting layer (e.g. tantalum). An insulative barrier layer (e.g. MgO) is disposed between the laminated free layer and the magnetic reference layer structure. The spin transfer torque magnetic junction includes conductive base and top electrodes, and a current polarizing structure that has magnetic anisotropy parallel to the substrate plane. In certain embodiments, the current polarizing structure may also include a non-magnetic spacer layer (e.g. MgO, copper, etc).

Abstract: A method and system provide a magnetic read transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The magnetic read transducer includes a read sensor stack and a pinning structure. The read sensor stack includes a pinned layer, a spacer layer, and a free layer. The spacer layer is nonmagnetic and between the pinned layer and the free layer. A portion of the read sensor stack is at the ABS. The pinning structure includes a hard magnetic layer recessed from the ABS, recessed from the free layer and adjacent to a portion of the pinned layer.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk comprising a plurality of tracks, and a head comprising at least three read elements including a first read element, a second read element, and a third read element. When the head is within a first radial band of the disk, data recorded on the disk is detected using the first read element and the second read element. When the head is within a second radial band of the disk different from the first radial band, data recorded on the disk is detected using the first read element and the third read element. The first read element is substantially aligned down-track with the third read element when the head is over a first radial location of the disk.

Abstract: A spin transfer torque magnetic junction includes a magnetic reference layer structure with magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to a substrate plane. A laminated magnetic free layer comprises at least three sublayers (e.g. sub-layers of 6 to 30 Angstroms of CoFeB, CoPt, FePt, or CoPd) having magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to the substrate plane. Each such sublayer is separated from an adjacent one by a tantalum dusting layer. An insulative barrier layer (e.g. MgO) is disposed between the laminated free layer and the magnetic reference layer structure. The spin transfer torque magnetic junction includes conductive base and top electrodes, and a current polarizing structure that has magnetic anisotropy parallel to the substrate plane. In certain embodiments, the current polarizing structure may also include a non-magnetic spacer layer (e.g. MgO, copper, etc).

Abstract: A tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) read sensor having a tabbed AFM layer and an extended pinned layer and methods for making the same are provided. The TMR read sensor has an AFM layer recessed from the air bearing surface, providing a reduced shield-to-shield distance.

Abstract: System and methods are illustrated for customizing the HGA bonding skew angle of a TDMR slider including a plurality of readers to adjust reader alignment relative to a track location on disk media. Overlay error caused by manufacturing variations is compensated for by adjusting the skew angle of the slider when it is bonded to the suspension to form the HGA. Process operations for manufacturing a TMDR HDD include manufacturing a multiple reader, multiple layer TDMR slider, determining an overlay error in the slider, determining a slider bonding skew angle based on the determined overlay error and other parameters, and bonding the slider to a HDD suspension at the determined bonding skew angle.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming implanted capping layers in magnetic media for magnetic recording are provided. One such method includes providing an underlayer, providing a magnetic recording layer on the underlayer, the magnetic recording layer including a bottom surface and a top surface where the bottom surface is between the top surface and the underlayer, and implanting a capping material in the top surface of the magnetic recording layer using a direct implantation technique or an indirect implantation technique.

Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a disk comprising a plurality of tracks, and a head actuated over the disk. A first test pattern having a first polarity is written to a target track, and the first test pattern is read to generate a first read signal. The first test pattern is overwritten with a second test pattern having a second polarity opposite the first polarity, and the second test pattern is read to generate a second read signal. A defect in the target track is detected based on the first read signal and the second read signal.

Abstract: System and methods are illustrated for customizing the HGA bonding skew angle of a TDMR slider including a plurality of readers to adjust reader alignment relative to a track location on disk media. Overlay error caused by manufacturing variations is compensated for by adjusting the skew angle of the slider when it is bonded to the suspension to form the HGA. Process operations for manufacturing a TMDR HDD include manufacturing a multiple reader, multiple layer TDMR slider, determining an overlay error in the slider, determining a slider bonding skew angle based on the determined overlay error and other parameters, and bonding the slider to a HDD suspension at the determined bonding skew angle.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk comprising a plurality of tracks, and a head comprising at least three read elements including a first read element, a second read element, and a third read element. When the head is within a first radial band of the disk, data recorded on the disk is detected using the first read element and the second read element. When the head is within a second radial band of the disk different from the first radial band, data recorded on the disk is detected using the first read element and the third read element. The first read element is substantially aligned down-track with the third read element when the head is over a first radial location of the disk.

Abstract: A read transducer having a first read sensor, a second read sensor, and a first middle shield is provided. The second read sensor is disposed in a down track direction from the first read sensor. The first middle shield is disposed between the first read sensor and the second read sensor. The first middle shield includes a first metallic middle shield layer disposed between the first read sensor and the second read sensor, a second metallic middle shield layer disposed between the first metallic middle shield layer and the second read sensor, and a first magnetic-spacer layer disposed between the first metallic middle shield layer and the second metallic middle shield layer. The first metallic middle shield layer and the second metallic middle shield layer have substantially the same polarity.