Non-magnetic contact enhancement feature

Abstract

A transducer having an external contact surface includes a writer and a contact member. The writer has a portion extendable beyond the external contact surface. The contact member surrounds at least a portion of the extendable writer portion.

1 . A transducer having an external contact surface, the transducer comprising:
 a writer having a portion extendable beyond the external contact surface; and   a contact member surrounding at least a portion of the extendable writer portion.   
     
     
         2 . The transducer of  claim 1 , wherein the extendable writer portion has a coefficient of thermal expansion and the contact member has a coefficient of thermal expansion, and wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the contact member is approximately equal to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the extendable writer portion. 
     
     
         3 . The transducer of  claim 1 , wherein the extendable writer portion has an external surface area and the contact member has an external surface area, wherein the external surface area of the contact member is larger than the external surface area of the extendable writer portion. 
     
     
         4 . The transducer of  claim 1 , wherein the contact member has a height approximately equal to a height of the extendable writer portion. 
     
     
         5 . The transducer of  claim 1 , and further comprising a write coil structure, wherein the contact member is formed at an end of the write coil structure. 
     
     
         6 . The transducer of  claim 5 , and further comprising alumina deposited on the write coil structure, wherein the contact member is formed from the alumina. 
     
     
         7 . The transducer of  claim 5 , and further comprising a write coil front shield, wherein the contact member is formed from the write coil front shield. 
     
     
         8 . The transducer of  claim 5 , and further comprising a write coil refill within the write coil structure, wherein the contact member is formed from the write coil refill. 
     
     
         9 . The transducer of  claim 1 , wherein the contact member is formed over the extendable writer portion. 
     
     
         10 . The transducer of  claim 1 , and further comprising a protective material positioned proximate the extendable writer portion. 
     
     
         11 . The transducer of  claim 10 , wherein the protective material is selected from the group consisting of: SiC, Ta, and Cr. 
     
     
         12 . The transducer of  claim 1 , and further comprising a corrosion protection layer positioned proximate the extendable writer portion. 
     
     
         13 . The transducer of  claim 12 , wherein the corrosion protection layer is selected from the group consisting of: a self-assembled monolayer film and a SeaWax-type head lubricant. 
     
     
         14 . A transducing device having a storage interface surface, the device comprising:
 a writer having a pole tip region proximate the storage interface surface;   a write coil positioned around the pole tip region, the write coil having a plurality of write coil layers; and   a contact feature proximate to, and aligned with, the pole tip region, the contact feature being formed with respect to the pole tip region.   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , and further comprising alumina deposited on the write coil, wherein the contact feature is formed from the alumina. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the write coil comprises a front shield, and wherein the contact feature is formed from the write coil front shield. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14 , and further comprising a write coil refill positioned between the write coil layers, wherein the contact feature is formed from the write coil refill. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the contact feature is deposited around the pole tip region. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the contact feature is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of: Diamond-Like Carbon and Cr. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the pole tip region has a coefficient of thermal expansion and the contact feature has a coefficient of thermal expansion, and wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the contact feature is approximately equal to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the pole tip region. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 12 , and further comprising a protective material positioned proximate the pole tip region. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 12 , and further comprising a corrosion protection layer positioned proximate the pole tip region. 
     
     
         23 . A transducer having a storage interface surface, the transducer comprising:
 a plurality of thin film layers; and   a contact enhancement feature adjacent at least one of the plurality of thin film layers.   
     
     
         24 . The transducer of  claim 23 , wherein the plurality of thin film layers has a coefficient of thermal expansion and the contact enhancement feature has a coefficient of thermal expansion, and wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the contact enhancement feature is approximately equal to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the plurality of thin film layers. 
     
     
         25 . The transducer of  claim 23 , wherein the plurality of thin film layers comprises a pole tip region, wherein the pole tip region has a surface area and the contact enhancement feature has a surface area, and wherein the surface area of the contact enhancement feature is larger than the surface area of the pole tip region. 
     
     
         26 . The transducer of  claim 23 , wherein the contact enhancement feature is formed over the pole tip region. 
     
     
         27 . The transducer of  claim 23 , and further comprising a protective material positioned proximate the pole tip region. 
     
     
         28 . The transducer of  claim 27 , wherein the protective material is selected from the group consisting of: SiC, Ta, Cr, a self-assembled monolayer film, and a SeaWax-type head lubricant. 
     
     
         29 . The transducer of  claim 23 , and further comprising a corrosion protection layer positioned proximate the pole tip region.