# US 12,183,372 B2 · System controlled RF signal source architecture with transducer near pole-tip for microwave assisted magnetic recording > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,183,372 B2 - Document ID: US12183372B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/447,419 - Filed: 2023-08-10 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2022-12-20 - Assignees: Western Digital Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Western Digital Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: John T. Contreras; Howard Gordon Zolla; Yunfei Ding; Joey M. Poss - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12183372B2 ## CPC - G11B 5/012: Recording on, or reproducing or erasing from, magnetic disks (G11B17/00, G11B19/00 take precedence) - G11B 5/02: Recording, reproducing, or erasing methods; Read, write or erase circuits therefor - G11B 2005/001: {Controlling recording characteristics of record carriers or transducing characteristics of transducers by means not being part of their structure} - G11B 2005/0024: {Microwave assisted recording} - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) ## Abstract Various illustrative aspects are directed to a data storage device comprising a disk and a read/write head configured to read data from and write data to the disk. The read/write head comprises a write pole tip and a transducer configured near the write pole tip. One or more processing devices are mounted on or near the read/write head and generate an AC current that is applied to the transducer to cause the transducer to generate a high frequency auxiliary field that is applied to the disk. The one or more processing devices may be an RF source IC mounted on or near a slider on which the read/write head is integrated or mounted. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A data storage device comprising: a disk; a read/write head configured to read data from and write data to the disk, the read/write head comprising a write pole tip and a transducer configured near the write pole tip; a slider on which the read/write head is integrated or mounted; and one or more processing devices comprising an RF source IC mounted on or near the slider, wherein the RF source IC is configured to: set an amplitude and a frequency of an AC current in response to a control voltage and a ground signal received from a preamplifier, and generate the AC current that is applied to the transducer to cause the transducer to generate a high frequency auxiliary field that is applied to the disk. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The data storage device of claim 1, wherein: the preamplifier is connected to the RF source IC through a first I/O line and a second I/O line, and wherein the preamplifier is configured to transmit the control voltage over the first I/O line and the ground signal over the second I/O line to the RF source IC. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The data storage device of claim 2, wherein the preamplifier is connected to the RF source IC through a third I/O line, and the preamplifier is configured to transmit a frequency range control signal to the RF source IC over the third I/O line. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The data storage device of claim 2, further comprising a system-on-a-chip (SoC) that is coupled to the preamplifier, and wherein the SoC is configured to transmit a control signal to the preamplifier that causes the preamplifier to generate and output the control voltage to the RF source IC. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The data storage device of claim 2, wherein the RF source IC comprises a ring oscillator that is configured to control the frequency of the AC current that is applied to the transducer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The data storage device of claim 5, wherein the RF source IC further comprises an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) that is configured to drive a strength and to change a frequency range of the ring oscillator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The data storage device of claim 6, wherein the OTA is configured to be driven by a bandgap reference voltage and the control voltage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The data storage device of claim 7, wherein the RF source IC further comprises a bandgap reference circuit, and wherein the bandgap reference circuit is configured to be driven by the control voltage and is configured to generate and supply the bandgap reference voltage to the OTA. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The data storage device of claim 8, wherein the bandgap reference voltage generated by the bandgap reference circuit is approximately 1.2 volts. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The data storage device of claim 6, wherein the RF source IC further comprises a low drop-out regulator configured to generate a reference voltage. ### Claim 11 A method of operating a data storage device, comprising: transmitting a control signal for setting a control voltage from a system-on-a-chip (SoC) to a preamplifier; in response to the control signal, generating and transmitting the control voltage from the preamplifier to an RF source IC mounted on or near a slider; and in response to the control voltage and a ground signal transmitted from the preamplifier, setting a frequency and an amplitude of an AC current by the RF source IC and applying the AC current to a transducer that is configured in the slider near a write pole tip of a read/write head, such that the transducer generates a high frequency auxiliary field that is applied to a disk of the data storage device, wherein the read/write head is integrated or mounted on the slider. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: transmitting the control voltage from the preamplifier to the RF source IC through a first I/O line; and transmitting the ground signal from the preamplifier to the RF source IC through a second I/O line. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: transmitting a frequency range control signal from the preamplifier to the RF source IC through a third I/O line. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting the control signal from the SoC to the preamplifier through a serial I/O line. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising setting the frequency of the AC current by a ring oscillator in the RF source IC. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising driving a strength and changing the frequency of the ring oscillator by an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA). ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising driving the OTA by a bandgap reference voltage and the control voltage. ### Claim 18 One or more processing devices comprising: means for transmitting a control signal from a system-on-a-chip (SoC) to a preamplifier; means for, in response to the control signal, generating and transmitting a control voltage from the preamplifier to an RF source IC mounted on or near a slider; and means for, in response to the control voltage, setting a frequency and an amplitude of an AC current by the RF source IC and applying the AC current to a transducer that is configured in the slider near a write pole tip of a read/write head, such that the transducer generates a high frequency auxiliary field that is applied to a disk of a data storage device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The one or more processing devices of claim 18, further comprising: means for transmitting the control voltage from the preamplifier to the RF source IC through a first I/O line; and means for transmitting a ground signal from the preamplifier to the RF source IC through a second I/O line.