Abstract: ANR headphones generate a sound signal, and include a loudspeaker, an external microphone configured to detect an ambient noise signal, and an internal microphone configured to detect a residual noise signal within an ear canal of the user. Moreover, the ANR headphones have an acceleration sensor configured to generate an acceleration signal indicative of accelerations experienced by the ANR headphones. A controller of the ANR headphones is configured to generate a loudspeaker signal based on a composite compensation signal. The composite compensation signal is a combination of an ambient noise compensation signal based on the ambient noise signal, a residual noise compensation signal based on the residual noise signal and an acceleration compensation signal based on the acceleration signal.

Abstract: An alternating phase shift mask may be formed using a dry undercut etch. The dry undercut etch reduces problems associated with wet etching of quartz or glass masks. In addition, the use of the dry undercut etch enables image balancing between the zero and pi apertures. This approach is not limited by specific optical proximity corrected design patterns or chromium layer thickness.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, the apparatus of the invention is a read sensor comprising a shield, a sensor element, an extra shield between the shield and the sensor element, an extra gap between the shield and the sensor and adjacent the extra shield, and a gap layer between the sensor element and the extra shield. The sensor element is positioned in a sensor layer. With the extra shield adjacent to the sensor element and separated by only the relatively thin gap layer, high areal recording density and excellent instability of the sensor element is obtained. At the same time, by fabricating the extra shield to be not significantly wider than the sensor element, the potential for shorting is minimized by placing both the gap and the thicker extra gap between the sensor lead elements and the shield.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive head having improved overwrite performance and a small trackwidth. The magnetoresistive head having a magnetic yoke formed of first and second poles joined at a back gap region and having an opposite write gap region. A pedestal with a top portion constructed of a high saturation moment material is provided on the first pole, limited to the write gap region and spaced from the read element so as to prevent popcorn noise in read sensor. The high moment pedestal is raised above surrounding structure causing the second pole to define a very low apex angle in the write gap region.