| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080225426 | Magnetic recording device including a thermal proximity sensor - A system includes a magnetic device for writing to and reading from a magnetic medium and a sensor disposed adjacent to the magnetic device and proximate to the magnetic medium. The sensor generates signals related to thermal variations in the sensor caused by changes in a distance between the magnetic device and the magnetic medium. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20080225584 | Magnetic storage element responsive to spin polarized current - The present invention relates to a memory cell including a first reference layer having a first magnetization with a first magnetization direction and a second reference layer having a second magnetization with a second magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to the first magnetization direction. A storage layer is disposed between the first reference layer and second reference layer and has a third magnetization direction about 45° from the first magnetization direction and about 135° from the second magnetization direction when the memory cell is in a first data state, and a fourth magnetization direction opposite the third magnetization direction when the memory cell is in a second data state. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20080316631 | Wire-assisted magnetic write device with low power consumption - A magnetic device includes a write element having a write element tip and a conductive coil that carries current to induce a first field in the write element. A first conductor is proximate a leading edge of the write pole tip for carrying current to generate a second field that augments the first field. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090002896 | Magnetic writer for patterned media with increased write field - A magnetic writer writes to a magnetic medium including a plurality of tracks that each includes a plurality of isolated magnetic elements for storage of information. The magnetic writer includes a write element having a write element tip having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and first and second side edges extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge. A side shield is proximate the first side edge and no shield is proximate the second side edge. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090097152 | PATTERNED MEDIA WITH SPACINGS ADJUSTED BY A SKEW FUNCTION - Recording media comprises multiple first and second patterned media islands sequentially placed at different first and second radii along a length of a recording track. A recording head sequentially accesses the first and second islands as the head moves along a length of the recording track. Circumferential spacings between sequential first and second islands along the length of the track vary as a skew function of a track radius. | 04-16-2009 |
| 20090185315 | MAGNETIC SENSOR INCLUDING A FREE LAYER HAVING PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE ANISOTROPY - A magnetic sensor includes a reference layer having a first magnetization direction and a free layer assembly having an effective magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to the first magnetization direction and substantially perpendicular to a plane of each layer of the free layer assembly. A spacer layer is between the reference layer and the free layer, and a signal enhancement layer is exchange coupled to the free layer assembly on a side opposite the spacer layer. | 07-23-2009 |
| 20100032777 | MAGNETIC MEMORY CELL CONSTRUCTION - A magnetic tunnel junction cell having a free layer, a ferromagnetic pinned layer, and a barrier layer therebetween. The free layer has a central ferromagnetic portion and a stabilizing portion radially proximate the central ferromagnetic portion. The construction can be used for both in-plane magnetic memory cells where the magnetization orientation of the magnetic layer is in the stack film plane and out-of-plane magnetic memory cells where the magnetization orientation of the magnetic layer is out of the stack film plane, e.g., perpendicular to the stack plane. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100033872 | PATTERNED MEDIA BITS WITH CLADDING SHELL - A bit patterned media (BPM) includes many magnetic dots arranged in tracks on a substrate. The magnetic dots each have a hard magnetic core, a soft magnetic cladding surrounding the core and a thin non-magnetic layer that separates the hard magnetic core from the soft magnetic ring. The soft magnetic cladding stabilizes the magnetization at the edges of the hard magnetic core to improve the signal to noise ratio of the magnetic dots. The soft magnetic rings also narrow the magnetic field of the dots which reduces the space requirements and allows more dots to be placed on the substrate. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100034011 | Multi-Terminal Resistance Device - Embodiments of the invention provide a multi-terminal resistance device with first and second electrodes, a shared third electrode, and a resistance layer providing first and second current paths between the shared third electrode and the first and second electrodes, respectively. A current state of the device may be programmed by applying one or more electrical signals along the first and/or second current paths to change a resistance of the device. In some embodiments, applying an electrical signal may switch a junction resistance of the first and/or second electrodes and the resistance layer between two or more resistance values. The device may include a shared fourth electrode to provide extra programming capability. In some embodiments, the device may be used to store a data state, to determine a count of multiple electrical signals, or to perform a logic operation between two electrical signals. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100067288 | MEMORY DEVICE STRUCTURES INCLUDING PHASE-CHANGE STORAGE CELLS - A conductive write line of a memory device includes a resistive heating portion for setting and resetting a phase-change material (PCM) storage cell of the device. A dielectric interface extends between the resistive heating portion of the write line and a side of the storage cell, and provides electrical insulation while allowing for thermal coupling between the resistive heating portion and the storage cell. A width of the resistive heating portion of the write line may be less than a width of the storage cell and/or may be less than a width of adjacent portions of the write line, between which the resistive heating portion extends. The side of the storage cell may define a channel of the storage cell through which the write line passes, such that the resistive heating portion is located within the channel. