Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes a first upper layer, a first lower layer below the first upper layer, an intermediate layer, provided between the first upper layer and the first lower layer, which magnetically couples the first upper layer and the first lower layer. The first lower layer includes a second upper layer, a second intermediate layer below the second upper layer, and a second lower layer below the second intermediate layer. Coercive force of the first upper layer is higher than coercive force of each of the second upper layer and the second lower layer. The second upper layer and the second lower layer are antiferromagnetically coupled via the second intermediate layer.

Abstract: A head suspension assembly comprising: a head suspension; a head slider having the medium-opposed surface opposed to a storage medium, the head slider having the supported surface received on the head suspension, the supported surface being defined at the farside of the medium-opposed surface; an electromagnetic transducer embedded in the medium-opposed surface of the head slider; a light waveguide incorporated in the head slider, the light waveguide extending from the supported surface to the medium-opposed surface; and an optical element interposed between the supported surface and the head suspension, wherein the optical element defines: a light-collecting surface configured to collect light input into the optical element in parallel with the supported surface; and a light-reflective surface configured to reflect the light at a predetermined angle so as to direct the light to the light waveguide.

Abstract: A magnetic head supporting mechanism includes a head positioning actuator having an arm, and a load beam connected to the arm. The load beam has a gimbal. The gimbal includes a magnetic head slider fixing portion on which a magnetic head slider having a magnetic head is mounted, a first pair of beams extending from opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion along a traverse direction of the load beam perpendicular to a longitudinal direction thereof, and a second pair of beams respectively connected to the first pair of beams and extending so as to face the opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion.

Abstract: A magnetic head supporting mechanism includes a head positioning actuator having an arm, and a load beam connected to the arm. The load beam has a gimbal. The gimbal includes a magnetic head slider fixing portion on which a magnetic head slider having a magnetic head is mounted, a first pair of beams extending from opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion along a traverse direction of the load beam perpendicular to a longitudinal direction thereof, and a second pair of beams respectively connected to the first pair of beams and extending so as to face the opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is constructed to include at least one exchange layer structure, and a magnetic layer formed on the exchange layer structure, where the exchange layer structure comprises a ferromagnetic layer, and a non-magnetic coupling layer provided on the ferromagnetic layer and under the magnetic layer. The ferromagnetic layer and the magnetic layer have antiparallel magnetizations. The non-magnetic coupling layer is made of a Ru-M3 alloy, where M3 is an added element or alloy, and a lattice mismatch between the non-magnetic coupling layer and the magnetic layer and the ferromagnetic layer respectively disposed above and below the non-magnetic coupling layer is adjusted to approximately 6% or less by addition of M3.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is provided with at least one exchange layer structure, and a magnetic layer formed on the exchange layer structure. The exchange layer structure includes a ferromagnetic layer and a non-magnetic coupling layer provided on the ferromagnetic layer and under the magnetic layer.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is constructed to include at least one exchange layer structure and a magnetic layer provided on the exchange layer structure. The exchange layer structure includes a ferromagnetic layer and a non-magnetic coupling layer provided on the ferromagnetic layer. At least one of the ferromagnetic layer and the magnetic layer has a granular layer structure in which ferromagnetic crystal grains are uniformly distributed within a non-magnetic base material.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is constructed to include at least one exchange layer structure and a magnetic layer provided on the exchange layer structure, where the exchange layer structure includes a ferromagnetic layer and a non-magnetic coupling layer provided on the ferromagnetic layer, and a magnetic bonding layer provided between the ferromagnetic layer and the non-magnetic coupling layer and/or between the non-magnetic coupling layer and the magnetic layer, wherein the magnetic bonding layer has a magnetization direction parallel to the ferromagnetic layer and the magnetic layer.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is provided with at least one exchange layer structure, and a magnetic layer formed on the exchange layer structure. The exchange layer structure includes a ferromagnetic layer, and a non-magnetic coupling layer provided on the ferromagnetic layer and under the magnetic layer. The ferromagnetic layer and the magnetic layer have antiparallel magnetizations.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is provided with at least one exchange layer structure, and a magnetic layer formed on the exchange layer structure. The exchange layer structure includes a ferromagnetic layer, and a non-magnetic coupling layer provided on the ferromagnetic layer and under the magnetic layer. The ferromagnetic layer and the magnetic layer have antiparallel magnetizations.

Abstract: A magnetic head supporting mechanism includes a head positioning actuator having an arm, and a load beam connected to the arm. The load beam has a gimbal. The gimbal includes a magnetic head slider fixing portion on which a magnetic head slider having a magnetic head is mounted, a first pair of beams extending from opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion along a traverse direction of the load beam perpendicular to a longitudinal direction thereof, and a second pair of beams respectively connected to the first pair of beams and extending so as to face the opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion.

