Abstract: A multi-channel head includes a substrate, a plurality of write elements arranged in a track width direction above the substrate in a lamination direction, and a plurality of read elements arranged in the track width direction above the plurality of write elements in the lamination direction. At least one of the plurality of write elements is offset from the others in the lamination direction. All the plurality of read elements are located higher than an uppermost one of the plurality of write elements in the lamination direction.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head that shows stable read and/or write performances, maintaining the reliability over time by suppressing the wear of the head sufficiently, is provided. The head comprises: a substrate having an element-formed surface and an opposed-to-medium surface; a magnetic head element; an overcoat layer formed on the element-formed surface so as to cover the magnetic head element; a closure provided on the overcoat layer, a surface of the closure being in contact with the upper surface of the overcoat layer; and an element contact pad formed in a sliding-side surface of the head and having a contact surface including a part of the opposed-to-medium surface, a part of an end surface of the overcoat layer and a part of an end surface of the closure, one end of the magnetic head element reaching the contact surface.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head that has an improved protrusion efficiency under the condition of not only assuring the reliability of the-heating operation, but also stabilizing the read output is provided. The head comprises: a magnetic head element for writing and/or reading data signals; a heating element for generating heat at least during operations of the magnetic head element; and a first heatsink element provided adjacent to the heating element for receiving a part of the heat generated from the heating element, the first heatsink element being a distance from the magnetic head element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thin-film magnetic head with a heater. A thin-film magnetic head includes a substrate, a magnetic read head element that has a shield area and is formed on the substrate, a magnetic write head element that has a pole area and is formed on the opposite side of the substrate with respect to the magnetic read head element, an overcoat layer that covers the magnetic read head element and the magnetic write head element and is formed on the substrate, a heater that heats at least during the magnetic read head element or the magnetic write head element in operation and is formed in the overcoat layer, and a slit area that splits the shield area in a shield length direction and is made of lower thermal conductivity material than the one of the shield area.

Abstract: An exposure mask capable of improving resolution is provided. An exposure mask includes one slit-shaped main transmission region and three pairs of slit-shaped auxiliary transmission regions arranged in order in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main transmission region, each pair of auxiliary transmission regions facing each other with the main transmission region in between. Compared to the case where two or less pairs of auxiliary transmission regions are included, light intensity contrast becomes higher in an end portion in a slit width direction of the main transmission region by exposing and developing a resist film through the use of the exposure mask, so the exposed width of the resist film is narrowed.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head according to the present invention comprises: a substrate; at least one magnetic head element formed on the substrate; an overcoat multilayer composed of a plurality of overcoat layers, formed on the substrate so as to cover the at least one magnetic head element; and at least one heating element to be heated at least during operation of the at least one magnetic head element, the at least one heating element provided in the overcoat multilayer, and a coefficient of thermal expansion of an overcoat layer located farthest from the substrate in the overcoat multilayer being smaller than a coefficient of thermal expansion of an overcoat layer located closest to the substrate in the overcoat multilayer.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head with which an error rate is decreased due to a reduction of a jitter without significant decrease in write field, is provided. The head comprises at least one inductive write head element comprising: a main magnetic pole layer having an inner saturation magnetic flux density varying from both side end surfaces in a track-width direction and a leading end surface, toward a center portion in the track-width direction of a trailing end surface; an auxiliary magnetic pole layer; and at least one coil layer, a curvature width WC of a contour line of a write field adjacent to a trailing edge on an ABS side of the main magnetic pole layer satisfying the following expression: ?0.15*WT?WC<12 where WT is a track width and a unit of WC and WT is nanometer.

Abstract: A lapping method and apparatus is provided that increases the yield rate in the magnetic head slider manufacturing process. According to the invention, an apparatus for lapping thin film magnetic heads includes a jig block and a lapping plate. The jig block includes a first jig which holds a bar to be lapped, and second jig which holds a member for load sharing. The lapping plate is movable relative to the first jig and the second jig, and is contactable with the surface to be lapped of the bar held by the first jig and the member for load sharing held by the second jig for lapping.

Abstract: A multi-channel head includes a substrate, a plurality of write elements arranged in a track width direction above the substrate in a lamination direction, and a plurality of read elements arranged in the track width direction above the plurality of write elements in the lamination direction. At least one of the plurality of write elements is offset from the others in the lamination direction. All the plurality of read elements are located higher than an uppermost one of the plurality of write elements in the lamination direction.

