A low-profile card reader, including: a carriage; a single support arm including a first end statically mounted to the carriage, a second end, free from the carriage, a body tapering from the second end toward the first end, wherein the body is free from the carriage, such that the support arm freely deflects along a support arm length relative to the carriage, and a set of strengthening channels extending along the support arm length; and a magnetic reading head statically connected to the second end of the support arm.

A low-profile card reader, including: a carriage; a single support arm including a first end statically mounted to the carriage, a second end, free from the carriage, a body tapering from the second end toward the first end, wherein the body is free from the carriage, such that the support arm freely deflects along a support arm length relative to the carriage, and a set of strengthening channels extending along the support arm length; and a magnetic reading head statically connected to the second end of the support arm.

A method comprises forming a single-crystal-like metal layer on a metal seed layer, the metal seed layer formed on a carrier wafer. The method comprises forming a first bonding layer on the single-crystal-like metal layer. The method also comprises forming a second bonding layer on a dielectric layer of a target substrate, the target substrate comprising one or more recording head subassemblies. The bonding layers may include diffusion layers or dielectric bonding layers. The method further comprises flipping and joining the carrier wafer with the target substrate such that the first and second diffusion layers are bonded and the single-crystal-like metal layer is integrated with the recording head as a near-field transducer.

A method comprises forming a single-crystal-like metal layer on a metal seed layer, the metal seed layer formed on a carrier wafer. The method comprises forming a first bonding layer on the single-crystal-like metal layer. The method also comprises forming a second bonding layer on a dielectric layer of a target substrate, the target substrate comprising one or more recording head subassemblies. The bonding layers may include diffusion layers or dielectric bonding layers. The method further comprises flipping and joining the carrier wafer with the target substrate such that the first and second diffusion layers are bonded and the single-crystal-like metal layer is integrated with the recording head as a near-field transducer.

This magnetic head, which reads and writes magnetic information, prevents a signal from being read between the magnetic head and the write circuit during reading of magnetic information. A card reader 1 is provided with a magnetic head 6 which reads and writes magnetic information. Bidirectional diodes 54A, 54B are arranged inside of a head case 21 of the magnetic head 6. A write signal from a write circuit 72 is inputted via the bidirectional diodes 54A, 54B to a writing coil 34 wound around a core 32 of the magnetic head 6. The bidirectional diodes 54A, 54B and a demodulation IC 61 are mounted on a first board surface 62A of a control circuit board 62, and the control circuit board 62 is fixed to the head case 21 so that the bidirectional diodes 54A, 54B and the demodulation IC 61 are covered by the head case 21.

This magnetic head, which reads and writes magnetic information, prevents a signal from being read between the magnetic head and the write circuit during reading of magnetic information. A card reader 1 is provided with a magnetic head 6 which reads and writes magnetic information. Bidirectional diodes 54A, 54B are arranged inside of a head case 21 of the magnetic head 6. A write signal from a write circuit 72 is inputted via the bidirectional diodes 54A, 54B to a writing coil 34 wound around a core 32 of the magnetic head 6. The bidirectional diodes 54A, 54B and a demodulation IC 61 are mounted on a first board surface 62A of a control circuit board 62, and the control circuit board 62 is fixed to the head case 21 so that the bidirectional diodes 54A, 54B and the demodulation IC 61 are covered by the head case 21.

A heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) write apparatus includes a laser for providing energy and resides in proximity to a media during use. The HAMR write apparatus includes a write pole that writes to a region of the media, coil(s) for energizing the write pole and a waveguide optically coupled with the laser. The waveguide includes at least one multi-mode interference (MMI) device. The MMI device has at least one input, a plurality of outputs, a propagation section and a multi-mode interference (MMI) section. Energy from the laser propagates through the propagation section before the MMI section. The propagation section expands the energy from the laser to a plurality of modes. A first portion of the outputs is output from the propagation section. The MMI section is between the propagation section and a second portion of the plurality of outputs.

A slider has a read transducer comprising first and second shields surrounding a read sensor. The first shield faces a substrate. A first end of the reader stack is at a media-facing surface of the slider and a second end of the reader stack faces away from the first end. A heater is located farther away from the media-facing surface than the second end of the read transducer. The heater is configured to control a thermal protrusion of the read transducer from the media-facing surface. A heat sink is located between the first shield and the substrate.

A slider has a read transducer comprising first and second shields surrounding a read sensor. The first shield faces a substrate. A first end of the reader stack is at a media-facing surface of the slider and a second end of the reader stack faces away from the first end. A heater is located farther away from the media-facing surface than the second end of the read transducer. The heater is configured to control a thermal protrusion of the read transducer from the media-facing surface. A heat sink is located between the first shield and the substrate.

A method involves depositing a near-field transducer on a substrate of a slider. The near-field transducer comprises a plate-like enlarged portion and a peg portion. A first hard stop extending from the near field transducer and an air bearing surface is formed. A heat sink is formed on the enlarged portion and the first hard stop. A dielectric material is deposited over the near-field transducer and the heat sink. A second hard stop is deposited on the dielectric material away from the air bearing surface. The second hard stop comprises a recess corresponding in size and location to the heat sink. The method involves milling at an oblique angle to the substrate between the first hard stop and second hard stop to cut through the heat sink at the angle. The recess of the second hard stop increases a milling rate over the heat sink compared to a second milling rate of the dielectric away from the heat sink.