Abstract: A magnetic thin film being ferromagnetic and exhibiting large spin polarization at room temperature is provided that comprises a substrate (2) and a Co2Fe(Si1-xAlx) thin film (3) formed on the substrate (2) where 0<x<1 and wherein the Co2Fe(Si1-xAlx) thin film (3) has a L21 or a B2 structure. There may be interposed a buffer layer (4) between the substrate (2) and the Co2Fe(Si1-xAlx) thin film (3). A tunneling magnetoresistance effect device and giant magnetoresistance effect device using such a magnetic thin film exhibit large TMR and GMR at room temperature, with low electric current and under low magnetic field. Using such a magnetoresistance effect device, a magnetic device and a magnetic apparatus such as a magnetic sensor, a magnetic head or MRAM are provided.

Abstract: A nanocomposite article that includes a single-crystal or single-crystal-like substrate and heteroepitaxial, phase-separated layer supported by a surface of the substrate and a method of making the same are described. The heteroepitaxial layer can include a continuous, non-magnetic, crystalline, matrix phase, and an ordered, magnetic magnetic phase disposed within the matrix phase. The ordered magnetic phase can include a plurality of self-assembled crystalline nanostructures of a magnetic material. The phase-separated layer and the single crystal substrate can be separated by a buffer layer. An electronic storage device that includes a read-write head and a nanocomposite article with a data storage density of 0.75 Tb/in2 is also described.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for servo data based harmonics calculation. For example, a circuit for determining harmonics is disclosed that includes an analog to digital conversion circuit that provides a series of digital samples corresponding to a pattern within a servo data region of a storage medium, and a harmonic calculation circuit. The harmonic calculation circuit is operable to calculate a first harmonic value for the series of digital samples, calculate a second harmonic value for the series of digital samples, and calculate a ratio of the first harmonic value to the second harmonic value.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a cable comprising a plurality of leads and an ESD dissipating adhesive coupled to the plurality of leads in a coverage area for providing ESD protection to an element of an electronic device. The ESD adhesive comprises a mixture of a polymeric thin film and electrically conductive fillers dispersed in the film, and the ESD adhesive has a resistivity from about 50 to 100 M?. In another embodiment, a method for providing ESD protection to an element of an electronic device includes applying an ESD adhesive across exposed leads of a cable and evaporating the solvent from the ESD adhesive. At least some of the leads are coupled to an element of an electronic device. The ESD adhesive comprises a polymeric thin film, electrically conductive fillers dispersed in the polymeric thin film, and a solvent for controlling a viscosity of the ESD adhesive.

Abstract: A contact pad includes a first layer of material with a first yield strength and a second layer of material with a second yield strength is laminated to the first layer. A third yield strength of the laminated composite of the first layer and the second layer exceeds the first yield strength and the second yield strength due to the Hall-Petch phenomenon. An overcoat covers an edge of the first layer and the second layer of the contact pad to prevent wear. A method of creating the contact pad or other microelectronic structure includes depositing a first layer of material with a first yield strength on a substrate. A second layer of material with a second yield strength is deposited on the first layer. An edge of the first layer and the second layer is coated with an overcoat material to prevent wear of the first and second layers.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes a non-magnetic granular layer, and a recording layer provided on the non-magnetic granular layer, wherein the recording layer includes a first granular magnetic layer provided on the non-magnetic granular layer, and a second granular magnetic layer provided on the first granular magnetic layer, and a non-magnetic material magnetically separating metal grains of the non-magnetic granular layer is different from a non-magnetic material magnetically separating magnetic grains of the first granular magnetic layer.

