A heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) head has a slider with a gas-bearing-surface (GBS). The slider supports a near-field transducer (NFT) and a main magnetic pole that has a step or recess in the NFT-facing surface near the GBS that contains plasmonic material. A thermal shunt is located between the NFT and the main pole to allow heat to be transferred away from the optical spot generated by the NFT. The NFT-facing surface of the main pole that is recessed from the step away from the GBS is in contact with the thermal shunt, and the thermal shunt is in contact with the plasmonic material in the step in the back region recessed from the GBS, so there is no increase in the spacing between the NFT and a large portion of the main pole.

An apparatus, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, includes an inner array of data transducers on a module, the data transducers of the inner array being aligned along a common axis that extends between distal ends of the module. Two outer arrays of data transducers are positioned to sandwich the inner array therebetween. Inner servo readers are positioned between the inner array and the outer arrays. Outer servo readers are positioned toward outer ends of the outer arrays. Widths of at least some of the outermost data transducers in the inner array are less than widths of at least some of the innermost data transducers in the inner array.

An apparatus includes a recording head for reading and writing data on a data storage medium. The recording head includes a reader having a first media-confronting surface. The recording head also includes a main write pole having a second media-confronting surface that protrudes in front of the first media-confronting surface.

A lapping method of a MAMR head slider includes a first lapping process: controlling the lapping plate to spin at a first speed, and controlling the MAMR head slider to move at a first moving speed, and applying a first force to the MAMR head slider; and a second lapping process: controlling the lapping plate to spin at a second speed that is lower than the first speed, and controlling the MAMR head slider to move at a second moving speed that is lower than the first moving speed, and applying a second force that is lower than the first force to the MAMR head slider; and the second lapping process includes a final lapping process section, and the second force in the final lapping process being zero. In such a way, lapping marks on the ABS are reduced to improve the roughness and the reliability.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a slider including an air bearing surface which includes a plurality of uppermost surfaces each constituting a pressure generating surface and a plurality of other surfaces different in height from the uppermost surfaces, an inflow end, and an outflow end, and a head portion provided at the outflow end. The air bearing surface includes a negative pressure generating groove, a leading pad having the uppermost surface, and a trailing pad having the uppermost surface. The uppermost surface in a region between a tip portion of the trailing pad and the outflow end includes only the trailing pad.

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.

An apparatus, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, includes an inner array of data transducers on a module, the data transducers of the inner array being aligned along a common axis that extends between distal ends of the module. Two outer arrays of data transducers are positioned to sandwich the inner array therebetween. Inner servo readers are positioned between the inner array and the outer arrays. Outer servo readers are positioned toward outer ends of the outer arrays. Widths of at least some of the outermost data transducers in the inner array are less than widths of at least some of the innermost data transducers in the inner array.

A lapping method of a MAMR head slider includes a first lapping process: controlling the lapping plate to spin at a first speed, and controlling the MAMR head slider to move at a first moving speed, and applying a first force to the MAMR head slider; and a second lapping process: controlling the lapping plate to spin at a second speed that is lower than the first speed, and controlling the MAMR head slider to move at a second moving speed that is lower than the first moving speed, and applying a second force that is lower than the first force to the MAMR head slider; and the second lapping process includes a final lapping process section, and the second force in the final lapping process being zero. In such a way, lapping marks on the ABS are reduced to improve the roughness and the reliability.

A method of restoring a suspension of a hard disk drive includes detaching a slider, which is mounted on a tongue portion of the suspension via an adhesive, from the suspension, measuring a thickness of the adhesive in a cleaning area of the tongue portion, specifying a first residual area in which the thickness of the adhesive exceeds a threshold value, irradiating a first irradiation area including the first residual area locally with a first laser beam, and irradiating the cleaning area entirely with a second laser beam.

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.