A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, an underlayer provided above the substrate, and a magnetic layer provided on and in contact with the underlayer. The underlayer includes a compound represented by a general formula MgO.sub.(1-x), where x falls within a range of 0.07 to 0.25. The magnetic layer includes an alloy having a L1.sub.0 structure, and the alloy having the L1.sub.0 structure includes one or more elements selected from a group consisting of Al, Si, Ga, and Ge.

A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, an underlayer provided above the substrate, and a magnetic layer provided on and in contact with the underlayer. The underlayer includes a compound represented by a general formula MgO.sub.(1-x), where x falls within a range of 0.07 to 0.25. The magnetic layer includes an alloy having a L1.sub.0 structure, and the alloy having the L1.sub.0 structure includes one or more elements selected from a group consisting of Al, Si, Ga, and Ge.

The present disclosure generally relates to a storage device comprising soft bias structures having high coercivity and high anisotropy, and a method of forming thereof. The soft bias structures may be formed by moving a wafer in a first direction under a plume of NiFe to deposit a first NiFe layer at a first angle, moving the wafer in a second direction anti-parallel to the first direction to deposit a second NiFe layer at a second angle on the first NiFe layer, and repeating one or more times. The soft bias structures may be formed by rotating a wafer to a first position, depositing a first NiFe layer at a first angle, rotating the wafer to a second position, depositing a second NiFe layer at a second angle on the first NiFe layer, and repeating one or more times. The first and second NiFe layers have different grain structures.

A non-local spin valve (NLSV) sensor includes a bearing surface and a detector located proximate to the bearing surface. The NLSV sensor also includes a channel layer located behind the detector relative to the bearing surface, and in a substantially same plane as the detector. The channel layer has a front end that is proximate to the detector and a rear end that is distal to the detector. The NLSV sensor further includes first and second spin injectors, with the first spin injector located proximate to the rear end of the channel layer and positioned above the channel layer, and the second spin injector located proximate the rear end of the channel layer and positioned below the channel layer.

A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, an underlayer provided above the substrate, and a magnetic layer provided on and in contact with the underlayer. The underlayer includes a compound represented by a general formula MgO.sub.(1-x), where x falls within a range of 0.07 to 0.25. The magnetic layer includes an alloy having a L1.sub.0 structure, and the alloy having the L1.sub.0 structure includes one or more elements selected from a group consisting of Al, Si, Ga, and Ge.

A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, an underlayer provided above the substrate, and a magnetic layer provided on and in contact with the underlayer. The underlayer includes a compound represented by a general formula MgO.sub.(1-x), where x falls within a range of 0.07 to 0.25. The magnetic layer includes an alloy having a L1.sub.0 structure, and the alloy having the L1.sub.0 structure includes one or more elements selected from a group consisting of Al, Si, Ga, and Ge.

An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes a sensor having an active region, a magnetic shield adjacent the active region, a spacer between the active region and the magnetic shield, a second magnetic shield on an opposite side of the active region as the magnetic shield, and a second spacer between the active region and the second magnetic shield. Both spacers include an electrically conductive ceramic layer. The sensor is an electronic lapping guide.

A non-local spin valve (NLSV) sensor includes a bearing surface and a detector located proximate to the bearing surface. The NLSV sensor also includes a channel layer located behind the detector relative to the bearing surface, and in a substantially same plane as the detector. The channel layer has a front end that is proximate to the detector and a rear end that is distal to the detector. The NLSV sensor further includes first and second spin injectors, with the first spin injector located proximate to the rear end of the channel layer and positioned above the channel layer, and the second spin injector located proximate the rear end of the channel layer and positioned below the channel layer.

According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes an interface, a setting unit, and a controller. The interface is operable to perform communication in accordance with a protocol. The setting unit is configured to set one of a plurality of items indicating a state of the electronic device. The controller is configured to, when a command is received via the interface, obtain the state of the item set in the setting unit, and when a response to the command is transmitted, include state information indicating the state of the set item in a header portion of the response defined in a communication standard of the protocol.

According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes an interface, a setting unit, and a controller. The interface is operable to perform communication in accordance with a protocol. The setting unit is configured to set one of a plurality of items indicating a state of the electronic device. The controller is configured to, when a command is received via the interface, obtain the state of the item set in the setting unit, and when a response to the command is transmitted, include state information indicating the state of the set item in a header portion of the response defined in a communication standard of the protocol.