Abstract: Improved writability and a sharper neck transition are achieved in a PMR writer with a yoke that has essentially vertical sidewalls and a write pole that has sidewalls with a beveled angle. An alumina mold is made with a negative differential bevel angle by employing a two mask process. A first photoresist layer is patterned and etched to form a rectangular trench in an alumina layer. The trench extends beyond the intended ABS plane and in the opposite direction into the intended yoke area. A second photoresist layer is patterned into a yoke shape that is partially superimposed over the rectangular trench. After a second RIE process, the yoke opening adjoins the trench at a neck transition point along each long trench side. The volume of magnetic material in the yoke adjacent to the neck is thereby maximized. Dimension control of the main pole becomes independent of ABS positioning errors.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole generating a recording magnetic field in a magnetic recording medium, a return yoke paired with the main magnetic pole, and a spin torque oscillator interposed between the main magnetic pole and the return yoke and including a spin injection layer, an oscillation layer, a nonmagnetic metal layer, and spin assist layer stacked in this order, wherein the nonmagnetic metal layer includes at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Cu, Au, Ag, Al, Pd, Pt, Os, and Ir, and the spin assist layer is a soft magnetic layer whose saturation magnetic flux density (Bs), diamagnetic field coefficient (N) and gap magnetic field (Hg) show a relationship expressed by Bs×N>Hg.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk drive includes a parameter management table, a parameter adjustment module and an interpolation module. The parameter management table stores a parameter used to write or read data to or from a disk in the parameter management table in association with each of a plurality of predetermined temperature divisions. The parameter adjustment module adjusts a first parameter stored in the parameter management table in association with a first temperature division to a second parameter adapted for the first temperature division if an ambient temperature detected by a temperature detector corresponds to the first temperature division and if the first parameter is unadjusted. The interpolation module updates an unadjusted third parameter corresponding to a third temperature division between the first temperature division and a second temperature division for which the parameter is adjusted based on a result of the adjustment of the first parameter.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a magnetoresistive read element, first and second primary shields, and an auxiliary shield. The magnetoresistive read element is located between the first and the second primary shields, and the auxiliary shield is located between the magnetoresistive read element and the first primary shield. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a plurality of magnets located between a plurality of shields for a magnetoresistive element. The plurality of magnets is optionally offset from the magnetoresistive element.

Abstract: This magnetic recording device is provided with a magnetic write head having a magnetic pole, and a magnetic recording medium having a plurality of data recording blocks. Each of the data recording blocks is formed with a plurality of write tracks and separated, in a write track width direction, from neighboring one of the data recording blocks with a writing exudation suppression section in between. With this configuration, a magnetic mutual interference of the adjacent data recording blocks at the time of a data rewriting process is avoided even when a mutual interval of the data recording blocks is narrowed, and a good recording state is maintained in each of the data recording blocks. Therefore, it is possible to achieve an improvement in a recording density, while realizing the good and brief data rewriting process for each of the data recording blocks.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium comprising a magnetic layer comprising a ferromagnetic powder and a binder on a nonmagnetic support, wherein the magnetic layer has a thickness ? ranging from 10 to 80 nm, a product, Mr?, of a residual magnetization Mr of the magnetic layer and the thickness ? of the magnetic layer is equal to or greater than 1 mA but less than 5 mA, a ratio, Sdc/Sac, of an average area Sdc of magnetic clusters in a DC demagnetized state to an average area Sac of magnetic clusters in an AC demagnetized state as measured by a magnetic force microscope, MFM, ranges from 0.8 to 2.0.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, it is determined whether a STOAR element which performs microwave assistance for a magnetic disk apparatus is made to oscillate properly. When the STOAR element is oscillating when a current bias is applied, the resistance of the element increases. Therefore, in a head IC which outputs the current bias, a voltage applied to the STOAR element is sensed, and it is possible to determine that the STOAR element is oscillating when the voltage is increased to a threshold or more. Conversely, it is possible to determine that the STOAR element is not oscillating when the voltage is less than the threshold. In addition, it is possible to determine that oscillation has diminished, when the resistance decreases after the voltage reaches the threshold or more. Therefore, it is possible to make the STOAR element oscillate normally again, by boosting the STOAR element by a current.

Abstract: Magnetic heads for perpendicular magnetic recording on magnetic recording media are provided.

