Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a magnetic disk, a slider opposed to the magnetic disk, and a magnetic head on the slider. The magnetic head includes a head element configured to carry out recording or reproduction, a heating element configured to thermally protrude the element, and a groove configured to partition a peripheral area of the head element in a direction in which the head element are to protrude.

Abstract: A fabrication process produces markers for a magnetomechanical electronic article surveillance system. The marker includes a magnetomechanical element comprising one or more resonator strips of magnetostrictive amorphous metal alloy; a housing having a cavity sized and shaped to accommodate the resonator strips for free mechanical vibration therewithin; and a non-deactivatable bias magnet adapted to magnetically bias the magnetomechanical element. The process employs adaptive control of the cut length of the resonator strips, correction of the length being based on deviation of the actual marker resonant frequency from a preselected, target marker frequency. Use of adaptive, feedback control advantageously results in a much tighter distribution of actual resonant frequencies. Also provided is a web-fed press for continuously producing such markers with adaptive control of the resonator strip length.

Abstract: A biasing tool with a main body portion, for biasing a disc relative to a central axis of rotation of a motor hub by steps for biasing the disc adjacent the motor hub. The biasing tool includes; a first and second biasing finger each having a protruding disc engagement region, each biasing finger extending from the main body portion, and an attachment aperture confined within the main body portion accommodating alignment of the biasing tool relative to the disc. The steps include selectively engaging the disc with a disc engagement region of the first or second biasing finger, and aligning a center of rotation of an annular servo track written on the disc with the central axis of rotation of the motor hub by biasing the disc adjacent the motor hub, which forms a common rotational axis for the motor hub and the annular servo track.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of fabricating a magnetic head slider realizing high-recording density at high-yields by preventing formation of a short circuit on the air-bearing surface of a magnetic head slider and preventing formation of an oxidized layer with significant film thickness which increases the effective magnetic spacing, on the air-bearing surface of the magnetic head slider. According to one embodiment, after air-bearing surface mechanical lapping of a row bar or a magnetic head slider, cleaning is performed by ion beam bombardment to remove a conductive smear. Oxygen exposure is performed to recover a damaged region which was formed by ion beam bombardment at the end face of an intermediate layer of a magnetoresistive film 5. Thereafter, air-bearing surface protection films are formed and followed by rail formation. If the processes are performed on the row bar, the row bar is cut into individual separated magnetic head sliders.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method is provided for precisely positioning a datum surface of a component. The apparatus has a housing defining a tooling datum surface. A collet is supported by the housing that is selectively operable between a retracted mode and an expanded mode. In the retracted mode a clearing disengagement is defined with the component. In the expanded mode a contacting engagement with the component is defined. The contacting engagement and a simultaneous longitudinal force transferred by the contacting engagement to the component pressingly engage the datum surfaces together. The apparatus further has a bias member exerting the longitudinal force and urging the collet to the retracted mode.

Abstract: A device and method for testing a slider of a head-gimbal assembly during disc drive manufacturing. The device includes a test disc, an actuator arm and a control module. The test disc has a first circumferential area for detecting contact between the slider and the test disc and a second circumferential area for burnishing sliders that contact the first circumferential area as the test disc rotates at or above the predetermined velocity. The head-gimbal assembly is affixed to the actuator arm such that the slider is operable to move between an inner diameter and an outer diameter of the test disc. The control module controls the movement of the actuator arm, and thus the slider, relative to the test disc. The control module monitors the slider-disc interface for contact therebetween. If contact is detected, the slider is either burnished or the head-gimbal assembly is discarded altogether.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, a method for a magnetic sensor includes forming a first conductive layer over a substrate containing circuitry, forming a dielectric layer over the first conductive layer, forming a second conductive layer over the dielectric layer such that the first conductive layer, the dielectric layer, and the second conductive layer form a first capacitor, and providing first and second terminals, wherein the first terminal is coupled to the first conductive layer and the second terminal is coupled to the second conductive layer.

Abstract: Magnetic recording media are smoothed with a tape. Each magnetic recording medium has a magnetic film and a lubricant film thereon. Next, the smoothed magnetic recording media are taken out from a process case and put in a shipping case. The magnetic recording media are then taken out from the shipping case and tested. Non-defective ones of the magnetic recording media are put in the shipping case.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a magnetic head including a spin valve sensor having a sensor layer stack that includes a pinned magnetic layer, a spacer layer formed on the pinned magnetic layer, and a free magnetic layer formed on the spacer layer. In a preferred embodiment the spacer layer is comprised of CuOx. The method includes the plasma smoothing of the upper surface of the pinned magnetic layer prior to depositing the spacer layer, and a preferred plasma gas is a mixture of argon and oxygen.

