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.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a magnetic disk, a magnetic head, a control unit, and a setting unit. The magnetic head includes a write element which writes data to the magnetic disk and heater elements which adjust a levitation amount relative to the magnetic disk. The setting unit sets a heater value to be set on the basis of a measurement result of measuring the recording quality of the data written to the magnetic disk. The control unit controls electric power to be supplied to the heater elements on the basis of the heater value to be set to the setting unit.

A wiring circuit board includes a base insulating layer; a first wiring disposed on the base insulating layer; an intermediate insulating layer disposed on the base insulating layer so as to cover the first wiring; a second wiring disposed on the intermediate insulating layer; a single layer first terminal, disposed on the base insulating layer, and electrically connected to the first wiring; and a single layer second terminal, disposed on the base insulating layer, and electrically connected to the second wiring. The first terminal is continuous with the first wiring. The second terminal is discontinuous from the second wiring. The wiring circuit board further includes a connecting portion disposed on the base insulating layer and continuous with the second terminal to electrically connect to the second wiring.

A storage device includes a controller that determines a degree of data degradation for a data track targeted by a pending read command and sets a head/media clearance parameter for execution of the read command based on the determined degree of data degradation for the data track, the head/media clearance parameter providing for a greater head-media separation when the determined level of degradation is lower than when the determined level of degradation is higher.

According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a disk-shaped recording medium, a base accommodating the recording medium, the base including a bottom wall, a sidewall on a peripheral portion of the bottom wall, and a rib on a part of an upper surface of the sidewall and extending along an entire circumference of the sidewall, a first cover on a part of the upper surface of the sidewall, and a second cover on a first surface of the rib and above the first cover. The rib includes a first region with a first width, a second region with a second width less than the first width, and the first surface with a fixed width around an entire circumference of the rib. The first region and the second region are located corresponding to a side portion of the recording medium.

Described herein are sliders and data storage devices that promote particle mobility to improve particle robustness. In some embodiments, a data storage device includes a recording medium and a slider. A surface of the slider air-bearing surface near the leading edge includes at least one roughening feature that causes the surface to be rougher than other surfaces of the slider to promote particle mobility. The roughening feature may include a regular or irregular pattern, and it may be created using a photoresist mask during the manufacturing process so that the surface is deliberately made rougher (e.g., has a higher friction coefficient) than the surface of a leading pad of the slider.

Disclosed herein are sliders with deep holes, data storage devices including such sliders, and methods of manufacturing such sliders. The holes can be situated near the edges of the slider to improve the stability and/or damping of the slider. The holes may be created, for example, using ion milling. In some embodiments, a slider comprises a leading pad comprising a first medium-facing surface that includes at least a first hole and a second hole, a first side pad comprising a second medium-facing surface that includes at least a third hole, and a second side pad comprising a third medium-facing surface that includes at least a fourth hole. In some embodiments, a trailing pad of the slider comprises a fourth medium-facing surface that includes at least a fifth hole and a sixth hole.

Disclosed herein are sliders with deep holes, data storage devices including such sliders, and methods of manufacturing such sliders. The holes can be situated near the edges of the slider to improve the stability and/or damping of the slider. The holes may be created, for example, using ion milling. In some embodiments, a slider comprises a leading pad comprising a first medium-facing surface that includes at least a first hole and a second hole, a first side pad comprising a second medium-facing surface that includes at least a third hole, and a second side pad comprising a third medium-facing surface that includes at least a fourth hole. In some embodiments, a trailing pad of the slider comprises a fourth medium-facing surface that includes at least a fifth hole and a sixth hole.

A wiring circuit board includes two insulating layers, a wiring layer, a pad portion, and a conductive connection portion. The wiring layer is on one side in a thickness direction of the first insulating layer, and has a contact portion. The second insulating layer is on one side in the thickness direction of the first insulating layer to cover the wiring layer. The pad portion is on one side in the thickness direction of the second insulating layer. The second insulating layer has a through opening portion and having an opening along at least a part of a peripheral end portion of the pad portion. The contact portion of the wiring layer faces the through opening portion. The conductive connection portion, is connected to at least the peripheral end portion of the pad portion, and the contact portion, and electrically connects the wiring layer to the pad portion.

An apparatus comprises a slider configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording comprising an air bearing surface (ABS). The slider comprises a write pole at or near the ABS, and a near-field transducer (NFT) at or near the ABS and proximate the write pole. A main waveguide is configured to receive light from a laser source and communicate the light to the NFT. An optical power sensor comprises a tap waveguide optically coupled to the main waveguide and comprising a first end and an opposing second end. The optical power sensor also comprises a bolometer optically coupled to the tap waveguide and configured to receive a portion of the light extracted from the main waveguide by the tap waveguide.