Abstract: A main pole layer having at least a leading taper and trimmed pole tip portion is described. The leading taper increases head field up to ?15000 Oe even for narrow track widths approaching 50 nm. For MAMR applications, a STO and trailing shield are sequentially formed on a trailing pole tip side. Furthermore, full side shields may be added to reduce fringing field. Another embodiment involves including both of a leading taper and trailing taper at the pole tip where leading taper angle is between 20° and 60° and trailing taper angle is from 10° to 45°. A method is provided for forming various embodiments of the present invention. A key feature is that milling depth at an effective neck height distance is greater than or equal to the pole tip thickness. A self aligned STO may be formed by the same ion milling step that defines track width.

Abstract: An apparatus that includes a first read shield and a second read shield and a reader stack between the first and second read shields. The first and second read shields each include a tilted magnetization layer closest to the reader stack to control magnetic field flux lines in a free layer of the reader stack and thereby improve a selectivity of the reader to independently sense and isolate media transitions.

Abstract: Structures and methods for fabrication servo and data heads of tape modules are provided. The servo head may have two shield layers spaced apart by a plurality of gap layers and a sensor. Similarly, the data head may have two shield layers spaced apart by a plurality of gap layers and a sensor. The distance between the shield layers of the servo head may be greater than the distance between the shield layers of the data head. The material of the gap layers may include tantalum or an alloy of nickel and chromium. The material for the gap layers permits deposition of gap layers with sufficiently small surface roughness to prevent distortion of the tape module and increase the stability of the tape module operation.

Abstract: A microwave oscillation element of the present invention includes a lamination main part in which an oscillating layer that is a magnetization free layer and that generates a high frequency electromagnetic field by an excitation of a spin wave, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, a polarizer layer, and a reference layer that is to be a base magnetic layer of a spin transfer due to application of current are layered in this order. The oscillating layer is made of CoIr, the polarizer layer is configured of CoCr or CoRu; and the nonmagnetic intermediate layer is configured of Cr or Ru. As a result, the efficiency of the spin injection is improved and the microwave oscillation element where the oscillation efficiency is excellent can be realized.

Abstract: A magnetic head disposed in a slider, that is arranged at an interval from a magnetic disk includes a sensor disposed in a position that is opposed to the magnetic disk, a heat conductive film that is positioned on an air bearing surface opposed to the magnetic disk, and that is formed so as to overlap the sensor, of which a height in a direction perpendicular to the air bearing surface is more than a height of the sensor, and that transfers a temperature change of the air bearing surface to the sensor, and a pair of lead films electrically connected to the sensor and not electrically connected to the heat conductive film.

Abstract: A magnetic head, according to one embodiment, includes a main magnetic pole having a protruding portion such that a distance from a first side of a trailing edge of the main magnetic pole to a leading edge of the main magnetic pole is different from a distance from a second side of the trailing edge of the main magnetic pole to the leading edge of the main magnetic pole, an auxiliary magnetic pole, and a coil wound around a magnetic circuit, the magnetic circuit including the main magnetic pole and the auxiliary magnetic pole. In another embodiment, a disk drive system includes a magnetic storage medium, at least one magnetic head as described previously for writing to the magnetic medium, a slider for supporting the magnetic head, and a control unit coupled to the magnetic head for controlling operation of the magnetic head. Additional systems and heads are also presented.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a reproducing section. The reproducing section includes a first magnetic shield, a second magnetic shield, a magnetoresistive effect film, and a third magnetic shield. The magnetoresistive effect film is provided between the first magnetic shield and the second magnetic shield and includes a first magnetization free layer changing a magnetization direction in response to an external magnetic field. The third magnetic shield is provided between the magnetoresistive effect film and the first magnetic shield and has a higher saturation magnetic flux density than the first magnetic shield.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a perpendicular magnetic recording layer comprises a granular film type recording layer and a continuous film type recording layer. The granular film type recording layer comprises a first granular film type recording layer in which magnetic crystal grains in a film plane has an average crystal grain diameter of 3 to 7 nm, and a second granular film type recording layer including magnetic crystal grains having an in plane average crystal grain diameter larger than that of the magnetic crystal grains of the first granular film type recording layer.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium that is capable of realizing both high magnetic permeability and antiferromagnetic coupling for a soft magnetic underlayer. Namely, a magnetic recording medium including at least a non-magnetic substrate on which is laminated a soft magnetic underlayer formed by antiferromagnetic coupling of a plurality of soft magnetic layers, and a perpendicular magnetic layer for which the axis of easy magnetization is oriented mainly perpendicularly to the non-magnetic substrate, wherein the soft magnetic layers contain Fe as a first main component, Co as a second main component, and also contain Ta, the soft magnetic underlayer is antiferromagnetically coupled using the second peak or a subsequently appearing peak of the antiferromagnetic coupling force, which changes according to the thickness of a spacer layer sandwiched between the plurality of soft magnetic layers, and the magnetic permeability of the soft magnetic underlayer is not less than 1,000 H/m.