Abstract: A servo track writer (STW) clockhead radius jig is disclosed. One embodiment provides a hard disk drive assembly including a base having a cutaway portion to provide visual access therein. In addition, a disk is mounted in the hard disk drive assembly, this disk having an indicator thereon to indicate a required radius setting for a clockhead.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a head suspension includes a punching process, a positioning process, and an affixing process. An objective part on the head suspension to which a damper 73 is affixed includes a discontinuous section 72. The punching process punches a damper material into the damper 73 whose shape corresponds to the shape of the objective part excluding the discontinuous section 72. The positioning process positions the damper 73 to the objective part so that the damper 73 avoids and surrounds the discontinuous section 72, and the affixing process affixes the damper 73 to the objective part. The method secures a uniform damping effect among manufactured head suspensions and improves the yield of dampers and head suspensions without deteriorating the functions and performances of the head suspensions.

Abstract: A method for controlling the formation of the trailing shield gap during perpendicular head fabrication and head formed thereby are disclosed. The in-situ trailing shield gap deposition process removes the pre-sputter process that can damage the write pole material. Further, a seed pre-layer is formed on top of the trailing shield gap to absorb any non-uniformity of the trailing shield gap and to control issues resulting from the pre-sputter process originating from the trailing shield seed deposition.

Abstract: A reticle having a convex portion and a concave portion is used to form a convex portion and concave portion in the resist pattern for magnetic detection element and conductive layer, respectively. Then, with each resist pattern as a mask, unnecessary portions are removed to determine an initial height and to form a convex portion and concave portion in the magnetic detection element layer and in the conductive layer, respectively. Then, based on a ratio between widths of the convex portion and of the concave portion of the magnetic detection element layer, a deviation of the magnetic detection element layer is obtained, and a deviation of the conductive layer is obtained in a similar way, and based on these deviations the medium facing surface is ground with the conductive layer as a resistance sensor so that the height of the magnetic detection element layer be a desired value.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method is provided for precisely positioning a datum surface of a component. The apparatus has a housing defining a tooling datum surface. A collet is supported by the housing, and is thereby selectively operable between an expanded mode and a retracted mode. In the expanded mode, a clearing disengagement is defined with the component. In the retracted mode, a contacting engagement is defined with the component as well as a simultaneous longitudinal force that is transferred by the contacting engagement to the component capable of pressingly engaging the datum surfaces together. The apparatus further has a bias member urging the collet to the retracted mode.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention help to effectively suppress vibration of the disk in a Hard Disk Drive (HDD) with low density gas sealed therein, and securely prevent leakage of the low density gas from the base. In an embodiment, helium gas is sealed in a hermetically sealed enclosure of an HDD, and a shroud is formed integrally with a base. In manufacturing the base, a magnetic disk facing surface of the shroud is shaped by cutting after die-casting. This accomplishes a small and precise size of the gap between the magnetic disk facing surface and the circumferential edge of the disk. Cutting the shroud formed independently from the exterior walls, which ensure the hermeticity with the shroud, suppresses the vibration of the magnetic disk and eliminates the necessity of cutting of the inner surfaces of the exterior walls for the purpose of suppression of the vibration to reduce the risk of helium leakage.

Abstract: A method and system for manufacturing a spacer layer in a magnetoresistive element are described. The spacer layer resides between a free layer and a pinned layer. The method and system include providing a first metallic layer and oxidizing the first metallic layer in a first environment including at least oxygen and a first gas inert with respect to the first metallic layer. The method and system further include providing a second metallic layer and oxidizing the second metallic layer in a second environment including at least oxygen and a first gas inert with respect to the first metallic layer.

Abstract: A laminated core segment 30 into which a stator core is split has a core main body 31 that extends in an arc shape. On one end section of the core main body 31 there is formed a connecting section 40, and on the other end section there is formed a connecting section 41. The connecting section 40 is able to connect with the connecting section 41 of another laminated segment 30. In the connecting section 40 there is provided a protruding protrusion section 48, and the protrusion section 48 interferes with an interference section 53 on the connecting section 41 side when the stator core 30 is forced towards the direction in which the stator core is split. As a result, an assembly operation of the stator core becomes easier, and a magnetically excellent connecting structure can be obtained.

