Seagate Technology Incorporated

Samuel Martin Barthell

Eric Walter Singleton

Shaun Eric McKinlay

A reader includes top and bottom reader stacks disposed between a top and bottom shield. The top and bottom reader stacks are offset relative to each other in a downtrack direction. Top side shields surround the top reader stack in a crosstrack direction, and bottom side shields surround the bottom reader stack in the crosstrack direction. A split middle shield is between the top and bottom reader stacks and the top and bottom side shields. The split middle shield includes top and bottom portions separated by an isolation layer, the top and bottom portions respectively coupled to the top and bottom reader stacks.

Multi-stack reader with split middle shield

A reader includes top and bottom reader stacks that are offset relative to each other in a downtrack direction and disposed between a top shield and a bottom shield. Top side shields surround the top reader stack in a crosstrack direction, and bottom side shields surround the bottom reader stack in the crosstrack direction. A middle shield is between the top and bottom reader stacks and the top and bottom side shields. The middle shield includes a common electrical conductive path coupled to the top and bottom reader stacks. A middle lead is coupled to an edge of the middle shield.

Growing community of inventors

Minneapolis, MN, United States of America

Samuel Martin Barthell