Abstract: A magnetic recording head includes a first ferromagnetic layer, an intermediate layer, a third ferromagnetic layer, a first magnetic pole and a second magnetic pole. The intermediate layer is provided between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer. The third ferromagnetic layer includes a CoIr alloy and is provided so that the first ferromagnetic layer is sandwiched between the third ferromagnetic layer and the intermediate layer. The first magnetic pole is provided so that the third ferromagnetic layer is sandwiched between the first magnetic pole and the first ferromagnetic layer. The second magnetic pole is provided so that the second ferromagnetic layer is sandwiched between the second magnetic pole and the intermediate layer.

Abstract: A magnetic recording element has a substrate, a main pole for recording that includes an edge part positioned on an air bearing surface (ABS), a waveguide through which a laser light propagates, and a plasmon generator. The plasmon generator is positioned away from the substrate and extends to the ABS as facing a part of the waveguide. The plasmon generator has a propagation edge extending in a longitudinal direction. The propagation edge has an overlapping part overlapping the waveguide in the longitudinal direction, and a near field light generator positioned on the ABS and located in the vicinity of the edge part of the recording magnetic pole. The overlapping part of the propagation edge is coupled with the laser light propagating through the waveguide in a surface plasmon mode so that a surface plasmon is generated. The propagation edge propagates the surface plasmon generated in the overlapping part to the near field light generator.

Abstract: Excellent magnetization switching of a magnetic recording medium is promoted in microwave assisted magnetic recording to provide a highly-reliable high-density information recording device. A receded section from an air bearing surface is arranged at an end section in a write track width direction on an FGL laminate film for generating a high-frequency field. Alternatively, a cross section of the FGL laminate film (plane perpendicular to the direction of the flow of the electric current) has an inverted trapezoid shape or has a structure in which the area of the cross section increases with distance from the main pole. Since an excellent recording pattern is formed on the recording medium, areal recording density in the information recording device can be increased, and the reliability can be improved at the same time. As a result, the cost can be reduced.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor comprises a channel, a ferromagnetic body and first and second reference electrodes on the channel, a magnetic shield covering a part of the channel opposing the ferromagnetic body, and an insulating film disposed between the channel and the magnetic shield, while the magnetic shield has a through-hole extending toward the part of the channel opposing the ferromagnetic body.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a master disk for magnetic transfer is provided in which a pattern configuration does not change and burrs that require a polishing process are not generated. The method of manufacturing a master disk for magnetic transfer can include preparing a nonmagnetic body, forming a pattern of recessed parts on the nonmagnetic body, and forming a ferromagnetic material layer by depositing a ferromagnetic material on a surface of the nonmagnetic body having the pattern of recessed parts thereon. The method can further include forming a pattern of ferromagnetic material layers at the recessed parts by removing an excess portion of the ferromagnetic layer without using a mask. An etching rate of the nonmagnetic body can be larger than an etching rate of the ferromagnetic material layer in the operation of forming a pattern of ferromagnetic material layers at the recessed parts.