Abstract: A high yield in a manufacture of an HDD having a high recording density and using a patterned medium by a trench-like or a dot-like pattern is realized. In this HDD manufacturing method, a magnetic field size (writing and reading) of a head in a head manufacturing process is measured in a head unit inspection process. According to the result of the measurement, the head is classified into a plurality of groups in a head classifying process. In a patterned medium manufacturing process, a plurality of types of the patterned media which are designed so as to correspond to the classified head groups are manufactured. In an HDD assembly process, the HDD is manufactured by combining the plurality of head groups and the plurality of patterned media following a predetermined rule.

Abstract: A method for constructing a tapered write pole, the method including the use of a bilayer hard mask.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic head is disclosed. The steps of manufacture include the formation of an underlying layer made of a material whose etching rate of ion beam etching is higher than that of a magnetic alloy used to make a pole layer, and the formation of a magnetic layer, which includes a portion of the magnetic layer to be etched that will be formed into a track width defining portion by making its side surfaces sloped through etching. The magnetic layer is formed such that the portion to be etched is disposed on the underlying layer. The side surfaces of the portion to be etched by the ion beam etching are etched so that the magnetic layer is formed into the pole layer and so that the end face of the track width defining portion located in the medium facing surface has a width that decreases with decreasing distance from the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for adjusting recession of an element, such as a pole tip, in a transducer structure formed in a plurality of thin film layers on an edge of a slider. A pre-stressed structure is formed as part of the plurality of thin film layers on the edge of the slider. The pre-stressed structure has a level of material stress. The recession is measured relative to a bearing surface of the slider, and then the level of material stress is adjusted as a function of the measured to effect a corresponding change in the recession.

Abstract: A method of forming a discrete track recording pattern in a magnetic recording disk. In one embodiment, the discrete track recording pattern may be formed in a NiP layer continuous throughout the discrete track recording pattern. Alternatively, the discrete track recording pattern may be formed in a substrate.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating magnetic read heads are provided which reduce the width of the scratch exposure region of a read head. During normal fabrication processes, a read head is formed with a first shield, a read element formed on the first shield, and hard bias layers formed on either side of the read element. The width of the read elements and the hard bias layers define an initial scratch exposure region. According to embodiments herein, a mask structure is formed to protect the read element and first portions of the hard bias layers proximate to the read element. A removal process is then performed to remove second portions of the hard bias layers that are not protected by the mask structure, which defines a final scratch exposure region that is smaller than the initial scratch exposure region.

Abstract: There are provided a magnetic element capable of enhancing magnetic permeability of a magnetic member, improving a direct current superposition characteristic, and improving production efficiency and a method of manufacturing the magnetic element. The magnetic element includes a coil (30) formed of a conductor having an insulating film, a first core member (20) constituted of insulative soft magnetic ferrite and covering the coil (30), and a second core member (50) having soft magnetic metal powder as material and surrounded by the first core member (20). Furthermore, the magnetic element includes a third core member (40) which has soft magnetic metal powder as material and a higher filling ratio of the soft magnetic metal powder than the second core member 50 and is surrounded by the first core member (20).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a load beam directly improves the finishing accuracy of the surface of the load beam having a tab and/or a dimple, and the method includes a modifying process of preparing a flat plate work serving as the load beam and irradiating a part of a surface of the work where the tab and/or the dimple is formed with a laser beam, to form a modified layer in the irradiated part and a forming process of carrying out plastic working on the part where the modifies layer is present, to form the tab and/or the dimple in the part where the modified layer is present.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing thin closure magnetic read/write heads, such as magnetic tape heads is provided. The method provides improved flexural strength of the closure so that the closure breakage during fabrication of the heads is mitigated and closure thickness is reduced. An array of chips is fabricated on a wafer. The array is closed, with a closure strip bonded to each row of the array. Closures span only the length of a row, so that the closures are not subjected to flexure during processing and breakage due to flexure is mitigated. Side bars are bonded to the array to form a column with dimensions similar to prior art columns. This allows columns manufactured by the invention to undergo additional processing using existing processes.

