A magnetic read head is provided, comprising a bottom magnetic shield, a first free magnetic layer, a second free magnetic layer, and a top magnetic shield, arranged from bottom to top in this order in a stacking direction from a leading side to a trailing side of the read head. A non-soft bias layer is positioned below the top magnetic shield and on a back side of the first and the second free magnetic layers. The top magnetic shield has a unidirectional anisotropy, the magnetic moments of the top and the bottom magnetic shields are canted relative to a plane of the first and the second free magnetic layers, and the top and the bottom magnetic shields are decoupled from the non-soft bias layer and not magnetically coupled to a soft bias layer.

A STRAMR structure is disclosed. The STRAMR structure can include a spin torque oscillator (STO) device in a WG provided between the mail pole (MP) trailing side and a trailing shield. The STO device, includes: a flux guiding layer that has a negative spin polarization (nFGL) with a magnetization pointing substantially parallel to the WG field without the current bias and formed between a first spin polarization preserving layer (ppL1) and a second spin polarization preserving layer (ppL2); a positive spin polarization (pSP) layer that adjoins the TS bottom surface; a non-spin polarization preserving layer (pxL) contacting the MP trailing side; a first negative spin injection layer (nSIL1) between the ppL2 and a third spin polarization preserving layer (ppL3); and a second negative spin injection layer (nSIL2) between the ppL3 and the pxL, wherein the nFGL, nSIL1, and nSIL2 have a spin polarization that is negative.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to magnetic recording systems, and more particularly to a magnetic recording system with a current-assisted write head. The write head comprises a main pole, a trailing shield disposed above the main pole, a trailing gap disposed between the main pole and the trailing shield, a side shield surrounding three sides of the main pole, the side shield being in contact with and disposed below the trailing shield and the trailing gap, and a side gap disposed between the side shield and each of the three sides of the main pole. The side gap comprises a non-magnetic electrically-conducting material to dissipate heat away from the main pole, lowering the resistance and temperature rise due to heating. The trailing gap may further comprise a non-magnetic electrically-conducting material. The write head may have a two terminal or three terminal connection configuration.

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to magnetic recording heads of magnetic recording devices. A read head includes a first reader, an insulating separation layer, and a second reader disposed above the insulating separation layer. The second reader includes a magnetic seed layer and a cap layer. The second reader includes a first upper free layer disposed between the magnetic seed layer and the cap layer, and a second upper free layer disposed between the first upper free layer and the cap layer. The second reader includes a barrier layer. In one implementation the second reader includes an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer disposed between the magnetic seed layer and the insulating separation layer to pin the magnetic seed layer.

The present disclosure generally relates to magnetic storage devices, such as magnetic tape drives, comprising a read head. The read head comprises a plurality of read sensors disposed between a lower shield having a first width in a stripe height direction and an upper shield. The plurality of read sensors comprise an antiferromagnetic layer and a free layer comprising a first layer and a second layer. A plurality of soft bias side shields disposed adjacent to and outwardly of the plurality of read sensors in a cross-track direction, each of the plurality of soft bias side shields having a second width in the stripe height direction less than the first width. Each of the plurality of soft bias side shields are spaced a first distance from the lower shield and a second distance from the upper shield, the first distance being substantially equal to the second distance.

The present disclosure generally relates to read heads having dual free layer (DFL) sensors. The read head has a sensor disposed between two shields. The sensor is a DFL sensor and has a surface at the media facing surface (MFS). Recessed from the DFL sensor, and from the MFS, is a rear hard bias (RHB) structure. The RHB structure is disposed between the shields as well. In between the DFL sensor and the RHB structure is insulating material. The RHB is disposed on the insulating material. The RHB includes a RHB seed layer as well as a RHB bulk layer. The RHB bulk layer includes a first bulk layer and a second bulk layer, the first bulk layer having a different density relative to the second bulk layer.

The present disclosure relates to read head apparatus, and methods of forming read head apparatus, for magnetic storage devices, such as magnetic tape drives (e.g., tape drives). In one implementation, a read head for magnetic storage devices includes a lower shield, an upper shield, one or more lower leads, and a plurality of upper leads. The read head includes a plurality of read sensors, each read sensor of the plurality of read sensors including a first antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer. The read head includes a plurality of soft bias side shields disposed between and outwardly of the plurality of read sensors. The read head includes a plurality of second AFM layers disposed below the plurality of soft bias side shields along a downtrack direction.

The present disclosure generally relates to a dual free layer (DFL) two dimensional magnetic recording (TDMR) read head. The read head comprises a first sensor, a first rear hard bias (RHB) structure disposed adjacent to the first sensor, an upper shield disposed over the first sensor and first RHB structure, a lower shield disposed over the upper shield, a second sensor disposed over the lower shield, and a second RHB structure disposed adjacent to the second sensor. A first surface of the first sensor is substantially flush or aligned with a first surface of the first RHB structure. A first surface of the second sensor is substantially flush or aligned with a first surface of the second RHB structure. The upper shield extends linearly from a media facing surface into the read head. The first lower shield is over-milled a greater amount of time than the second lower shield.

A magnetic head includes a main pole, a trailing shield, and a spin torque oscillator. A top surface of the main pole includes a first inclined portion, a second inclined portion, and a third inclined portion arranged in order of closeness to a medium facing surface. Each of the first to third inclined portions has a front end closest to the medium facing surface and a rear end farthest from the medium facing surface. Each of the first to third inclined portions is inclined relative to the medium facing surface and a direction orthogonal to the medium facing surface so that its rear end is located forward relative to its front end in a direction of travel of a recording medium.

The present disclosure generally relates to magnetic storage devices, such as magnetic tape drives, comprising a read head. The read head comprises a plurality of read sensors disposed between a lower shield and an upper shield. A plurality of soft bias side shields are disposed adjacent to and outwardly of the plurality of read sensors in a cross-track direction. A plurality of hard bias side shields are disposed on and in contact with the soft bias side shields to stabilize the soft bias side shields. Each of the plurality of soft bias side shields are spaced a first distance from the lower shield and each of the hard bias side shields are spaced a second distance from the upper shield, the first distance being substantially equal to the second distance.