Abstract: The recording layer is made of both magnetic particles containing Co, Cr, and Pt and a nonmagnetic material containing Cr present among the magnetic particles. The recording element has an uneven Cr distribution such that the ratio of the number of Cr atoms that constitute the recording element to the total number of Co, Cr, and Pt atoms that constitute the recording element is less at the sidewall portion of the recording element than at the center portion of the recording element. The relationships given by Expressions (I) and (II) below are satisfied; Hnc<Hns??(I), and Hnc/Hcc<Hns/Hcs??(II) where Hns is the nucleation magnetic field of the sidewall portion of the recording element, Hnc is the nucleation magnetic field of the center portion of the recording element, Hcs is the coercive force of the sidewall portion, and Hcc is the coercive force of the center portion.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a reference layer having a first magnetization direction and a free layer assembly having an effective magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to the first magnetization direction and substantially perpendicular to a plane of each layer of the free layer assembly. A spacer layer is between the reference layer and the free layer, and a signal enhancement layer is exchange coupled to the free layer assembly on a side opposite the spacer layer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head is provided, in which joined are: a light source unit that includes a light source having a surface including a light-emission center on the joining surface side of a unit substrate; and a slider that includes an optical system having a light-receiving end surface reaching a back surface opposite to the opposed-to-medium surface. This method utilizes “semi-active alignment” that uses an alignment light, and comprises steps of: causing a light to enter the light source from a surface opposite to the light-emission center; detecting the light that has passed through the light source and is emitted from the light-emission center to align the light-emission center with the light-receiving end surface of the slider; and bonding the light source unit to the slider. This manufacturing method can achieve the alignment with a sufficiently high alignment accuracy in a short processing time.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk drive includes a disk and a data read/write module. The disk has a disk substrate, tracks and non-recording areas. The tracks and the non-recording areas are formed on the disk substrate and arranged in the radial direction of the disk. The tracks are magnetic layers and have a recording area each. The non-recording areas are made of non-magnetic layers and arranged between the tracks. Thus, valid recording area and invalid recording areas are provided in each track, at a predetermined ratio. The data read/write module is configured to write data in or read data from the valid recording areas, but not in or from the invalid recording areas.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium including at least a soft under layer, an orientation control layer, a magnetic recording layer and a protective layer on a non-magnetic substrate, wherein the orientation control layer is composed of three or more layers including a seed layer, a first intermediate layer and a second intermediate layer sequentially, formed in that order from the substrate side, the crystal grains that constitute the first intermediate layer are epitaxially grown on the crystal grains of the seed layer, the crystal grains that constitute the second intermediate layer are epitaxially grown on the crystal grains of the first intermediate layer, and the crystal grains that constitute the second intermediate layer are finer than the crystal grains that constitute the first intermediate layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a perpendicular magnetic recording medium including at least a backing layer, an orientation control layer, a magnetic recording layer and a protective layer provided on top of a non-magnetic substrate, wherein the orientation control layer is composed of two or more layers including a seed layer and an intermediate layer, formed in that order from the substrate side, and the seed layer is formed of a material containing 5 to 25 atomic % of an element for which, in a phase diagram, the solid solution region with an element having a face-centered cubic structure is not more than 1 atomic %. Also provided is a magnetic recording/reproducing device that includes the magnetic recording medium and a magnetic head for recording and reproducing information on the magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for producing a magnetic head includes depositing a first film above a substrate, etching a pattern into the first film, depositing a second film on the etched portion of the first film, and depositing a third film above the first and second film to form a multilayer magnetic film, wherein the second film is embedded between the first and third film in a portion of the first film that is removed. In another embodiment, a differential magnetic read head includes a magnetic multilayer film comprising a stack of a first magnetic sensor film and a second magnetic sensor film which are not magnetically connected and a hard magnetic film provided on both sides in a track width direction of the magnetic multilayer film for controlling a magnetic domain of the magnetic multilayer film. The hard magnetic film is a laminated structure as described above.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a magnetic recording medium having magnetically separated magnetic recording patterns, such a magnetic recording medium, and a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus. The manufacturing method of the present invention includes: forming a continuous recording layer on a nonmagnetic substrate; then forming, on the recording layer, a mask layer including at least one element selected from the element group of Pt, Ru, and Pd in such a manner that part of the recording layer is not masked; and then performing a magnetic characteristic modifying process including exposing the unmasked part of the surface of the recording layer to reactive plasma or reactive ions produced in the reactive plasma to amorphize the part of the recording layer and to modify the magnetic characteristics of the part, so that magnetically separated magnetic recording patterns are formed.

