Abstract: A method for magnetic data recording that calibrates for magnetic thermal protrusion of elements of a magnetic data recording system. The method involves performing a series of burst mode magnetic data writings using a magnetic recording head that includes a write element, a thermal fly height control element and a near field transducer. The burst mode writings are performed at various levels of thermal fly height control power. This can be use to determine the relationship between signal amplitude and thermal fly height control power with thermal protrusion being affected only by the thermal fly height control element and not from thermal heating of the near field transducer or write element. Then, thermal fly height control can be adjusted to achieve the desired signal amplitude for recording with the near field transducer and write element operating at a thermal steady state.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system are provided for implementing in-situ monitoring of head overcoat burnishing and early detection of head failure in a hard disk drive (HDD). A voltage is applied across a slider-disk interface between the slider body and the disk. Realtime monitoring of electrical current flowing across the slider-disk interface is performed for determining an amount of burnishing of the slider.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system are provided for implementing touchdown measurement using thermal and voltage actuation for hard disk drives (HDDs). The touchdown measurement uses a constant power applied to a thermal flyheight control (TFC) and an electrostatic voltage bias pulse is applied between the slider body and the disk to actuate the slider into contact with the disk.

Abstract: A method to fabricate an imprint template for bit-patterned magnetic recording media using block copolymers (BCPs) integrates data region patterning and servo region patterning. A heat sink layer is formed on the imprint substrate only in the data regions. A sublayer for the BCP is deposited over both the data regions and the servo regions and patterned to form stripes in the data regions and servo features in the servo regions. A BCP is then deposited in both the data and servo regions. Only the BCP in the data regions is heated, which causes phase separation of the BCP in the data regions into the two BCP components. The selective heating may be accomplished by directed controlled laser radiation to only the data regions. The heat sink layer below the data regions absorbs the heat from the laser radiation, confining it to the data regions.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to controlling the flying height of a slider. The methods can include transmitting radiation from a radiation source, determining a change in temperature, the change in temperature being the difference between a first temperature and an ambient temperature and changing the flying height of the slider and head based on the change in temperature. The devices generally include a head with a supporting surface and a media facing surface, a radiation source submount, a radiation source, and a temperature sensor positioned proximate the radiation source submount or the radiation source.

Abstract: A method to fabricate an imprint template for bit-patterned magnetic recording media using block copolymers (BCPs) integrates data region patterning and servo region patterning. A heat sink layer is formed on the imprint substrate only in the data regions. A sublayer for the BCP is deposited over both the data regions and the servo regions and patterned to form stripes in the data regions and servo features in the servo regions. A BCP is then deposited in both the data and servo regions. Only the BCP in the data regions is heated, which causes phase separation of the BCP in the data regions into the two BCP components. The selective heating may be accomplished by directed controlled laser radiation to only the data regions. The heat sink layer below the data regions absorbs the heat from the laser radiation, confining it to the data regions.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to controlling the flying height of a slider. The methods can include transmitting radiation from a radiation source, determining a change in temperature, the change in temperature being the difference between a first temperature and an ambient temperature and changing the flying height of the slider and head based on the change in temperature. The devices generally include a head with a supporting surface and a media facing surface, a radiation source submount, a radiation source, and a temperature sensor positioned proximate the radiation source submount or the radiation source.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to method of maintaining the flying height of a head during a write operation. Methods described herein disclose the application of an electrical bias to create a coulomb force between the head and the magnetic disk. The bias is applied such that the write operation is not affected and a touchdown from the transient extension of the near field transducer is prevented.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a method for obtaining head/disk clearance based on ECS signal. The ECS is calibrated by applying different interface voltages to cause changes in the head/disk clearance, the ECS signal at each interface voltage is obtained, and the relationship between the change in head/disk clearance and the ECS signal is calculated. From this relationship, the head/disk clearance may be obtained based on ECS signal.

Abstract: Approaches for an interface voltage control (IVC) system in a hard-disk drive (HDD), whereby the IVC operating point determination scheme utilizes non-contact spacing signals for calibration of IVC. While applying a series of input voltages to a slider, head-disk spacing signals are monitored, such as spacing signals from an embedded contact sensor or Wallace spacing loss spacing signals. Based on the relation between the spacing signal values and the series of input voltages, the IVC operating point is identified and stored within the HDD. The IVC operating point corresponds to the IVC input voltage necessary to neutralize the natural slider-disk voltage potential that would otherwise cause an electrostatic force that pulls the slider closer to the disk and can cause lubrication transfer from disk to slider.