Angled free layer for multi-level read signals

A method comprising:

• targeting, with a read transducer, a readback location on a track boundary between adjacent tracks on a surface of a storage medium of a data storage device, wherein the read transducer comprises:
• a free layer having a magnetization bias sensitive to an external magnetic field, wherein a direction of the magnetization bias forms an acute angle relative to the surface of the storage medium generating the external magnetic field;
• and
• a pinned layer having a fixed magnetization, wherein a direction of the fixed magnetization forms a substantially right angle with the magnetization bias of the free layer;
• and
• generating, by the read transducer, a read signal indicative of perpendicular fields of the adjacent tracks and cross-track fields of the adjacent tracks.

A data storage device comprising:

• a non-volatile storage medium;
• a read transducer comprising:
• a free layer having 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 non-volatile storage medium generating the external magnetic field;
• and
• a pinned layer having a fixed magnetization, wherein a direction of the fixed magnetization forms a substantially right angle with the magnetization bias of the free layer;
• and
• means for targeting, with the read transducer, a readback location on a track boundary between adjacent tracks on the surface of the non-volatile storage medium;
• means for generating, by the read transducer, a read signal indicative of perpendicular fields of the adjacent tracks and cross-track fields of the adjacent tracks;
• and
• means for determining data bits for the adjacent tracks based on the read signal.

A read transducer comprising:

• a free layer having a magnetization bias sensitive to an external magnetic field, wherein a direction of the magnetization bias forms an acute angle relative to an air bearing surface of a read head;
• and
• a pinned layer having a fixed magnetization, wherein a direction of the fixed magnetization forms a substantially right angle with the magnetization bias of the free layer;
• and
• wherein the read transducer is configured for:
• positioning over a readback location on a track boundary between adjacent tracks on a surface of a non-volatile storage medium;
• and
• generating a read signal for determining data bits for the adjacent tracks, wherein the read signal comprises:
• a response to a perpendicular field of each adjacent track;
• and
• a response to a cross-track field of each adjacent track.