Abstract: An actuator and method of using an actuator that operably supports a component of a data transfer assembly. The actuator has a body and an arm extending longitudinally from the body. The arm has a tapered portion defined by laterally converging opposing surfaces from a proximal end of the arm adjacent the body and terminating at a medial longitudinal position of the arm. The arm further has a tip portion extending contiguously from the medial longitudinal position of the arm to a distal end of the arm. The tip portion has laterally opposing protuberant arcuate lobes that cooperatively define a maximum lateral width of the tip portion. In some embodiments the arm has a surface defining an aperture sized for operably swaging a head gimbal assembly (HGA) to the arm. A lateral apex of at least one of the lobes is intersected by a lateral axis that intersects the aperture.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main pole, wherein a thickness in a down-track direction of the main pole increases moving away from an air bearing surface of the magnetic pole, and wherein a center position in a thickness direction of a portion of the main pole which is exposed at the air bearing surface (the ABS portion) is positioned toward a trailing side of the main pole with respect to a center position in a thickness direction of a portion of the magnetic pole having a greatest cross-sectional area and which is set back from the air bearing surface (the set-back portion). Further embodiments of this magnetic recording head, along with systems thereof and methods of producing magnetic recording heads are also described, according to more embodiments.

Abstract: A sloped reader is disclosed that reduces skew between reader and written transitions in shingled writing. The reader is formed between surfaces of S1 and S2 shields that are aligned parallel to the sloped reader. A PMR writer is described that straightens transition curvature and reduces signal-to-noise ratio in shingled writing. In one embodiment, a symmetrical writer with a bowed trailing edge where two corners have a greater pole height than a center portion may be used for either right corner or left corner shingled writing. In a second embodiment, an asymmetrical writer is formed with a straight and sloped trailing edge such that the write corner has a greater pole height than the opposite corner on the trailing edge. The bowed angle in the symmetrical writer and slope angle in the asymmetrical writer is between 5 and 45 degrees and preferably between 10 and 30 degrees.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) reader is disclosed. A TMR structure comprising at least one ferromagnetic layer and at least one nonmagnetic insulating layer is provided. A first thermal annealing process on the TMR structure is performed. A reader pattern definition process performed on the TMR structure to obtain a patterned TMR reader. A second thermal annealing process is performed on the patterned TMR reader.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a slider, an edge-emitting laser diode fixed to the slider, and an external mirror fixed to the laser diode. The laser diode has an emitting end face that includes an emission part for emitting laser light; a mounting surface that lies at an end in a direction perpendicular to the plane of an active layer and faces the slider; and a rear surface opposite to the mounting surface. The external mirror includes: a first to-be-fixed part disposed along the emitting end face; a second to-be-fixed part disposed along the rear surface; and a coupling part that couples the first and second to-be-fixed parts to each other. The first to-be-fixed part has a reflecting surface that reflects the laser light emitted from the emission part toward the waveguide.

Abstract: A structure for providing two write assist components for perpendicular thin film heads writing to high coercivity media is disclosed. The two components provided by the present invention include a media writing assist component and a head switching assist component. The structure includes an auxiliary half coil surrounding the pole tip at the ABS, and includes conductive elements running parallel to the pole layer which are connected to the auxiliary half coil. Integrated heat sinks located at either the ABS or at a recessed position are provided. The conductive elements can prove either symmetric or asymmetric current feed geometries, which allow differential or common mode current flow to the half coil.