Abstract: An exposure mask capable of improving resolution is provided. An exposure mask includes one slit-shaped main transmission region and three pairs of slit-shaped auxiliary transmission regions arranged in order in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main transmission region, each pair of auxiliary transmission regions facing each other with the main transmission region in between. Compared to the case where two or less pairs of auxiliary transmission regions are included, light intensity contrast becomes higher in an end portion in a slit width direction of the main transmission region by exposing and developing a resist film through the use of the exposure mask, so the exposed width of the resist film is narrowed.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a magnetic head driving circuit and a magnetic disk device which achieve a low flying-height with thermal protrusion and thus a reliable write operation on the magnetic disk. The write circuit 3 receives the write data signal Sw inputted therein, and generates and outputs the write voltages Wx, Wy based upon the inputted signal. The write voltages Wx, Wy are composed of a preamble portion T1, a sink mark T2 and a user data portion T3 in each sector for magnetic recording. In the write voltage, the frequency f2 of the signal in the preamble portion T1 is higher than half the frequency f1 of the signal in the user data portion T3.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head that shows stable read and/or write performances, maintaining the reliability over time by suppressing the wear of the head sufficiently, is provided. The head comprises: a substrate having an element-formed surface and an opposed-to-medium surface; a magnetic head element; an overcoat layer formed on the element-formed surface so as to cover the magnetic head element; a closure provided on the overcoat layer, a surface of the closure being in contact with the upper surface of the overcoat layer; and an element contact pad formed in a sliding-side surface of the head and having a contact surface including a part of the opposed-to-medium surface, a part of an end surface of the overcoat layer and a part of an end surface of the closure, one end of the magnetic head element reaching the contact surface.

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive apparatus includes a magnetic disk with a data region, a magnetic head located in a region of the magnetic disk other than the data region or outside of the magnetic disk before startup of the magnetic disk and loaded on the data region after the startup, and a current supply unit for providing, just after the startup, a dummy write current with a current value lower than a normal write current value to the magnetic head located in the region of the magnetic disk other than the data region or outside of the magnetic disk.

Abstract: The burst pattern shape in a discrete medium is set to a shape (truncated quadrangular pyramid shape) having substantially trapezoidal shapes in a track width direction and in a track circumferential direction, respectively, and a predetermined relationship is satisfied among W1, W2, Tp, and Wr where W1 represents an upper side corresponding to the surface of a convex magnetic recording layer and W2 a lower side corresponding to the lower surface of the convex magnetic recording layer in the trapezoidal shape in the track width direction, Tp represents a data track pitch of a data information recording portion, and Wr represents a read width of a magnetic head. Therefore, the burst pattern shape makes it possible to largely reduce a production load in processing and still to obtain an accurate position error signal.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head that has an improved protrusion efficiency under the condition of not only assuring the reliability of the-heating operation, but also stabilizing the read output is provided. The head comprises: a magnetic head element for writing and/or reading data signals; a heating element for generating heat at least during operations of the magnetic head element; and a first heatsink element provided adjacent to the heating element for receiving a part of the heat generated from the heating element, the first heatsink element being a distance from the magnetic head element.

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive apparatus includes a magnetic disk with a data region, a magnetic head located in a region of the magnetic disk other than the data region or outside of the magnetic disk before startup of the magnetic disk and loaded on the data region after the startup, and a current supply unit for providing, just after the startup, a dummy write current with a current value lower than a normal write current value to the magnetic head located in the region of the magnetic disk other than the data region or outside of the magnetic disk.

Abstract: In the method of inspecting a thin-film magnetic head, a thin-film magnetic head provided with a magnetoresistive film having a free layer whose magnetization direction changes depending on an external magnetic field and ferromagnetic layers for applying a bias magnetic field to the free layer is prepared. Then, a DC magnetic field is applied to the ferromagnetic layers in the bias magnetic field applying direction. Subsequently, an AC magnetic field is applied to the ferromagnetic layers in the bias magnetic field applying direction. Thereafter, an external magnetic field is applied to the magnetoresistive film while supplying a current thereto, and a property of the thin-film magnetic head such as asymmetry and reproducing output is inspected.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head with which an error rate is decreased due to a reduction of a jitter without significant decrease in write field, is provided. The head comprises at least one inductive write head element comprising: a main magnetic pole layer having an inner saturation magnetic flux density varying from both side end surfaces in a track-width direction and a leading end surface, toward a center portion in the track-width direction of a trailing end surface; an auxiliary magnetic pole layer; and at least one coil layer, a curvature width WC of a contour line of a write field adjacent to a trailing edge on an ABS side of the main magnetic pole layer satisfying the following expression: ?0.15*WT=WC<12 where WT is a track width and a unit of WC and WT is nanometer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thin-film magnetic head with a heater. A thin-film magnetic head includes a substrate, a magnetic read head element that has a shield area and is formed on the substrate, a magnetic write head element that has a pole area and is formed on the opposite side of the substrate with respect to the magnetic read head element, an overcoat layer that covers the magnetic read head element and the magnetic write head element and is formed on the substrate, a heater that heats at least during the magnetic read head element or the magnetic write head element in operation and is formed in the overcoat layer, and a slit area that splits the shield area in a shield length direction and is made of lower thermal conductivity material than the one of the shield area.

Abstract: The burst pattern shape in a discrete medium is set to a shape (truncated quadrangular pyramid shape) having substantially trapezoidal shapes in a track width direction and in a track circumferential direction, respectively, and a predetermined relationship is satisfied among W1, W2, Tp, and Wr where W1 represents an upper side corresponding to the surface of a convex magnetic recording layer and W2 a lower side corresponding to the lower surface of the convex magnetic recording layer in the trapezoidal shape in the track width direction, Tp represents a data track pitch of a data information recording portion, and Wr represents a read width of a magnetic head. Therefore, the burst pattern shape makes it possible to largely reduce a production load in processing and still to obtain an accurate position error signal.