Patent ID: 9159349
Filing Date: 2015-10-13
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus, comprising: a writer core of a transducer, the writer core configured to interact with a magnetic recording medium and comprising an upper core and a lower core; at least one of the upper and lower cores comprising a return pole having a return shield; a writer pole between the upper and lower cores; a writer gap defined between the writer pole and the return shield; and a sensor element within one of the upper and lower cores that includes the return shield and the writer gap, the sensor element situated at or near the return shield such that a change in temperature experienced by the sensor element is the same or substantially the same as that experienced by the return shield, the sensor element having a temperature coefficient of resistance and configured to sense for a change in temperature indicative of one or both of a change in spacing and contact between the transducer and the magnetic recording medium.