Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a magneto-resistive device, comprising the steps of: extracting at least one subset of bars from at least one bar section of a wafer; obtaining a magnetic performance of the at least one subset of the bars; determining an angle based on the magnetic performance; and processing remaining bars from the at least one bar section of the wafer based on the determined angle.

Abstract: Systems and methods for correcting read/write overlay errors in the manufacture of magnetic transducers for storage drives are provided. One such system includes a twisting tool configured to receive and secure a row bar having an elongated rectangular block shape and including a plurality of magnetic transducers spaced apart along a length of the row bar, and where the twisting tool is configured to twist the row bar at a plurality of areas along the length of the row bar.

Abstract: Systems and methods for correcting read/write overlay errors in the manufacture of magnetic transducers for storage drives are provided. One such system includes a twisting tool configured to receive and secure a row bar having an elongated rectangular block shape and including a plurality of magnetic transducers spaced apart along a length of the row bar, and where the twisting tool is configured to twist the row bar at a plurality of areas along the length of the row bar.

Abstract: Magnetic heads are fabricated by slicing and dicing wafers into row bars, which undergo frontside lapping and backside lapping. These lapping processes, as well as other processes, induce stresses on the row bars that are released prior to finalizing the magnetic head. Ultrasonic impact technology is used to release the stress in the row bars and to clean the row bars at the same time. Ultrasonic impact technology is used after the row bars have been wire bonded without having to de-bond the row bars.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of a parting a slider from a slider bar is disclosed. A slider bar comprising a plurality of sliders and having an air bearing surface (ABS) side and a back side opposite to the ABS side is received. At least one slider is parted from the slider bar with a cutter, wherein the cutter enters the slider bar at least in part on the backside and exits the slider bar at least in part on the ABS side.

Abstract: A method of a parting a slider from a slider bar is disclosed. The method includes receiving a slider bar comprising a plurality of sliders and having an air bearing surface (ABS) side and a back side opposite to the ABS side and parting at least one slider from the slider bar with a cutter, wherein the cutter enters the slider bar at least in part on the backside and exits the slider bar at least in part on the ABS side and the ABS side is facing away from the cutting direction by a predetermined acute angle.

Abstract: A system for providing transducer(s) including a disk structure and having an air-bearing surface (ABS) are described. The disk structure resides a distance from the ABS and has a disk dimension substantially perpendicular to the ABS. Lapping control and disk windage ELGs are provided. The lapping control ELG has first and second edges first and second distances from the ABS. The disk windage ELG has edges different distances from the ABS. A difference between these edges corresponds to the disk dimension. A windage resistance of the disk windage ELG is measured and a disk windage determined. The disk windage corresponds to a difference between designed and actual disk dimensions perpendicular to the ABS. A lapping ELG target resistance is determined based on the disk windage. The transducer is lapped. Lapping is terminated based on a resistance of the lapping control ELG and the lapping ELG target resistance.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for manufacturing magneto-resistive devices utilized in magneto-resistive read elements by depositing a plurality of rows of magnetic transducers on a wafer. The wafer may then be diced/cut into bars of active device regions for incorporation into a magnetic recording head. Sampling of a subset of bars from one or more bar sections of the wafer may be processed to obtain feedback associated with magnetic erase width (MEW). An air bearing surface (ABS) tilt angle based on the MEW feedback may then be applied to the one or more bar sections of the water during subsequent processing to optimize the magnetic performance of each resulting magneto-resistive device.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a read head includes the step of depositing a conductive filler into a plurality of holes that extend through a wafer. Each of the holes extends from a wafer top surface to a wafer bottom surface. Each of the holes includes an inner surface that includes an insulative layer. The method further includes the steps of fabricating a read transducer on the wafer top surface, and depositing a plurality of electrically conductive leading connection pads on the wafer bottom surface. The plurality of electrically conductive leading connection pads are in electrical contact with the conductive filler.

Abstract: A method and system for providing transducer(s) including a disk structure and having an air-bearing surface (ABS) are described. The disk structure resides a distance from the ABS and has a disk dimension substantially perpendicular to the ABS. Lapping control and disk windage ELGs are provided. The lapping control ELG has first and second edges first and second distances from the ABS. The disk windage ELG has edges different distances from the ABS. A difference between these edges corresponds to the disk dimension. A windage resistance of the disk windage ELG is measured and a disk windage determined. The disk windage corresponds to a difference between designed and actual disk dimensions perpendicular to the ABS. A lapping ELG target resistance is determined based on the disk windage. The transducer is lapped. Lapping is terminated based on a resistance of the lapping control ELG and the lapping ELG target resistance.

