In one general embodiment, an apparatus includes a magnetic head having at least one tunneling magnetoresistance sensor. The resistance of the tunnel barrier of each tunneling magnetoresistance sensor is about 25 ohms or less. In another general embodiment, an apparatus includes a magnetic head having at least one tunneling magnetoresistance sensor. The resistivity of the tunnel barrier of each tunneling magnetoresistance sensor is less than a product of a target resistance of the tunnel barrier and an area of the tunnel barrier. The target resistance is about 25 ohms or less.

Provided are a magnetic tape head, a magnetic tape drive, and a computational device in which the magnetic tape head is comprised of a plurality of modules comprising reader modules and writer modules, and a plurality of elements, wherein a total of shifts of selected elements of the plurality of elements that are shifted add up to a desired total shift to realign the plurality of modules, such that a median head span of each module type matches as close as possible to a desired value of a head span for all module types including the reader modules and the writer modules and wherein the head span is shifted at a wafer level.

A system according to one embodiment includes a magnetic head having a plurality of sensors arranged to simultaneously read at least three immediately adjacent data tracks on a magnetic medium, wherein none of the sensors share more than one lead with any other of the sensors. Such embodiment may be implemented in a magnetic data storage system such as a disk drive system, which may include a magnetic head, a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic medium (e.g., hard disk) over the magnetic head, and a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head.

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, according to one embodiment, includes: a module; and a plurality of tunnel valve read transducers arranged in an array extending along the module. Each of the tunnel valve read transducers includes: a sensor structure having a tunnel barrier layer and a free layer. Moreover, each of the tunnel valve read transducers includes a pair of hard bias magnets which sandwich the respective sensor structure therebetween, the hard bias magnets being positioned on opposite sides of the sensor structure along a cross-track direction. Furthermore, a thickness of each of the hard bias magnets at a thickest portion thereof is at least 10 times greater than a thickness of the free layer. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes: a plurality of tunnel valve read transducers arranged in an array extending along a read module. Each of the tunnel valve read transducers includes: a sensor structure having a cap layer, a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer, a reference layer and an antiferromagnetic layer, and electrically insulating layers on opposite sides of the sensor structure. Moreover, a height of the free layer measured in a direction perpendicular to a media bearing surface of the read module is less than a width of the free layer measured in a cross-track direction perpendicular to an intended direction of media travel.

An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes: a module, and a plurality of tunnel valve read transducers arranged in an array extending along the module. Each of the tunnel valve read transducers includes: a sensor structure, an upper magnetic shield, a lower magnetic shield, an upper conducting spacer layer between the sensor structure and the upper magnetic shield, a lower conducting spacer layer between the sensor structure and the lower magnetic shield, and electrically insulating layers on opposite sides of the sensor structure. The sensor structure includes a cap layer, a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer, a reference layer and an antiferromagnetic layer. Moreover, a height of the free layer measured in a direction perpendicular to a media bearing surface of the module is less than a width of the free layer measured in a cross-track direction perpendicular to an intended direction of media travel.

An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes: a module, and a plurality of tunnel valve read transducers arranged in an array extending along the module. Each of the tunnel valve read transducers includes: a sensor structure, an upper magnetic shield, a lower magnetic shield, an upper conducting spacer layer between the sensor structure and the upper magnetic shield, a lower conducting spacer layer between the sensor structure and the lower magnetic shield, and electrically insulating layers on opposite sides of the sensor structure. The sensor structure includes a cap layer, a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer, a reference layer and an antiferromagnetic layer. Moreover, a height of the free layer measured in a direction perpendicular to a media bearing surface of the module is less than a width of the free layer measured in a cross-track direction perpendicular to an intended direction of media travel.

In one general embodiment, an apparatus includes a magnetic head having at least one tunneling magnetoresistance sensor. The resistance of the tunnel barrier of each tunneling magnetoresistance sensor is about 25 ohms or less. In another general embodiment, an apparatus includes a magnetic head having at least one tunneling magnetoresistance sensor. The resistivity of the tunnel barrier of each tunneling magnetoresistance sensor is less than a product of a target resistance of the tunnel barrier and an area of the tunnel barrier. The target resistance is about 25 ohms or less.

A method of forming a read head. The method includes forming first and second read sensors. A first read measurement is performed on a storage medium using the first read sensor. A second read measurement is performed on the storage medium using the second read sensor. Based on a comparison of the first and second read measurements to a predetermined quantity, either the first read sensor or the second read sensor is selected to be operational in a data storage device.