Abstract: Write elements are discussed having a write pole and an associated trailing shield. A leading side of the trailing shield faces a trailing side of the write pole. The leading side of the trailing shield has a shape such that a center portion of the leading side has less of a separation from the trailing side of the write pole than track edge portions of the leading side of the trailing shield. An exemplary shape the leading side of the trailing shield may be a convex shape when viewed from the ABS. The shape of the leading side of the trailing shield causes the trailing shield to shunt less of the magnetic field from the trailing side of the write pole at the track edges so that the written transition at the track edge will not lag behind the written transition at the track center allowing for a straighter transition.

Abstract: A magnetic structure for use in a magnetic head for avoiding stray field writing. The magnetic structure can be for example a magnetic shield or could be a magnetic pole of a write head and is particularly advantageous for use in a perpendicular recording system, because such perpendicular recording systems are especially susceptible to stray field writing. The magnetic structure includes a forward protruding portion that extends toward the air bearing surface (ABS) of the head also includes first and second wing portions that extend laterally from the forward protruding portion. The wing portions each have includes an inner constant recess portion, and an outer tapered portion. The inner constant recess portion of each wing prevents stray field writing while also preventing magnetic saturation, the outer tapered portions, which taper away from the ABS as they extend laterally outward, further prevent stray field writing by removing the outer corners of the shield away from the ABS.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic write head having a conformal wrap around trailing shield. The write head includes a write pole that can be configured with a trapezoidal shape as viewed from the Air Bearing Surface (ABS) and which includes a wrap around trailing magnetic shield. The magnetic shield has a trailing portion that is separated from the leading edge of the writ pole by a non-magnetic trailing gap, and has side shield portions that are separated from first and second side portions of the write pole by first and second non-magnetic side gaps. The magnetic shield can be configured with notches at either side of the trailing portion of magnetic shield. These notches can extend in the trailing direction by a distance that is preferably ¼ to 1 times the trailing gap thickness. The width of the straight, trailing portion of the shield is preferable ½ to 1 times of the main pole width.

Abstract: A currently perpendicular to plane (CPP) sensor having a heat sink structure disposed beyond the stripe height of the sensor. The heat sink is preferably in thermal contact with one of the shields/leads of the sensor while being electrically insulated from the other shield/lead.

Abstract: A magnetic write head and method of manufacture thereof that has a first pole structure having a step notched first pole structure. The step notched structure includes a bottom notched portion that is wider than the second notched portion formed thereover. The upper, or narrower, notched portion has a width that is substantially equal to and self aligned with a second pole structure (P2) formed thereover. The invention may also include first and second wing portions formed in the first pole that are recessed from the ABS and that extend laterally from the first notched portions of the first pole. The formation of the winged portions is assisted by an ion mill resistant bump (alumina bump) formed thereover, which acts as a mask during the ion milling operations that are used to form the first and second notches.

Abstract: A new structure for adjusting flying height using a magnetomechanical effect. A head includes a magnetomechanically active structure and a coil coupled to the magnetomechanically active structure, the magnetomechanically active structure responding to a magnetic field generated by the coil to expand and/or contract.

Abstract: A method for enhancing thermal stability, improving biasing and reducing damage from electrical surges in self-pinned abutted junction heads. The method includes forming a free layer, forming first hard bias layers abutting the free layer and forming second hard bias layers over the first hard bias layers discontinguous from the free layer, the second hard bias layers being anti-parallel to the first hard bias layers, the first and second hard bias layers providing a net longitudinal bias on the free layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention recite a process for fabricating a write gap structure for a magnetic recording head. In one embodiment, at least one layer of inert material is deposited which is disposed proximate to the P2 pole of a magnetic recording head. A layer of magnetic material is deposited which is disposed between the layer of inert material and the P1 pedestal (P1P) of the magnetic recording head. In embodiments of the present invention, a second layer of inert material is deposited which is disposed between the layer of magnetic material and the P1P of the magnetic recording head. In embodiments of the present invention, the throat height of the write gap structure is defined wherein the layer of magnetic material and the inert layer only overlie a portion of the P1 pedestal of the magnetic recording head.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing data record quality on a disk for a pair of read and write heads, in which the write head is bigger, by adaptively varying linear and track density of overlapping recorded tracks to achieve a target storage capacity. In the method, target storage capacity and radial writing direction are selected. Read and write widths of heads are determined. A linear density and offset distance pairing for optimizing record quality at target storage capacity is determined, wherein offset distance is less than write width but greater than read width. The write head writes a track at the linear density, is offset in the radial direction by the offset distance, and the offset distance is stored. The write head writes a new track at the linear density. Offsetting, storing offset, and writing a new track are repeated until desired data is written into a cluster.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention recite a write gap structure for a magnetic recording head. In one embodiment, the write gap structure comprises at least one layer of inert material is disposed proximate to the P2 pole of a magnetic recording head. A layer of magnetic material is disposed between the layer of inert material and the P1 pedestal (P1P) of the magnetic recording head. In embodiments of the present invention, the write gap structure further comprises a second layer of inert material is disposed between the layer of magnetic material and the P1P of the magnetic recording head. In embodiments of the present invention, the write gap structure only overlies a portion of the write gap of the magnetic recording head with reference to the throat height dimension of the write gap.

