Read/write electronics front-end systems for hard disk drives

The proper design of a disk drive\´s channel front-end is important to ensure data integrity and to achieve future high data rates. The front-end contains various interconnects which link the read/write (R/W) electronics with the recording heads and the channel module. This paper discusses the design aspects, which are to guarantee that the read path and the write path pass-on the signals and maintain the proper signal wave shape for high data recording. Impedance matching, line losses, signal-to-noise ratio, and crosstalk all are important aspects of a front-end system, and are therefore reviewed. The R/W electronics are to provide low-noise signal amplification and write head excitation. Various requirements which need to be satisfied to achieve this are discussed such as "cold" termination resistance, symmetrical write drivers, etc.