Abstract: A magnetoresistive reader having a sensor, current contacts with low parasitic resistance and a top shield with substantially planar topology is fabricated by first defining a stripe height back edge of the sensor. Next, a reader width of the sensor is defined. The current contacts are deposited to a thickness such that a top surface of the current contacts is substantially level with a top surface of the sensor. The top shield is deposited over the sensor and the current contacts. Defining the stripe height back edge prior to the reader width results in current contacts with low parasitic resistance and inhibits the formation of magnetic domains in the top shield.

Abstract: A transducing device having a storage interface surface includes a writer having a pole tip region, a coil having a width positioned around the writer, and a heating element. The heating element extends to near the storage interface surface. A portion of the heating element is at least as wide as the coil. The heating element heats the writer in response to current flow through the heating element.

Abstract: A transducing device includes a writer having a pole tip region and a heater circuit. The heater circuit has a heating portion and a heater current return path. The heating portion has at least two branches positioned with respect to the writer so that current flowing through the at least two branches heat the writer. The heater current return path is electrically connected to the at least two branches of the heating portion near the pole tip region and includes an electrically conductive portion of the writer.

Abstract: A spin valve head configured to operate in a Current-In-Plane (CIP) mode is provided. The spin valve head has an air bearing surface (ABS) and a top and a bottom shield separated by a central region proximate the ABS. A sensor, positioned in the central region, has a proximal end and a distal end, with the proximal end forming a portion of the ABS. A permanent magnet is positioned in the central region and proximate the distal end of the sensor. The permanent magnet being separated from the sensor by a gap layer. The top shield, the bottom shield and the permanent magnet are electrically coupled together to allow for electrical testing of the spin valve head.

Abstract: A spin valve head configured to operate in a Current-In-Plane (CIP) mode is provided. The spin valve head has an air bearing surface (ABS) and a top and a bottom shield separated by a central region proximate the ABS. A sensor, positioned in the central region, has a proximal end and a distal end, with the proximal end forming a portion of the ABS. A permanent magnet is positioned in the central region and proximate the distal end of the sensor. The permanent magnet being separated from the sensor by a gap layer. The top shield, the bottom shield and the permanent magnet are electrically coupled together to allow for electrical testing of the spin valve head.

Abstract: A process of forming a two-piece pole for an inductive write head involves first forming a first pole piece having a width between opposite side surfaces defining a gap width of a transducing gap at an air bearing surface of the head. The process next involves forming a second pole piece having a first region remote from the air bearing surface and a second region extending from the first region toward the air bearing surface. The first region is wider than the width of the first pole piece. The second pole piece is formed so that at least a portion of the second region is contiguous a portion of the first pole piece and so that no sharp external corners exist between the first pole tip piece and the second pole piece within a pole tip region of the head.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for fabricating a magnetoresistive reader having a sensor, current contacts with low parasitic resistance and a top shield with substantially planar topology. First, a stripe height back edge of the sensor is defined, and second, a reader width of the sensor is defined. The current contacts are deposited to a thickness such that a top surface of the current contacts is substantially level with a top surface of the sensor. The top shield is deposited over the sensor and the current contacts. Defining the stripe height back edge prior to the reader width results in current contacts with low parasitic resistance and inhibits the formation of magnetic domains in the top shield.

Abstract: A magnetic recording head has a top pole, a write gap layer, a shared pole, and conductive coils. The shared pole has an air bearing surface, a top surface substantially normal to the air bearing surface, and a recess in the top surface extending across the top surface parallel to the air bearing surface. The shared pole is separated from the top pole at the air bearing surface by the write gap layer, and directly contacts the top pole at a region of the writer distal from the air bearing surface. Wrapped around the top pole are the conductive coils, a portion of which is positioned in the recess of the shared pole between the top pole and the shared pole.

Abstract: A method is used for aligning a slider on a gimbal. The gimbal includes a slider opposing face with a flex circuit material on the slider opposing face and a flex on suspension (FOS) bond pad is disposed on the flex circuit material. The slider has a gimbal opposing face and a disc opposing face. Both faces are bounded by a leading edge and a trailing edge. The slider has a forward face along the trailing edge extending between the gimbal opposing face and the disc opposing face. An extended bond pad is formed on the forward face of the slider. A notch is formed on the slider in the forward face adjacent the gimbal opposing face. The slider is placed on the flex circuit material such that the extended bond pad is positioned relative to the FOS bond pad to improve bond strength and static attitude.

Abstract: A process of forming a two-piece pole for an inductive write head involves first forming a first pole piece having a width between opposite side surfaces defining a gap width of a transducing gap at an air bearing surface of the head. The process next involves forming a second pole piece having a first region remote from the air bearing surface and a second region extending from the first region toward the air bearing surface. The first region is wider than the width of the first pole piece. The second pole piece is formed so that at least a portion of the second region is contiguous a portion of the first pole piece and so that no sharp external corners exist between the first pole tip piece and the second pole piece within a pole tip region of the head.

Abstract: A two-piece pole for an inductive write head has a first pole piece in the tip region contiguous the gap and confronting the other pole across the gap. The first pole piece has a width defining the gap width of the write head at the air bearing surface. A second pole piece is connected to the first pole piece and extends to the back gap. At least a portion of the second pole piece is connected to the first pole piece and has a width larger than the width of the first pole piece. The second pole piece means has surfaces within the pole tip region that intersect at external corners facing the gap, at least two surfaces of each of these external corners being joined at an obtuse angle so that none of said external corner is a sharp external corner, thereby minimizing fringe fields. In one form, a pole cap between the first and second pole pieces has a trapezoidal configuration forming the obtuse angles.

Abstract: A system for determining a height of a sensor includes a first triangle, a second triangle, a first rectangle, and a second rectangle. The sensor is positioned in a first plane and has a lapping surface. The first triangle, the second triangle, the first rectangle, and the second rectangle are each positioned in the first plane. A first point of the first triangle is positioned below the lapping surface of the sensor and a second point and a third point of the first triangle are positioned above the lapping surface of the sensor. A first point and a second point of the second triangle are positioned below the lapping surface of the sensor and a third point of the second triangle is positioned above the lapping surface of the sensor. A first portion of the first rectangle is positioned above the lapping surface of the sensor and a second portion is positioned below the lapping surface of the sensor. The second rectangle is positioned below the lapping surface of the sensor.

Abstract: A system and method of determining a height of a sensor is disclosed. The sensor has an air bearing surface. The method includes determining a pre-processing width of a base of a first triangle, a top of a second triangle and a first and a second rectangle, all formed of the same material which forms the sensor. The air bearing surface of the magnetoresistive sensor, the base of the first triangle, the top of the second triangle and the first and second rectangles are then processed and simultaneously lapped. A post-lapping width of the base of the first triangle, the top of the second triangle and the first and second rectangles are then determined. The height of the sensor is then calculated through use of the pre-processing and post-lapping widths at the air bearing surfaces of the bases of the first triangle, the top of the second triangle and the first and second rectangles.