A magnetic disk device includes a plurality of magnetic disks, a plurality of sliders each including one or more resistive elements, each of which is arranged to face a recording surface of one of the plurality of magnetic disks, and is provided corresponding to the plurality of magnetic disks, and a processor configured to detect a change in a resistance value of one or more of the plurality resistive elements.

A method includes producing a first surface acoustic wave (SAW) on a magnetic head slider using a first interdigitated transducer (IDT), wherein the SAW has a first set of wave characteristics. The method also includes receiving the first SAW at a second IDT on the magnetic head slider. The method also includes analyzing the SAW for a second set of wave characteristics. The method also includes determining, based on the analyzing, that a substance having at least one characteristic is located in a path of the SAW on the magnetic head slider.

The present disclosure relates to kiss lapping sliders after patterning an air bearing surface pattern, followed by applying a protective overcoat to the air bearing surface. The present disclosure also involves related sliders.

A slider design for a hard disk drive (HDD) features a shallow cavity adjacent to a leading edge that has patterns of sub-cavities of various shapes etched into its base to reduce its original surface area. The presence of these patterns of sub-cavities significantly reduces the probability that the slider will capture particles on the surface of a rotating disk and thereby reduces the corresponding probability of surface scratches that such captured particles inevitably produce.

The present disclosure includes systems and methods for using a comparator-based, relaxation oscillator circuit to detect capacitance of a capacitor formed between a metallic feature in a read/write head and a metallic feature in a storage medium.

A recording head includes a near-field transducer proximate a media-facing surface of the recording head and a waveguide that overlaps and delivers light to the near-field transducer. The recording head includes subwavelength-sized focusing mirror comprising first and second reflectors disposed on cross track sides of the near-field transducer. Each of the first and second reflectors is spaced apart from the media-facing surface by a distance, D, measured along an axis normal to the media-facing surface.

A Spin Hall Effect (SHE) assisted magnetic recording device is disclosed wherein a SHE layer comprising a giant Spin Hall Angle material is formed in a write gap between a main pole (MP) trailing side and trailing shield (TS). The SHE layer contacts either the MP or TS, and has a front side at the air bearing surface or recessed therefrom. In one embodiment, a current (I.sub.1) is applied between the MP trailing side and SHE layer and is spin polarized to generate a first spin transfer torque that tilts a local MP magnetization to a direction that enhances a MP write field. In a second embodiment, a current (I.sub.2) is applied between the SHE layer and TS and is spin polarized to generate a second spin transfer torque that tilts a local TS magnetization to a direction that increases the TS return field and improves bit error rate.

An apparatus comprises a slider having an air bearing surface (ABS), a leading edge, and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge. A writer having a write pole is situated at or near the ABS. A near-field transducer (NFT) is situated at or near the ABS and between the write pole and the leading edge of the slider. An optical waveguide is configured to couple light from a laser source to the NFT. A contact sensor is situated between the write pole and the trailing edge. The contact sensor comprises a first ABS section situated at or near the ABS, a second ABS section situated at or near the ABS and spaced apart from the first ABS in a cross-track direction by a gap, and a distal section extending away from the ABS and connecting the first ABS section with the second ABS section.

A spin transfer torque (STT) device is formed on an electrically conductive substrate and includes a ferromagnetic free layer near the substrate, a ferromagnetic polarizing layer and a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the free layer and the polarizing layer. A multilayer structure is located between the substrate and the free layer. The multilayer structure includes a metal or metal alloy seed layer for the free layer and an intermediate oxide layer below and in contact with the seed layer. The intermediate oxide layer reflects spin current from the free layer and thus reduces undesirable damping of the oscillation of the free layer's magnetization by the seed layer.

A magnetic recording head includes a trailing shield, a main pole, and a spin Hall layer. The spin Hall layer is disposed between the trailing shield and the main pole. A first spin torque layer is disposed between the spin Hall layer and the trailing shield. A second spin torque layer is disposed between the spin Hall layer and the main pole.