Abstract: Apparatus for assembling a carriage assembly includes space maintaining plates to be inserted between carriage arms fitted with suspensions. The plates have penetrating holes communicating with spacer holes provided in the suspensions. The carriage arms are held from opposite sides in the arrangement direction thereof. Pressing means force a ball having a larger diameter than the spacer holes in an axial direction of the spacer holes using a stick-like pressing member, in order to crimp the suspensions to the tips of the carriage arms. The guide members are made of an elastic material, and guide the pressing member to move substantially along the axis of the spacer holes in the crimping step. The guide members are fitted to the inner peripheral surfaces of the penetrating holes provided in the space maintaining plates.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a magneto-resistive device. The magneto-resistive device is for reducing the deterioration in the characteristics of the device due to annealing. The magneto-resistive device has a magneto-resistive layer formed on one surface side of a base, and an insulating layer formed of two layers and deposited around the magneto-resistive layer. The layer of the insulating layer closest to the base is made of a metal or semiconductor oxide. This layer extends over end faces of a plurality of layers made of different materials from one another, which make up the magneto-resistive device, and is in contact with the end faces of the plurality of layers with the same materials.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention help to decrease the amount of inactive gas necessary for reflow to interconnect connection terminals of a head slider and a suspension. In an embodiment of the present invention, inactive gas is blown from a nozzle of a reflow apparatus toward interconnection joints of a head slider and a suspension. The head slider is bonded onto a gimbal tongue. The nozzle comprises a duct through which the inactive gas passes and a porous member fitted in an ejection outlet of the tube. Placing the porous member close to the head slider achieves effective reduction of oxygen concentration around solder balls.

Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating a write head with a self aligned wrap around shield and a self aligned flared region of a write pole. A flare point and a track width of a write pole may be fabricated using multiple processes. The multiple processes utilize several masking structures to define the track width and the flare point of the write pole. A mask structure is formed to cover a first portion of the write pole. An edge of the mask structure adjacent to an exposed second portion of the write pole defines a flare point of the write pole. Various structures of the write head, including shield gap layers, a wrap around shield and a flared region (e.g., the yoke) of the write pole may be fabricated from the flare point defined by the mask structure.

Abstract: Methods of making a read sensor with a selectively deposited lead layers are disclosed. In one illustrative example, the method includes the acts of forming a plurality of read sensor layers over a wafer; forming a monolayer photoresist to mask the plurality of read sensor layers in a central region; ion milling to remove the unmasked plurality of read sensor layers in side regions to thereby form a read sensor in the central region; depositing longitudinal bias layers in the side regions; and depositing a silicon reactant layer over the longitudinal bias layers in the side regions. After removing the monolayer photoresist, a silicon reduction process and a hydrogen reduction process are sequentially performed for the selective depositions of the lead material.

Abstract: A head actuator assembly of a disk device has a suspension which supports a head, an arm which supports the suspension and is rotatably supported by a bearing portion, signal wires which extend on the suspension and the arm and are connected electrically to the head, and a board unit. In manufacture, the signal wires are mounted on the suspension and the arm, and a connecting end portion of the board unit is connected to the signal wires mounted on the suspension and the arm. Thereafter, the head is mounted on the suspension and connected electrically to the signal wires.

Abstract: A system and method form a nanodisk that can be used to form isolated data bits on a memory disk. The imprint stamp is formed from first and second overlapping patterns, where the patterns are selectively etched. The selective etching leaves either pits or posts on the imprint stamp. The pits or posts are imprinted on the memory disk, leaving either pits or posts on the memory disk. The pits or posts on the memory disk are processed to form relatively small and dense isolated data bits. Instability of the isolated data bits caused by outside magnetic and thermal influences is substantially eliminated.

Abstract: A method of forming a perpendicular magnetic recording write head having a trailing shield (TS) with a precisely defined throat height (TH) on an air-bearing slider includes depositing an electrical lapping guide (ELG) layer on the substrate adjacent to and spaced from the write pole (WP) layer. A nonmagnetic TS pad layer is deposited on both the gap layer and the ELG layer, with the TS pad layer patterned to have a front edge extending across the both the ELG layer and the gap layer and recessed from the line where the substrate will be later cut to form the slider. An ELG protection layer is patterned on the ELG layer, the TS pad layer material is removed from the ELG layer in the region recessed from the TS pad layer front edge, and the ELG layer is removed in regions not covered by the ELG protection layer.

