A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The method includes providing a first shield, a first read sensor, an antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) shield that includes an antiferromagnet, a second read sensor and a second shield. The read sensors are between the first and second shields. The AFC shield is between the read sensors. An optional anneal for the first shield is in a magnetic field at a first angle from the ABS. Anneals for the first and second read sensors are in magnetic fields in desired first and second read sensor bias directions. The AFC shield anneal is in a magnetic field at a third angle from the ABS. The second shield anneal is in a magnetic field at a fifth angle from the ABS. The fifth angle is selected based on a thickness and a desired AFC shield bias direction for the antiferromagnet.

A recording head has a first magnetic writer and a second magnetic writer offset from the first magnetic writer in a downtrack and crosstrack direction. The recording head has leads configured to deliver respective first and second write and/or laser currents to the first and second writers. The first and second write and/or laser currents enable the first and second writers to simultaneously write to adjacent tracks of a magnetic disk.

A magnetic read head including a first read element magnetically coupled to a bottom shield; a second read element magnetically coupled to a top shield; a magnetic shielding structure that magnetically shields the first read element from the second read element; and a first electrical contact electrically coupled to the bottom shield, a second electrical contact electrically coupled to the top shield and a third electrical contact electrically coupled to the magnetic shielding structure.

An apparatus and method for dynamic multiple actuator drive data access includes: partitioning a data package of a received data transfer request into a plurality of data segments; assigning actuator drivers and actuator controllers; initiating a data transfer to or from the data storage medium using one or more of the plurality of actuators corresponding to the one or more assigned actuator controllers; storing or retrieving an individual data package of the data transfer request to or from the data storage medium wherein the entire data package is wholly accessible to a single actuator, if the data transfer request is a random data mode request; and storing or retrieving an individual data segment of the data transfer request to or from the data storage medium wherein the data package is accessible to the plurality of actuators, if the request is a parallel data mode request.

According to one embodiment, a data processor includes an interface section and a processor. The interface section is configured to acquire partial data relating to a control condition of a magnetic recording/reproducing device. The processor is configured to process the partial data. The processor is configured to derive a first data by processing the partial data with a first model based on characteristics of the partial data, a first resolution of the first data being higher than a partial resolution of the partial data. The processor is configured to derive a second data by processing the partial data with a second model based on the characteristic. The second model is different from the first model. A second resolution of the second data being higher than the partial resolution.

A method and system provide a storage device. A plurality of read sensor stacks for each reader of the storage device are provided. The read sensor stacks are distributed along a down track direction and offset in a cross-track direction. A plurality of electronic lapping guides (ELGs) are provided for the read sensor stacks. The read sensor stacks are lapped. Lapping is terminated based on signal(s) from the ELG(s).

First tracks of a disk are read via a first read transducer. The first read transducer has a first crosstrack width and a first shield-to-shield spacing that are optimized to read a first track width and a first linear bit density of the first tracks. Second tracks interlaced between the first tracks are read via a second read transducer. The second read transducer has a second crosstrack width different from the first crosstrack width and second shield-to-shield spacing different than the first shield-to-shield spacing. The second crosstrack width and the second shield-to-shield spacing are optimized to read a second track width different from the first track width and a second linear bit density different from the first linear bit density.

A method and system provide a storage device. A plurality of read sensor stacks for each reader of the storage device are provided. The read sensor stacks are distributed along a down track direction and offset in a cross-track direction. A plurality of electronic lapping guides (ELGs) are provided for the read sensor stacks. The read sensor stacks are lapped. Lapping is terminated based on signal(s) from the ELG(s).

In a storage device, data is written to tracks on a storage medium. Data for each track includes a preamble. The preamble in any current track is orthogonal to the preamble in any track adjacent to the current track. A first read head is positioned over the current track and off-center toward a first adjacent track on a first side of the current track to detect first signals from among the current track, the first adjacent track, and a second adjacent track on a second side of the current track. A second read head is positioned over the current track and off-center relative to the current track toward the second adjacent track to detect second signals from among the current track, the first adjacent track, and the second adjacent track. Analyzing the first and second signals determines an amount by which the read heads are off-track from the current track.

A recording head has a first magnetic writer and a second magnetic writer offset from the first magnetic writer in a downtrack and crosstrack direction. The recording head has leads configured to deliver respective first and second write and/or laser currents to the first and second writers. The first and second write and/or laser currents enable the first and second writers to simultaneously write to adjacent tracks of a magnetic disk.