Abstract: The present invention includes a data storage system. The data storage system includes an enclosure and at least one perpendicular recording device positioned within the enclosure and in communication with a recording medium. The recording medium includes a layer of magnetic material that has a permeability that is substantially similar to a permeability of a magnetic material in the recording device. The data storage system also includes a soft magnetic material included in the enclosure for shielding magnetic stray fields from the perpendicular recording device. The soft magnetic material has a permeability that is at least as great as approximately the permeability of the layer of magnetic material of the recording medium.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor is provided. The magnetic sensor includes a magnetoresistive multi-layered portion that has a first resistance region and a second resistance region. At least two contacts are coupled to the magnetoresistive multi-layered portion. A sensing current flows from a first contact of the at least two contacts to a second contact of the at least two contacts via the first resistance region and the second resistance region of the magnetoresistive multi-layered portion. The first resistance region promotes a primary flow of the sensing current in a first direction substantially perpendicular to surface planes of the layers of the magnetoresistive multi-layered portion, and the second resistance region promotes the primary flow of the sensing current in a second direction substantially in parallel to surface planes of the layers of the magnetoresistive multi-layered portion.