Abstract: A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The magnetic transducer includes a first shield, a read sensor, at least one soft magnetic bias structure and at least one hard bias structure. The read sensor includes a sensor layer that has at least one edge in the track width direction along the ABS. The soft magnetic bias structure(s) are adjacent to the edge(s) of the sensor layer. The soft magnetic bias structure has a first permeability. The soft bias structure(s) are between the read sensor and the hard bias structure(s). The hard bias structure(s) are adjacent to a portion of the soft bias structure(s) and have a second permeability. The first permeability is at least ten multiplied by the second permeability.

Abstract: A method comprises providing a magnetic element including a free layer, a pinned layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the free and pinned layers, and a pinning layer adjacent the pinned layer. The free layer is biased in a first direction. The pinned layer has a first layer having a first magnetization, a second layer having a second magnetization, and a nonmagnetic layer between the first and second layer. The first magnetization is pinned parallel to a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and substantially perpendicular to the ABS. The second magnetization is antiparallel to the second direction. The pinning layer is oriented along the second direction. The method further comprises providing a hard bias structure having a hard bias magnetization, initializing the hard bias magnetization along the second direction, performing at least one thermal treatment, and resetting the hard bias magnetization substantially along the first direction.

Abstract: A method and system provide a touchdown sensor for use in disk drive. The touchdown sensor includes a sensor layer including a plurality of magnetic layers interleaved with at least one nonmagnetic layer. The plurality of magnetic layers are magnetically coupled and single domain. Further, the sensor has a temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) of at least 0.15%/° C.

Abstract: A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The magnetic transducer includes a first shield, a read sensor, at least one soft magnetic bias structure and at least one hard bias structure. The read sensor includes a sensor layer that has at least one edge in the track width direction along the ABS. The soft magnetic bias structure(s) are adjacent to the edge(s) of the sensor layer. The soft magnetic bias structure has a first permeability. The soft bias structure(s) are between the read sensor and the hard bias structure(s). The hard bias structure(s) are adjacent to a portion of the soft bias structure(s) and have a second permeability. The first permeability is at least ten multiplied by the second permeability.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a magnetic read transducer is described. The magnetic read transducer includes a bilayer magnetic seed layer, an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer, and a read sensor. The bilayer magnetic seed layer includes a Ni1-xFex layer and a Ni1-yFey layer on the Ni1-xFex layer, where x is at least 0.3 and not more than 1 and where y is not more than 0.19. The AFM layer resides on the bilayer magnetic seed layer. The read sensor is on the AFM layer.

Abstract: A method and system provide a magnetic read transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The magnetic transducer includes a first shield, a second shield, and a read sensor between the first shield and the second shield. The read sensor extends along a stripe height direction perpendicular to the ABS. A first portion of the read sensor at the ABS has a first width in a track width direction parallel to the ABS. A second portion of the read sensor is recessed from the ABS along the stripe height direction and has a second width in the track width direction. The second width is greater than the first width.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a magnetic read transducer is described. The magnetic read transducer includes a bilayer magnetic seed layer, an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer, and a read sensor. The bilayer magnetic seed layer includes a Ni1-xFex layer and a Ni1-yFey layer on the Ni1-xFex layer, where x is at least 0.3 and not more than 1 and where y is not more than 0.19. The AFM layer resides on the bilayer magnetic seed layer. The read sensor is on the AFM layer.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a magnetic transducer are disclosed. The method and system include providing a magnetic element including a free layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, a pinned layer, and a pinning layer adjacent to the pinned layer. The free layer is to be biased in a first direction. The pinning layer biases the pinned layer magnetization in a second direction. The pinning layer is oriented along the second direction. A hard bias structure is adjacent to the magnetic element. The hard bias structure magnetization is initialized such that it has a nonzero component along the second direction. The method and system also include performing thermal treatment(s) after initializing the hard bias magnetization. The thermal treatment(s) are above room temperature. The method and system further include resetting the hard bias magnetization substantially along the first direction after the thermal process(es) are performed.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a magnetic transducer are disclosed. The method and system include providing a magnetic element that includes a free layer, a pinned layer, and a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the free layer and the pinned layer. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is a tunneling barrier layer. The free layer is configured to be biased in a first direction. The pinned layer has a pinned layer magnetization configured to be pinned in a second direction that is at a first angle from perpendicular to the ABS. The first angle is nonzero and different from ninety degrees. The second direction and the first direction form a second angle that is different from ninety degrees.

Abstract: Disclosed is a read head for reading data from a magnetic media. The read head includes a bottom magnetic shield layer, a top magnetic shield layer, and a read sensor disposed between the bottom and top magnetic shield layers. The read sensor is configured for sensing changes in a magnetic field of the magnetic media positioned under the read sensor. The read sensor has a front end adjacent to an air bearing surface (ABS) and a back end opposite the front end. The read head also includes a back magnetic shield layer positioned between the bottom and top magnetic shield layers and behind the back end of the read sensor distal to the ABS.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a magnetic transducer are disclosed. The method and system include providing a magnetic element that includes a free layer, a pinned layer, and a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the free layer and the pinned layer. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is a tunneling barrier layer. The free layer is configured to be biased in a first direction. The pinned layer has a pinned layer magnetization configured to be pinned in a second direction that is at a first angle from perpendicular to the ABS. The first angle is nonzero and different from ninety degrees. The second direction and the first direction form a second angle that is different from ninety degrees.