Abstract: A system for providing energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) heads using a substrate is described. The substrate has front and back sides and apertures therein. The apertures are through-holes between the front and back sides of the substrate. The system includes providing a transmission medium in the apertures and fabricating EAMR transducers on the front side of the substrate. The EAMR transducers correspond to the apertures and the EAMR heads. The system also includes electrically insulating the back side of the substrate. The back side of the substrate is also prepared for mounting of the lasers. The lasers then are coupled the back side of the substrate. The lasers correspond to the EAMR heads and are configured to provide light through the apertures to the EAMR transducers. The system also includes separating the substrate into the EAMR heads.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to integral heating elements in solder pads for flip chip bonding. The integral heating elements are used to solder components together without exposing other locations and components in the assembly to potentially damaging temperatures. Embodiments of the invention may be used in manufacture of magnetic heads for EAMR hard disks to bond a laser sub-mount to an air-bearing slider without exposing magnetic head components to high temperatures.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to integral heating elements in solder pads for flip chip bonding. The integral heating elements are used to solder components together without exposing other locations and components in the assembly to potentially damaging temperatures. Embodiments of the invention may be used in manufacture of magnetic heads for EAMR hard disks to bond a laser sub-mount to an air-bearing slider without exposing magnetic head components to high temperatures.

Abstract: A slider having an air bearing surface and a leading face is described. The slider comprises a leading edge blend comprising a first curved surface formed at an intersection of the air bearing surface and the leading face. The slider further comprises at least one step feature having a second surface with a first portion recessed from the air bearing surface and a second portion recessed from and conformal to the first curved surface of the leading edge blend.

Abstract: A method for modeling devices in a wafer comprises the step of providing the wafer comprising a first plurality of devices having a track width and a first stripe height, a second plurality of devices having the track width and a second stripe height, and a third plurality of devices having the track width and a third stripe height. The method further comprises the steps of measuring resistance values for the first, second and third plurality of devices to obtain a data set correlating a stripe height and a resistance value for each of the first, second and third plurality of devices, and estimating a linear relationship between resistance and inverse stripe height for the first, second and third plurality of devices based on the data set.

Abstract: A novel read head includes a substrate having a trailing face and a leading face opposite the trailing face. The substrate includes a first hole therethrough that extends continuously from the trailing face to the leading face. The read head also includes a read transducer disposed on the trailing face, and a first plurality of electrically conductive trailing connection pads disposed on the trailing face. A first insulative layer is disposed on an inner surface of the first hole. A first electrically conductive filler is disposed in the first hole but is insulated from the substrate by the first insulative layer. A first electrically conductive leading connection pad is disposed on the leading face and is electrically connected to the first conductive filler.

Abstract: A method of forming a slider includes forming a leading edge blend on a leading edge of the slider. After the leading edge blend is formed, the method further includes forming at least one step feature conformal to the leading edge blend. A slider having an air bearing surface includes a leading edge blend and at least one step feature conformal to the leading edge blend.

Abstract: A method and system for providing an energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) disk drive are described. The EAMR disk drive includes a slider, at least one EAMR transducer on the slider, and at least one laser coupled with the slider. The slider has a slider back side, a trailing face, and an intersection. The trailing face and the slider back side meet at the intersection. The trailing face makes an angle different from ninety degrees with the slider back side at the intersection. The laser(s) have an optical axis and are optically coupled with the trailing face of the slider. The optical axis is substantially perpendicular to the intersection and parallel to the slider back side.

Abstract: Definition of the required geometry of the air bearing surface ("ABS") of a magnetic head slider is achieved while providing an ABS which exhibits low wear, low friction, and low stiction at its interface with a disk surface, by securely embedding monocrystalline diamond particles into a lapping plate, removing substantially all particles from the plate which are not firmly affixed thereto, and lapping the slider in a linear, X-Y direction at a relatively high lapping pressure. Material susceptible to being dislodged during CSS is removed during the lapping process. Thus, the incidence of material dislodging from the ABS and increasing wear-induced stiction is substantially reduced, resulting in improved CSS performance. A desired microtexture is also applied to the ABS. Reduced pole tip recession is also observed.