Abstract: An information storage device includes a magnetic track and a magnetic domain wall moving unit. The magnetic track has a plurality of magnetic domains and a magnetic domain wall between each pair of adjacent magnetic domains. The magnetic domain wall moving unit is configured to move at least the magnetic domain wall. The information storage device further includes a magneto-resistive device configured to read information recorded on the magnetic track. The magneto-resistive device includes a pinned layer, a free layer and a separation layer arranged there between. The pinned layer has a fixed magnetization direction. The free layer is disposed between the pinned layer and the magnetic track, and has a magnetization easy axis, which is non-parallel to the magnetization direction of the pinned layer.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording head is provided, which has a head structure that narrows the erase band width in shingled write recording. A perpendicular magnetic recording head has a main pole that generates a recording magnetic field, a trailing shield positioned on the trailing side of the main pole, and a side shield positioned in the cross-track direction of the main pole. In the structure, a gap length (MP?SS distance) between the side shield and the main pole and a gap length (MP?TS distance) between the trailing shield and the main pole satisfy a relationship, (MP?TS distance)×0.5<(MP?SS distance)<(MP?TS distance)×1.5.

Abstract: A patterned perpendicular magnetic recording medium, such as a disk for use in hard disk drives, has a flux channeling layer (FCL) located below the recording layer (RL) in each of the discrete data islands. The disk includes a substrate, a soft underlayer (SUL) of soft magnetically permeable material on the substrate, and a nonmagnetic exchange break layer (EBL) on the SUL. A nonmagnetic separation layer (SL) is located between the FCL and the RL in the islands. The FCL has an anisotropy field substantially lower than the anisotropy field of the RL, and a magnetization equal to or higher than the magnetization of the RL. The FCL is saturated at a much lower field than the RL and thus channels the magnetic flux from the write head through the island positions. The dipolar fields from the RL above the FCL polarize the magnetization of the FCL parallel to the magnetization direction of the RL in the absence of an external field, to thereby enhance the readback signal.

Abstract: The presently disclosed technology teaches integrating disc drive electronics into a transducer head. Decreased electrical transit times and data processing times can be achieved by placing the electronics on or within the transducer head because electrical connections may be made physically shorter than in conventional systems. The electronics may include one or more of a control system circuit, a write driver, and/or a data buffer. The control system circuit generates a modified clock signal that has a fixed relation to phase and frequency of a bit-detected reference signal that corresponds to positions of patterned bits on the disc. The write driver writes outgoing data bits received from an external connection to off-head electronics directly to the writer synchronized with the modified clock signal. The data buffer stores and converts digital data bits sent from the off-head electronics to an analog signal that is synchronized with the modified clock signal.

Abstract: A novel magnetic recording medium is disclosed in which a plurality of magnetic data recording layers and navigation layers are separate from one another. By decoupling the navigation and data layers, data may be written to data layers without the need to align the written data along servo tracks. Thus, the data layers may be configured for high recording density. Beneficially, imperfections within the magnetic data layers may also be compensated for by the use of adaptive error correction schemes which vary the encoding/decoding of data during writing/reading based upon the local quality of the recording media.

Abstract: A magnetically-activatable sheet product is provided comprising a pair of laminated outer sheets at least one of which is provided with a pigment/binder primer coat on its inward facing surface, between which is a magnetic layer comprising magnetically-activatable particles in a binder matrix, the outer sheets having sufficient opacity to mask the appearance of the magnetic layer.

Abstract: A magnetic device includes a write element having a write element tip and a conductor adjacent an edge of the write element tip for carrying current to generate an assist field that augments a write field generated by the write element. A cladding material is disposed on at least one surface of the conductor.

Abstract: In a read-write head, the shields can serve as magnetic flux conductors for external fields, so that they direct a certain amount of flux into the recording medium. This problem has been overcome by the addition to the shields of a pair of tabs located at the edges closest to the ABS. These tabs serve to prevent flux concentrating at the edges so that horizontal fields at these edges are significantly reduced. Said tabs need to have aspect ratios of at least 2 and may be either triangular or rectangular in shape. Alternatively, the tabs may be omitted and, instead, outer portions of the shield's lower edge may be shaped so as to slope upwards away from the ABS.