Abstract: A magnetic head supporting mechanism includes a head positioning actuator having an arm, and a load beam connected to the arm. The load beam has a gimbal. The gimbal includes a magnetic head slider fixing portion on which a magnetic head slider having a magnetic head is mounted, a first pair of beams extending from opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion along a traverse direction of the load beam perpendicular to a longitudinal direction thereof, and a second pair of beams respectively connected to the first pair of beams and extending so as to face the opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is constructed to include at least one exchange layer structure and a magnetic layer provided on the exchange layer structure. The exchange layer structure includes a ferromagnetic layer and a non-magnetic coupling layer provided on the ferromagnetic layer. At least one of the ferromagnetic layer and the magnetic layer has a granular layer structure in which ferromagnetic crystal grains are uniformly distributed within a non-magnetic base material.

Abstract: A magnetic head supporting mechanism includes a head positioning actuator having an arm, and a load beam connected to the arm. The load beam has a gimbal. The gimbal includes a magnetic head slider fixing portion on which a magnetic head slider having a magnetic head is mounted, a first pair of beams extending from opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion along a traverse direction of the load beam perpendicular to a longitudinal direction thereof, and a second pair of beams respectively connected to the first pair of beams and extending so as to face the opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion.

Abstract: A detection circuit in a magnetic recording and playback apparatus which uses partial response and the maximum likelihood method, in which neither the size of the detection circuit nor the power consumption increase when the partial response order n increases. In this detection circuit, in the circuit that detects a signal read out from a head, either a plurality of equalizers for different target equalization waveforms, or a single variable target equalizer is provided. A detector for the waveform output from an equalizer is connected in series with the detector. A plurality of combinations, each formed by an equalizer and a detector, is connected in parallel to the output of a filter, the outputs of the combinations of equalizers and detectors being input to a switching circuit, which is controlled by a switching control means. The switching control means controls the switching circuit so that just one of the combinations of equalizer and detectors is selected as the detector output.

Abstract: A negative pressure air bearing slider including a first air bearing surface formed on the bottom of the slider body at the upstream position so as to extend in the lateral direction of the slider body, and a pair of second air bearing surfaces formed on the bottom of the slider body separately from the first air bearing surface at downstream positions spaced in the lateral direction so as to define an air stream passage therebetween. The second air bearing surfaces serve to generate positive pressures that are spaced apart at downstream positions where a transducer element is embedded in the slider body, so that the slider's stiffness to rolling action can be enhanced. The cooperation of the front and rear rails enables for the creation of a higher negative pressure.

Abstract: A negative pressure air bearing slider including a first air bearing surface formed on the bottom of the slider body at the upstream position so as to extend in the lateral direction of the slider body, and a pair of second air bearing surfaces formed on the bottom of the slider body separately from the first air bearing surface at downstream positions spaced in the lateral direction so as to define an air stream passage therebetween. The second air bearing surfaces serve to generate positive pressures that are spaced apart at downstream positions where a transducer element is embedded in the slider body, so that the slider's stiffness to rolling action can be enhanced. The cooperation of the front and rear rails enables for the creation of a higher negative pressure.

Abstract: A method for assembling a magnetic head assembly with a slider and a magnetic head including forming, on a slider supporting member, a terminal connected to a magnetic head terminal. In addition, the method includes fixing a head slider on the slider supporting member so that the head terminal faces the terminal of the slider supporting member and contacting a conductive ball member to both of the head terminal and the terminal of the slider supporting member. Furthermore, the method includes pressing the ball member to bond the head terminal with the terminal of the slider supporting member so that the ball member connects the terminals electrically and mechanically.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is provided with at least one exchange layer structure, and a magnetic layer formed on the exchange layer structure. The exchange layer structure includes a ferromagnetic layer, and a non-magnetic coupling layer provided on the ferromagnetic layer and under the magnetic layer. The ferromagnetic layer and the magnetic layer have antiparallel magnetizations.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium having magnetic patterns into which servo information are written and a magnetic recording layer into which data are written comprises a nonmagnetic substrate, a magnetic recording layer formed on the substrate, and a hard magnetic layer contacting the magnetic recording layer within servo signal recording regions on the substrate and constituting servo patterns of film thicknesses of which are varied in the track length direction. Thereby, more precise reading of the servo signals by the magnetic head is assured and a surface of the magnetic recording medium can be flattend.