A patterned magnetic recording medium for use in heat assisted magnetic recording comprises an electrically conductive heat sink layer and a plurality of discrete magnetic recording elements positioned adjacent to a first surface of the heat sink layer. Disc drives that include the patterned medium and a method of magnetic recording using the patterned media are also included.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a disk, a head which writes data to the disk and reads data from the disk, and a controller which executes, in a first region segmented in a radial direction of the disk, at least one of conventional recording processing which writes a plurality of tracks with a space in between in the radial direction at a first linear recording density and shingled recording processing which writes a plurality of tracks on top of one another in the radial direction at a second linear recording density which is less than or equal to the first linear recording density.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a disk, a head which writes data to the disk and reads data from the disk, and a controller which executes, in a first region segmented in a radial direction of the disk, at least one of conventional recording processing which writes a plurality of tracks with a space in between in the radial direction at a first linear recording density and shingled recording processing which writes a plurality of tracks on top of one another in the radial direction at a second linear recording density which is less than or equal to the first linear recording density.

A magnetic recording head is provided with a main magnetic pole that generates a recording magnetic field to be applied to a magnetic recording medium from an end surface which makes a portion of an air bearing surface, a trailing shield that is placed by interposing a write gap at a trailing side of the main magnetic pole, a spin torque oscillator that is placed within the write gap to be between the main magnetic pole and the trailing shield, and two side shields that are placed at both sides of the main magnetic pole in the cross track direction, and when viewed from the air bearing surface side, at least a portion of the trailing-side end surfaces of the side shields are offset toward a leading-side of the main magnetic pole from the leading-side end surface of the spin torque oscillator.

An information storage apparatus includes a magnetic track, a writer, and a reader, where the magnetic track includes a number of magnetic domains. Each magnetic domain is divided into at least two magnetic regions, and the writer is disposed on the magnetic track, and configured to write information to the at least two magnetic regions of each magnetic domain. The reader, disposed on the magnetic track, is configured to read the written information from the at least two magnetic regions. Therefore, multiple pieces of valid information are written to one magnetic domain of the magnetic track, thereby increasing storage density of the magnetic track, and expanding a storage capacity of the storage apparatus.

A magnetic recording device includes: a magnetic recording medium containing a plurality of recording layers; a magnetic recording head for conducting magnetic writing of information in the magnetic recording medium; and a magnetic reproducing head for conducting magnetic reading out of the information from the magnetic recording medium; wherein the magnetic recording head includes a high frequency oscillator for magnetically assisting the magnetic writing of the information so as to change a magnetization of at least one of the plurality of recording layers of the magnetic recording medium, thereby recording a plurality of information different from one another in the magnetic recording medium commensurate with a total amount of magnetization of the plurality of recording layers.

A ferroelectric storage apparatus includes: a ferroelectric recording medium; a conductive probe configured to write information to and read information from the ferroelectric recording medium; a probe slider configured to cause the conductive probe to travel by floating above a surface of the ferroelectric recording medium; a ferroelectric recording medium driver configured to rotate the ferroelectric recording medium; and a recording-and-reproduction signal processor configured to process a write signal and a read signal of information transmitted to and received from the conductive probe. The conductive probe includes: a base body constituted by a conductive material; an insulating layer formed on the base body and includes a through hole: and a needle-shaped electrode formed in a cone shape on the base body in the through hole. A portion of the needle-shaped electrode protrudes from a surface of the insulating layer.

A manufacturing method of a conductive probe that is configured to write information to and read information from a ferroelectric recording medium is provided. The manufacturing method includes: forming, on a conductive material, an insulating layer by oxidizing the conductive material; forming an isolation layer on the insulating layer; applying a photoresist on the isolation layer; forming a hole in the photoresist; etching in the hole to the conductive material; depositing metal on a surface of the conductive material in the hole, thereby obtaining a needle-shaped electrode; and removing the isolation layer. A portion of the needle-shaped electrode protrudes from the surface of the insulating layer.