Abstract: A magnetic read/write head is produced with an insert layer between the substrate and the magnetic transducer. The insert layer has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the substrate, which reduces the temperature pole tip recession (T-PTR) of the head because the insert layer is an intervening layer between the substrate and magnetic transducer. The insert layer is produced by plating, e.g., an Invar layer over the substrate prior to fabricating the magnetic transducer. The Invar layer is annealed and the structure planarized prior to depositing a non-magnetic gap layer followed by the fabrication of the magnetic transducer.

Abstract: A disk drive thin-film write head structure has a pole tip structure with reduced susceptibility to corrosion. The write head has a first ferromagnetic pole tip that includes a pedestal pole layer and a capping layer on the pedestal pole layer. The capping layer has an extension and the write gap is located between the capping layer extension and the second pole tip. Substantially the entire thickness of the pedestal pole layer is formed of a lower-moment alloy and the capping layer is formed of a higher-moment alloy and is made thick enough to compensate for the lower-moment alloy in the pedestal pole layer. The pedestal pole layer may be a bilayer of two different alloys with the upper layer in the bilayer having a higher moment. The width of the pedestal pole layer is substantially reduced to reduce the pole tip area exposed. The reduced pole tip area and the increased use of lower-moment alloys enable a thinner protective film to be used to protect the pole tips from corrosion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing thermal stability, improving biasing and reducing damage from electrical surges in self-pinned abutted junction heads. The head includes a sandwiched hard bias layer having a first hard bias layer coupled to a free layer and a second, anti-parallel hard bias layer disposed away form the free layer to provide a net longitudinal bias on the free layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing thermal stability, improving biasing and reducing damage from electrical surges in self-pinned abutted junction heads. A first self-pinned layer having a first magnetic orientation is provided, wherein the first self-pinned layer has a first end, a second end and central portion. A second self-pinned layer is formed over only the central portion of the first self-pinned layer and an interlayer is disposed between the first and second self-pinned layers. A free layer is formed in a central region over the second self-pinned layer. First and second hard bias layers are formed over the first and second ends of the first self-pinned layer respectively, the first and second hard bias layer abutting the free layer, the first and second end of the first self-pinned layer extending under the hard bias layers at the first and second ends.

Abstract: Magnetic heads having write coil structures with reduced electrical resistances for reducing thermal protrusion are disclosed. In one illustrative example, a magnetic head includes a magnetic yoke; a write gap layer formed between upper and lower poles of the magnetic yoke; and a write coil having a plurality of coil layers. Each coil layer of the write coil extends continuously between the upper and the lower poles through a plane defined by the write gap layer. Preferably, the write coil is formed using a damascene process, such that each coil layer is wider than each coil separating layer. Such a structure provides for a relatively large amount of coil materials to be used, which reduces the coil's electrical resistance. This, in turn, reduces the heat generated by the write coils during operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing thermal stability, improving biasing and reducing damage from electrical surges in self-pinned abutted junction heads. The head includes a free layer having a first end and a second end defining a width selected to form a desired trackwidth and an extended self-pinned bias layer extending beyond the ends of the free layer, the self-pinned bias layer extending beyond the free layer increasing the volume of the extended self-pinned bias layer to provide greater thermal stability and stronger pinning of the free layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing thermal stability, improving biasing and reducing damage from electrical surges in self-pinned abutted junction heads. The head includes a self-pinned layer, the self-pinned layer having a first end, a second end and central portion, a free layer disposed over the central portion of the self-pinned layer in a central region and a first and second hard bias layers formed over the first and second ends of the self-pinned layer respectively, the first and second hard bias layer abutting the free layer, the first and second end of the self-pinned layer extending under the hard bias layers at the first and second ends.

Abstract: A magnetic structure for use in a magnetic recording head, the structure having improved resistance to stray field writing. The magnetic structure can be for example a magnetic shield or a return pole of a perpendicular write element. The structure includes a main body portion which may have a generally rectangular configuration, and first and second wing portions extending laterally from the sides of the body at or near the ABS. The wing portions have a depth measured perpendicular to the ABS that is significantly less than the depth of the body portion (preferably less than 25 percent of the body portion). The wing portions may also have notches formed in their ABS edges. The wings conduct flux from the ABS edge of the body portion and create a flux choking effect for magnetic flux flowing into the wings.

Abstract: A hard disk drive (HDD) detects and measures external stray magnetic fields with existing HDD components. After detecting a strong external magnetic field, read and write operations of the HDD are suspended, and/or other proper corrective actions are taken to minimize loss of data. To measure the stray magnetic field, the magnetic head reader is used as a field sensor. The resistance of the reader changes in the presence of the field, such as with the preamp in the HDD. The resistance also changes with temperature. If the temperature inside the HDD is measured, the resistance change due to temperature is normalized. Even without being able to measure the HDD temperature, the stray magnetic field can be measured with a top head and a bottom head in the HDD. The temperature sensitivity of the reader is thereby cancelled out.

Abstract: A magnetic head having read and write elements is provided according to one embodiment. The head includes a substrate. An undercoating is coupled to the substrate. The undercoating has a preferred thickness of between about 1.5 and 0.5 microns or less in a direction perpendicular to the planar surface of the substrate engaging the undercoating. Preferably, the undercoating is reduced to a desired thickness during fabrication using chemical mechanical polishing. The undercoating is constructed of a material having a thermal conductivity greater than that of amorphous Al2O3. An electric contact pad is operatively coupled to a layer positioned between the pad and the undercoating. Electric contact pads of read and write elements are preferably separated from the undercoating by insulation planarization layers. A write element is coupled to the undercoating. The write element has an electrically conductive coil.