Implementing dual partially independent thermal flyheight control (tfc) for hard disk drives

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016293194-A1
Application number	US-201514678906-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 3, 2015
Priority date	Apr 3, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system are provided for implementing dual partially independent flyheight control (TFC) for hard disk drives (HDDs). A dual thermal flyheight control (TFC) includes a series connected first heater resistor and a second heater resistor connected between a pair of wires. A capacitor is connected in parallel with the first heater resistor providing a frequency dependent shunt to the parallel connected first heater resistor. TFC electrical bias signals are applied to the first heater resistor and second heater resistor carried by the pair of wires. For example, the TFC electrical bias signals include high frequency electrical signals including a frequency range between 1 MHz and 100 MHz having a set amplitude in a voltage range between 0 and 7 Volts, and/or DC current signal.

First claim

1 . A method for implementing dual partially independent flyheight control (TFC) for hard disk drives (HDDs), said method comprising:
providing dual thermal flyheight control (TFC) includes a series connected first heater resistor and a second heater resistor; one of said first heater resistor and said second heater resistor provided near a write head and another of said first heater resistor and said second heater resistor provided near a read head; connecting the series connected first heater resistor and second heater resistor between a pair of wires; providing a capacitor connected in parallel with the first heater resistor to provide a frequency dependent shunt to the first heater resistor for high frequency electrical signals applied to said pair of wires; the second heater resistor only connected between the first heater resistor and one of said pair of wires; and applying TFC electrical bias signals to the first heater resistor and the second heater resistor carried by said pair of wires for providing partially independent power control and controlling minimum flypoint of said read head for reading and for controlling minimum flypoint of said write head for writing; and said applied TFC electrical bias signals including an AC bias frequency for maintaining suspension transmission path crosstalk of less than 50 dB; and said applied TFC electrical bias signals having a selected frequency change of said AC bias frequency for fine TFC adjustment and an AC amplitude change said AC bias frequency for coarse TFC adjustment.

2 . The method as recited in claim 1 , includes providing the capacitor having a selected capacitance value dependent on an available AC bias frequency affecting power of the first and second heater resistors.

3 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said applying TFC electrical bias signals to the first heater resistor and the second heater resistor include applying an AC bias at a frequency range to effect power of the first and second heater resistors; and an amplitude of said AC frequency electrical signals includes a voltage range between available power supply voltages for the bias circuitry.

4 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said applying TFC electrical bias signals includes said controller applying a DC and high frequency electrical signal to the first heater resistor and the second heater resistor.

5 . The method as recited in claim 1 , includes providing a power delta between the heater resistors of approximately 10%.

6 . The method as recited in claim 1 , includes providing a thermal flyheight control (TFC) with an AC signal frequency range having varying effects on the first and second heater resistors.

7 . An apparatus for implementing dual partially independent flyheight control (TFC) for hard disk drives (HDDs) comprising:
a controller; at least one disk; said disk including a disk medium for storing data; a slider including dual thermal flyheight control (TFC) includes a series connected first heater resistor and a second heater resistor; said series connected first heater resistor and second heater resistor connected between a pair of wires; one of said first heater resistor and said second heater resistor provided near a write head and another of said first heater resistor and said second heater resistor provided near a read head; a capacitor connected in parallel with the first heater resistor to provide a frequency dependent shunt to the first heater resistor; the second heater resistor only connected between the first heater resistor and one of said pair of wires; said controller applying TFC electrical bias signals to the first heater resistor and the second heater resistor via said pair of wires for providing partially independent power control and controlling minimum flypoint of said read head for reading and for controlling minimum flypoint of said write head for writing; and said applied TFC electrical bias signals having an AC bias frequency for maintaining suspension transmission path crosstalk of less than 50 dB; said applied TFC electrical bias signals having a selected frequency change of said AC bias frequency for fine TFC adjustment and an AC amplitude change said AC bias frequency for coarse TFC adjustment.

8 . The apparatus as recited in claim 7 includes control code stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, and wherein said controller uses said control code to implement dual partially independent flyheight control (TFC).

9 . The apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said capacitor having a selected capacitance value dependent on an available AC bias frequency affecting power of the first and second heater resistors.

10 . The apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said controller applying TFC electrical bias signals includes said controller applying high frequency electrical signals to the first heater resistor and the second heater resistor having a frequency range between 1 MHz and 100 MHz, and an amplitude of said high frequency electrical signals includes a voltage range between available power supply voltages for bias circuitry.

11 . The apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said controller applying TFC electrical bias signals includes said controller applying a DC and high frequency electrical signal to the first heater resistor and the second heater resistor.

12 . The apparatus as recited in claim 7 includes said controller providing a power delta between the heater resistors of approximately 10%.

13 . The apparatus as recited in claim 7 includes said controller providing a thermal flyheight control (TFC) AC signal of less than 400 MHz.

14 . The apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said controller applying TFC electrical bias signals includes said controller applying high frequency electrical signals including a frequency range between 1 MHz and 100 MHz having an amplitude in a voltage range between 0 and 4 Volts.

15 . A system for implementing dual partially independent flyheight control (TFC) comprising:
a hard disk drive (HDD) comprising a controller; at least one disk; said disk including a disk medium for storing data; a slider including dual thermal flyheight control (TFC) includes a series connected first heater resistor and a second heater resistor; said series connected first heater resistor and second heater resistor between a pair of wires; one of said first heater resistor and said second heater resistor provided near a write head and another of said first heater resistor and said second heater resistor provided near a read head; a capacitor connected in parallel with the first heater resistor to provide a frequency dependent shunt to the first heater resistor; the second heater resistor only connected between the first heater resistor and one of said pair of wires; said controller applying TFC electrical bias signals to the first heater resistor and the second heater resistor carried by said pair of wires for providing partially independent power control and controlling minimum flypoint of said read head for reading and for controlling minimum flypoint of said write head for writing; and said applied TFC electrical bias signals having an AC bias frequency for maintaining suspension transmission path crosstalk of less than 50 dB; and said applied TFC electrical bias signals having a selected frequency change of said AC bias frequency for fine TFC adjustment and an AC amplitude change said AC bias frequency for coarse TFC adjustment.

16 . The system as recited in claim 15 includes control code stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, and wherein said

Assignees

• HGST Netherlands BV

Inventors

• Contreras John
• Mcfadyen Ian Robson
• Schreck Erhard

Classifications

• G11B5/607 Primary

  using thermal means · CPC title

• G11B5/6017

  using capacitive measurement · CPC title

• G11B2005/0021

  Thermally assisted recording using an auxiliary energy source for heating the recording layer locally to assist the magnetization reversal · CPC title