Abstract: A method is provided for preserving the transverse biasing of a GMR (or MR) read head during back-end processing. In a first preferred embodiment, the method comprises magnetizing the longitudinal biasing layers of the read head in a transverse direction, so that the resulting field at the position of the transverse biasing layer places it in a minimum of potential energy which stabilizes its direction. The field of the longitudinal biasing layer is then reset to the longitudinal direction in a manner which maintains the transverse biasing direction. In a second embodiment, a novel fixture for mounting the read head during processing includes a magnetic portion which stabilizes the transverse bias of the read head. The two methods may be used singly or in combination.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method is provided for precisely positioning a datum surface of a component. The apparatus has a housing defining a tooling datum surface. A collet is supported by the housing that is selectively operable between a retracted mode and an expanded mode. In the retracted mode a clearing disengagement is defined with the component. In the expanded mode a contacting engagement with the component is defined. The contacting engagement and a simultaneous longitudinal force transferred by the contacting engagement to the component pressingly engage the datum surfaces together. The apparatus further has a bias member exerting the longitudinal force and urging the collet to the retracted mode.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method is provided for precisely positioning a datum surface of a component. The apparatus has a housing defining a tooling datum surface. A collet is supported by the housing, and is thereby selectively operable between an expanded mode and a retracted mode. In the expanded mode, a clearing disengagement is defined with the component. In the retracted mode, a contacting engagement is defined with the component as well as a simultaneous longitudinal force that is transferred by the contacting engagement to the component capable of pressingly engaging the datum surfaces together. The apparatus further has a bias member urging the collet to the retracted mode.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording. The method includes the formation of a write pole over a substrate. A non-magnetic side gap layer is deposited and an ion milling is used to remove a portion of the substrate to lower the floor of the substrate. A sacrificial fill layer can then be deposited. A chemical mechanical polishing process can be used to remove the mask structure remaining as a remnant of the formation of the write pole, and then the sacrificial fill layer can be removed. A non-magnetic, electrically conductive material can be deposited to form a trailing gap, and a magnetic material can then be deposited to form a wrap around trailing shield.

Abstract: Provided is a method and system for manufacturing a hard drive platen. The method includes depositing two or more types of film around a central core to form a plurality of film layers, each film layer being of a different type than its adjacent layers. Next, the deposited film layers are sectioned to expose a patterned surface. The patterned surface is then planarized and selectively etched to expose patterns comprised of one of the types of film to a predetermined depth to produce a selectively etched surface. Magnetic material it deposited within etches of the surface and the surface is then planarized to form separated magnetic tracks therein.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a magnetic head including a CPP read head sensor. The CPP sensor includes a layered sensor stack including a free magnetic layer, a tunnel barrier layer, a pinned magnetic layer and an antiferromagnetic layer. An ion milling process is used to perform a partial depth material removal to establish the back wall of the sensor stack, where the antiferromagnetic layer is not milled through to create the back wall of the sensor stack. ELGs are fabricated during said ion milling process, and in an embodiment the ELGs are disposed at a same level as the tunnel barrier layer and are coplanar therewith.

Abstract: A magnetic head structure having enhanced protrusion and having a first pole structure, a second pole structure forming a yoke with the fist pole, a coil structure disposed in the yoke, and a layer of partially cured polymer operatively coupled to the yoke. Also disclosed is a magnetic head having a first pole structure, a second pole structure forming a yoke with the fist pole, a coil structure disposed in the yoke, and a layer of at least partially insulative material operatively coupled to the read and/or write head for providing enhanced protrusion, the at least partially insulative material having a coefficient of thermal expansion higher than a coefficient of thermal expansion of fully cured hard bake novalac. Further embodiments include disk drive systems having the head structures described herein.

Abstract: A method for independently forming neck height (NH) and pole width dimensions in a main pole layer of a PMR write head is described. A main pole layer with a pole tip region is formed on a bottom yoke. The pole tip region is trimmed by an ion milling process to give a pole width. A bilayer resist is patterned to form an opening with an undercut on the main pole layer. The opening uncovers the pole tip region except for an NH length adjacent to the pole tip. A top yoke comprised of CoFeN with a thickness of about 0.2 microns is deposited in the opening and the bilayer resist is removed by a lift-off process. Thereafter, a write gap layer is formed on the pole tip region and then first, second, and third write shield layers are formed above the write gap layer along the ABS.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write pole and trailing wrap around magnetic shield for use in a perpendicular magnetic data recording system. The method includes the use of a hard mask structure with end point detection material embedded in a hard mask material. The novel hard mask structure provides the mill resistance of a hard mask, with the end point detection advantages of an end point detection layer.

