High speed write driver for inductive heads

Abstract

A write driver for an inductive head of a magnetic storage medium that induces a faster write current switch across an inductive head element of a magnetic storage medium comprising having a pair of switches, S.sub.1 and S.sub.2, coupled to a pair of current sources, I.sub.1 and I.sub.2, wherein first switch S.sub.1 is coupled to first current source I.sub.1 and controlled by a first current switch control signal CLK. Second switch S.sub.2 is coupled to second current source I.sub.2 and controlled by second current switch control signal /CLK. First switch S.sub.1 is also controlled by first current control signal CLK to maximize rail to rail voltage swing. Similarly, second switch S.sub.2 is also controlled by second current control signal /CLK. In an alternative embodiment, a current booster is coupled to each current source to boost the write current to offset the otherwise decrease to write current due to damping resistor R.sub.d and to increase the write current rate change during current switch transition of CLK. In another alternative embodiment, a programmable damping resistor is incorporated to increase R.sub.d in order to momentarily increase write current during current switch transition of CLK and /CLK. In yet another embodiment, both a current booster is coupled to each current source and a programmable damping resistor is incorporated to maximize current during CLK transitions.