Electrostatic discharge protection for magneto-resistive heads
US6104048A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 30, 1999 |
| Grant date | Aug 15, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 30, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B2005/3996
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electrostatic protection network is disclosed that may be employed in a disk drive having a magneto-resistive read element. The network comprises a ground; and an array that block a signal current flow between the read element and the ground while a signal voltage is below a predetermined value and conducts the signal current from the read element to the ground while the signal voltage is above the predetermined value. The array is formed of a N-channel and P-channel junction field effect transistors. Thus, electrostatic discharge events are dissipated through the network to diminish damage to the read element during an ESD event.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.