Abstract: A method for constructing a magnetic write head using an electrical lapping guide to carefully control critical dimensions dining a lapping operation used to define an air bearing surface. The lapping guide is photolithographically patterned in a common photolithographic step with another write head structure so that special relation between the lapping guide and critical dimensions of the write head structure can be carefully maintained. For example, the electrical lapping guide can be patterned in a common photolithographic step as the write pole so that the location of the flare point can he carefully controlled with respect to the location of the lapping guide. A stitched flare structure can also be built together with the electrical lapping guide, then a self-aligned shield can be further built over this stitched flare structure so that both flare point and shield throat can be controlled tightly together by this electrical lapping guide during lapping process.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for independently controlling track width and bevel angle of a write pole tip of a magnetic recording head. The method includes establishing the track width in the pole tip layer material utilizing E-beam lithography. A portion of this pole tip material having the established track width is protected by providing a temporary masking material to make a protected portion. At least one unprotected portion is left exposed to be shaped. This unprotected portion is then beveled to produce at least one beveled portion. The protected portion produces an upper pole tip portion which together with the beveled portion produce an improved pole tip. Also disclosed is a magnetic head having the improved pole tip, and a disk drive having a magnetic head having the improved pole tip.

Abstract: A spin valve sensor in a read head has a spacer layer which is located between a self-pinned AP pinned layer structure and a free layer structure. The free layer structure is longitudinally stabilized by first and second hard bias layers which abut first and second side surfaces of the spin valve sensor. The AP pinned layer structure has an antiparallel coupling layer (APC) which is located between first and second AP pinned layers (AP1) and (AP2). The invention employs a resetting process for setting of the magnetic moments of the AP pinned layers by applying a field at an acute angle to the head surface in a plane parallel to the major planes of the layers of the sensor. The resetting process sets a proper polarity of each AP pinned layer, which polarity conforms to processing circuitry employed with the spin valve sensor.

Abstract: An exchange-coupled film includes a seed layer, an antiferromagnetic layer, and a ferromagnetic layer. The seed layer is formed at a thickness that is larger than the critical thickness, and the thickness of the seed layer is then decreased by etching so as to be smaller than or equal to the critical thickness. Thereby, a crystalline phase which extends through the seed layer from the upper surface to the lower surface can be formed, and/or the average size, in a direction parallel to the layer surface, of the crystal grains in the seed layer can be set to be larger than the thickness of the seed layer. Consequently, a large exchange coupling magnetic field Hex can be generated between the antiferromagnetic layer and the ferromagnetic layer.

Abstract: A recording tape cartridge including: a reel, and gear teeth are provided at an inner side of a floor portion of a reel hub on which a recording tape is wound; a case which accommodates the reel, and an engaging projection is formed at a surface of the case opposing the floor portion of the reel hub; a braking member having a disc, and a braking gear, which is annular and which can mesh with the gear teeth, is provided at one surface of the disc, and the braking member can move within the case in a direction of thickness of the case; and a groove wall portion standing erect at the disc and demarcating an insertion groove in which the engaging projection enters over an entire stroke of movement of the braking member. The groove wall portion impedes rotation of the braking member, and guides the braking member.

Abstract: A free layer functions such that a magnetization direction changes depending on an external magnetic field, and is made up of a multilayer structure including a first Heusler alloy layer, and a fixed magnetization layer takes a form wherein an inner pin layer and an outer pin layer are stacked one upon another with a nonmagnetic intermediated layer sandwiched between them. The inner pin layer is made up of a multilayer structure including a second Heusler alloy layer. The first and second Heusler alloy layers are each formed by a co-sputtering technique using a split target split into at least two sub-targets in such a way as to constitute a Heusler alloy layer composition. When the Heusler alloy layer is formed, therefore, it is possible to bring up a film-deposition rate, improve productivity, and improve the performance of the device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention pertain to forming a head with reduced pole tip recession. According to one embodiment, a pole tip element is formed from a platinum containing material. During diamond like carbon (DLC) processing, hydrogen and hydrogen containing compounds are removed from a vacuum plasma processing environment that contains the head so that an amount of material that is removed from the pole tip element and other non-platinum containing elements associated with the head are approximately the same.