A tape head is provided for reading and/or writing to a magnetic tape. The tape head including a step-like cross-sectional profile, so as to exhibit a riser between two treads, the latter respectively formed by a tape-bearing surface and a recessed surface, wherein: the tape-bearing surface is essentially flat and configured to contact a magnetic tape, and comprises at least one transducer, the latter being a read or a write element, configured to read or write to the magnetic tape, respectively; and the recessed surface is recessed from the tape-bearing surface by a distance h corresponding to a height of the riser, a width w of the recessed surface along a direction parallel to a longitudinal direction z of circulation of the tape being such that a ratio h/w is at least of 0.01. Related tape head apparatuses for recording or reproducing multi-track tapes are also provided.

A unidirectional and bi-directional tape head with sub-ambient pressure cavities. The tape head is adapted for reading and/or writing to a magnetic tape. The tape head includes: a tape-bearing surface; a transducer area, having at least one transducer designed for reading and/or writing to the magnetic tape; and a cavity open on the tape-bearing surface adjacent to the transducer area that extends parallel to the transducer area and transversally to the longitudinal direction of circulation of the tape such that an opening of the cavity faces the tape in operation. The cavity is further dimensioned and arranged with respect to the transducer area to create, upon circulation of the tape in operation, sub-ambient pressure therein. The present invention allows for a very close tape-head spacing.

The present disclosure generally relates to a magnetic media drive employing a magnetic recording head. The magnetic recording head comprises a first write head, a second write head, at least one read head, and a thermal fly height control element. The first write head is a wide writing write head comprising a first main pole and a first trailing shield. The second write head a narrow writing write head comprising a second main pole, a trailing gap, a second trailing shield, and one or more side shields. The first main pole has a shorter height and a greater width than the second main pole. The second main pole has a curved or U-shaped surface disposed adjacent to the trailing gap. The thermal fly height control element and the at least one read head are aligned with a center axis of the second main pole of the second write head.

A data writer can have at least a write pole separated from a return pole by a non-magnetic lamination. The non-magnetic lamination may consist of first, second, and third non-magnetic materials that are each different and configured to provide a physical protrusion on an air bearing surface of less than 4 Angstroms.

A magnetic write head having trailing magnetic shield and a trailing magnetic return pole that are recessed from the media facing surface. The magnetic write head includes a write pole, a trailing shield that is separated from the write pole by a non-magnetic trailing gap layer and a trailing magnetic return pole that is connected with the trailing magnetic shield. The trailing magnetic return pole and at least a portion of the trailing magnetic shield have surfaces that face the media facing surface. The surface of the trailing magnetic return pole and at least a portion of the surface of the trailing magnetic shield taper away from the media facing surface. This recess prevents far track interference by preventing stray magnetic fields from the trailing magnetic shield and trailing magnetic return pole from inadvertently affecting the magnetic media.

A magnetic write apparatus has a media-facing surface (MFS), a pole, a write gap, a top shield and coil(s). The pole includes a yoke and a pole tip. The pole tip includes a bottom, a top wider than the bottom and first and second sides. The pole tip has a height between the top and the bottom. At least part of the top of the pole tip is convex in a cross-track direction between the first and second sides such that the height at the MFS is larger between the first and second sides than at the first and second sides. The height increases in a yoke direction perpendicular to the MFS. The write gap is adjacent to and conformal with the top of the pole at the MFS and is between part of the top shield and the pole. The top shield is concave at the MFS.

The present disclosure generally relates to a magnetic media drive employing a magnetic recording head. The magnetic recording head comprises a first write head, a second write head, at least one read head, and a thermal fly height control element. The first write head is a wide writing write head comprising a first main pole and a first trailing shield. The second write head a narrow writing write head comprising a second main pole, a trailing gap, a second trailing shield, and one or more side shields. The first main pole has a shorter height and a greater width than the second main pole. The second main pole has a curved or U-shaped surface disposed adjacent to the trailing gap. The thermal fly height control element and the at least one read head are aligned with a center axis of the second main pole of the second write head.

An apparatus includes an array of write transducers. Each write transducer includes a lower yoke, a lower write pole piece comprising a lower base layer in magnetic communication with the lower yoke and a lower high moment layer above the lower base layer. Each write transducer includes a write gap above the lower write pole piece and an upper write pole piece above the write gap. The upper write pole piece includes an upper high moment layer above the write gap and an upper base layer above the upper high moment layer. Each write transducer includes an upper yoke above the upper base layer. A media facing side of the lower pole piece and at least a portion of a media facing side of the upper pole piece extend along a plane and the remainder of the media facing side of the upper pole piece is recessed from the plane.

The present disclosure includes methods and systems that include multiple lapping stages having at least one lapping stage that laps while a heat source is applied to cause expansion during lapping and at least one subsequent lapping stage that laps while the heat source is reduced (e.g., turned off).

A head gimbal assembly (HGA) for a hard disk drive includes a primary dimple having a secondary structure protruding from the primary dimple, where a flexure is movably coupled with a load beam via the primary dimple, and where the secondary structure is configured to restrict the point of contact between the load beam and the flexure. Such an arrangement avoids any shift in the axis of rotation of the flexure, and the attached slider, due to any undesirable protrusion from the primary dimple which may arise in the manufacturing process. Examples of secondary structures include a micro-dimple, a ridge, and an embedded mass of material.