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100090300 | MRAM CELLS INCLUDING COUPLED FREE FERROMAGNETIC LAYERS FOR STABILIZATION - A free ferromagnetic data storage layer of an MRAM cell is coupled to a free ferromagnetic stabilization layer, which stabilization layer is directly electrically coupled to a contact electrode, on one side, and is separated from the free ferromagnetic data storage layer, on an opposite side, by a spacer layer. The spacer layer provides for the coupling between the two free layers, which coupling is one of: a ferromagnetic coupling and an antiferromagnetic coupling. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100109108 | STRAM WITH COMPOSITE FREE MAGNETIC ELEMENT - Spin-transfer torque memory includes a composite free magnetic element, a reference magnetic element having a magnetization orientation that is pinned in a reference direction, and an electrically insulating and non-magnetic tunneling barrier layer separating the composite free magnetic element from the magnetic reference element. The free magnetic element includes a hard magnetic layer exchanged coupled to a soft magnetic layer. The composite free magnetic element has a magnetization orientation that can change direction due to spin-torque transfer when a write current passes through the spin-transfer torque memory unit. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100110575 | TECHNOLOGY FOR BIT PATTERNED AND TRACK PATTERNED MAGNETIC MEDIA RECORDING - A method of performing information storage comprises the steps of providing a medium comprising a plurality of concentric rings for storage of information. The medium is written to by a process comprising simultaneously writing and erasing elements in at least two adjacent rings, respectively a first ring and a second ring. Subsequent to simultaneously writing and erasing elements in at least the first and second rings, simultaneously writing and erasing elements in a third concentric ring, wherein the third ring is adjacent the second ring. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100110758 | STRUCTURES FOR RESISTIVE RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY CELLS - A resistive random access memory (RRAM) cell that includes a first electrode having a lower portion, a continuous side portion and an upper portion, the lower portion and the continuous side portion having an outer surface and an inner surface; a resistive layer having a lower portion, a continuous side portion and an upper portion, the lower portion and the continuous side portion having an outer surface and an inner surface; and a second electrode having a lower portion, an upper portion and an outer surface; wherein the outer surface of the resistive layer directly contacts the inner surface of the first electrode. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100123965 | Near-Field Transducers For Focusing Light - An apparatus includes a waveguide shaped to direct light to a focal point, and a near-field transducer positioned adjacent to the focal point, wherein the near-field transducer includes a dielectric component and a metallic component positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the dielectric component. An apparatus includes a waveguide shaped to direct light to a focal point, and a near-field transducer positioned adjacent to the focal point, wherein the near-field transducer includes a first metallic component, a first dielectric layer positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the first metallic component, and a second metallic component positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the first dielectric component. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20100135061 | Non-Volatile Memory Cell with Ferroelectric Layer Configurations - In some embodiments of the invention a non-volatile memory cell is provided with a first electrode, a second electrode, and one or more side layers of a ferroelectric metal oxide and a ferroelectric material layer between the first and second electrodes. The ferroelectric material layer may be provided between, e.g., adjacent, two side layers of a ferroelectric metal oxide or between a single layer of a ferroelectric metal oxide and an electrode. The ferroelectric metal oxide may in some cases include a uniform layered structure such as a bismuth layer-structured ferroelectric material like Bi | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100149696 | MAGNETIC SENSOR INCLUDING AN ELEMENT FOR GENERATING SIGNALS RELATED TO RESISTANCE CHANGES - A magnetic device includes first and second electrodes and a sensor stack connected to the first and second electrodes proximate a sensing surface of the magnetic sensor. A resistive element is connected to the first and second electrodes in parallel or in series with the sensor stack and adjacent the sensing surface. In some embodiments, the resistive element is configured to generate signals related to changes in its resistance. A controller to respond to the resistive element signals can also be included. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100182713 | DATA STORAGE DEVICE WITH BOTH BIT PATTERNED AND CONTINUOUS MEDIA - Embodiments of a single data storage device with multiple different data recording media surfaces are disclosed. In one embodiment, at least one of the data recording media surfaces is conventional, such as a continuous or discrete track recording media. Another of the data recording media surfaces is a relatively high areal density, high data rate recording media, such as a bit patterned media (BPM) recording media. | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100183957 | Method of Patterned Media Template Formation and Templates - Aspects include methods to produce pattern media templates and the templates. A pattern of resist structures is formed on a first material layer. A conformal layer of a second material is deposited on the resist pattern, covering tops and side walls of the resist structures. The first material is more resistant to ion milling than the second material, and less resistant to plasma etching than the second material. The first material can be amorphous carbon and the second material can be aluminum oxide. The second material is removed on the tops, and preserved on the side walls. The resist structures and portions of the first layer not supporting second layer material are removed by plasma. The remaining structure is 2× denser than the resist pattern. Conformal deposition of second material and ion milling can be repeated. CMP removes the second material down to a portion of remaining first material, and remaining first material is removed by plasma, leaving a 4× denser pitch pattern structure formed from the second material. | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100214684 | Discrete Track Media (DTM) Design and Fabrication for Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) - An apparatus includes a recording media including a substrate, a plurality of tracks of magnetic material on the substrate, and a non-magnetic material between the tracks; a recording head having an air bearing surface positioned adjacent to the recording media, and including a magnetic pole, an optical transducer, and a near-field transducer, wherein the near-field transducer directs electromagnetic radiation onto tracks to heat portions of the tracks and a magnetic field from the magnetic pole is used to create magnetic transitions in the heated portions of the tracks; and a plasmonic material positioned adjacent to the magnetic material to increase coupling between the electromagnetic radiation and the magnetic material. