Abstract: A magnetic recording channel front-end for a magnetic storage system includes a magnetoresistive element, an interconnect and a readback amplifier. The interconnect, which has a characteristic impedance, couples the magnetoresistive element to the readback amplifier. The readback amplifier includes a gain stage and an active termination. The gain stage, which has an associated impedance, has an input that is connected to the interconnect. The active termination is coupled to the input of the gain stage, such that an input impedance of the readback amplifier, which is formed by a combination of the impedance associated with the gain stage and the active termination, is substantially equal to the characteristic impedance of the interconnect. Additionally, the gain stage generates a first noise signal that has a first magnitude appearing at an output of the gain stage. The active termination generates a second noise signal that has a second magnitude that also appears at the output of the gain stage.

Abstract: A method for forming a termination for a magnetic write head in which a magnetic write coil having an inner turn and an outer turn is formed on a wafer. A bottom capacitor plate for a capacitor on the wafer. A resistor having a first terminal and a second terminal is also formed on the wafer. A dielectric layer is formed over the bottom capacitor plate for the capacitor. A top capacitor plate is formed on the dielectric layer. An overpass lead is formed between the inner turn of the coil and one of the bottom capacitor plate and the top capacitor plate. The first terminal of resistor is connected to the capacitor plate that is not connected to the inner turn of the write coil. The second terminal of the resistor is connected to the outer turn of the write coil. An impedance formed by the write coil, the capacitor and the resistor substantially equals a characteristic impedance Z0 of an interconnect circuit that will be connected to the write coil.

Abstract: A recording channel front-end circuit for driving a write element over a transmission line interconnect provides the improved performance during writing of information. In one embodiment, the recording channel front-end circuit includes a voltage-type write driver coupled to the transmission line interconnect and operable to output a write driver signal to the transmission line interconnect and a receiver termination circuit coupling the transmission line interconnect to the write element. The receiver termination circuit may include an impedance matching network operable match a terminal impedance of the write element to be substantially equal to a characteristic impedance of the transmission line interconnect.

Abstract: A magnetic recording circuit includes a write driver output stage, a magnetic write head and an interconnect circuit. The write driver output stage has an output and an output impedance. The magnetic write head has an input and an input impedance. The interconnect circuit has an input, an output and a selected characteristic impedance Z0. The input of the interconnect circuit is coupled to the output of the write driver output stage, the output of the interconnect circuit is coupled to the input of the write head. The interconnect circuit can be one of, or both, source-terminated so that the output impedance of the write driver output stage is substantially equal to the selected characteristic impedance Z0 of the interconnect circuit, and load-terminated so that the input impedance of the write head is substantially equal to the characteristic impedance Z0 of the interconnect circuit.