US 11,688,427 B1
Angled free layer for multi-level read signals
Zhen Jin, Fremont, CA (US); and Xiaodong Che, Los Gatos, CA (US)
Assigned to Western Digital Technologies, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Western Digital Technologies, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/680,043.
Int. Cl. G11B 5/39 (2006.01); G11B 11/10 (2006.01); G11B 21/10 (2006.01); G11B 5/012 (2006.01)
CPC G11B 21/106 (2013.01) [G11B 5/012 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A data storage device comprising:
a storage medium;
a read transducer, comprising:
a free layer configured to have a magnetization bias sensitive to an external magnetic field, wherein a direction of the magnetization bias forms an acute angle relative to a surface of the storage medium generating the external magnetic field; and
a pinned layer configured to have a fixed magnetization, wherein a direction of the fixed magnetization forms a substantially right angle with the magnetization bias of the free layer; and
a controller configured to cause the read transducer to:
target a readback location on a track boundary between adjacent tracks on the surface of the storage medium; and
generate a read signal indicative of perpendicular fields of the adjacent tracks and cross-track fields of the adjacent tracks.