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100226169 | STRAM WITH COMPENSATION ELEMENT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME - Spin-transfer torque memory having a compensation element is disclosed. A spin-transfer torque memory unit includes a free magnetic layer having a magnetic easy axis and a magnetization orientation that can change direction due to spin-torque transfer when a write current passes through the spin-transfer torque memory unit; a reference magnetic element having a magnetization orientation that is pinned in a reference direction; an electrically insulating and non-magnetic tunneling barrier layer separating the free magnetic layer from the magnetic reference element; and a compensation element adjacent to the free magnetic layer. The compensation element applies a bias field on the magnetization orientation of the free magnetic layer. The bias field is formed of a first vector component parallel to the easy axis of the free magnetic layer and a second vector component orthogonal to the easy axis of the free magnetic layer. The bias field reduces a write current magnitude required to switch the direction of the magnetization orientation of the free magnetic layer. | 09-09-2010 |
| 20100227202 | BIT-PATTERNED MEDIA WITH ANTIFERROMAGNETIC SHELL - A method of producing bit-patterned media is provided whereby a shell structure is added on a bit-patterned media dot. The shell may be an antiferromagnetic material that will help stabilize the magnetization configuration at the remanent state due to exchange coupling between the dot and its shell. Therefore, this approach also improves the thermal stability of the media dot and helps each individual media dot maintain a single domain state. | 09-09-2010 |
| 20100232062 | MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD WITH MAGNETIC WALL ANGLE - A pole tip shield for a write element of a recording head is disclosed. The pole tip shield is spaced from the pole tip in the leading edge direction to provide a magnetic wall angle to reduce ATI or adjacent track erasure to compensate for the skew angle of the head. In illustrated embodiments, the pole tip shield includes side portions. In illustrated embodiments the pole tip shield is generally “U” shaped and side portions of the pole tip shield include different thickness or width dimensions. In illustrated embodiments, the pole tip shield provides a magnetic wall angle for a rectangular shaped pole tip. Embodiments disclosed in the application include a trailing edge shield separated from the pole tip shield along an air bearing surface of the head by a non-magnetic gap portion. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100277969 | STRUCTURES FOR RESISTIVE RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY CELLS - A resistive random access memory (RRAM) cell that includes a first electrode having a lower portion, a continuous side portion and an upper portion, the lower portion and the continuous side portion having an outer surface and an inner surface; a resistive layer having a lower portion, a continuous side portion and an upper portion, the lower portion and the continuous side portion having an outer surface and an inner surface; and a second electrode having a lower portion, an upper portion and an outer surface; wherein the outer surface of the resistive layer directly contacts the inner surface of the first electrode. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100302669 | TRANSDUCER DESIGN WITH A SENSOR CLOSE TO WRITE POLE - A magnetic device includes a read sensor, a writer and a synchronization sensor. The magnetic device is configured for writing information to and reading information from a magnetic medium that includes a plurality of discrete magnetic bits. The writer includes a write element, a first return element magnetically coupled to the write element, and a second return element magnetically coupled to the write element. The write element is positioned in between the first and second return elements. The synchronization sensor is located adjacent to the write element of the writer in a closely spaced arrangement, and is configured to generate a signal as a function of a sensed magnetic bit. The signal is used to position the writer element relative to the sensed magnetic bit. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20100309577 | MICROWAVE-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING WITH COLLOCATED MICROWAVE AND WRITE FIELDS - Methods and devices are provided for microwave-assisted magnetic recording with collocated microwave and write fields. An illustrative device includes a magnetic write pole and one or more alternating-field components. The magnetic write pole is configured for providing a magnetic write field. The one or more alternating-field components are disposed to at least partially coincide with the magnetic write pole. The one or more alternating-field components are configured to provide an alternating magnetic field having a microwave frequency and an orientation that is at least partially transverse to the magnetic write field. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100328817 | MAGNETIC MAIN WRITE POLE - A magnetic writer includes a write pole configured such that the easy magnetic axis is parallel to the vertical length direction of the write pole tip and to the ABS of the recording media. The write pole tip can be a multilayer structure comprising alternating magnetic and nonmagnetic layers with a planar orientation substantially perpendicular to the ABS and with magnetic anisotropy parallel to the vertical length direction of the write pole tip. The alternating magnetic and nonmagnetic layers may be formed by electroplating on a conformal seedlayer in a trench, or by static off axis physical vapor deposition. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20100328823 | MAGNETORESISTIVE READER WITH DEMAGNETIZATION FLUX GUIDE - A magnetic reader comprises first and second shields oriented transversely to a media-facing surface, a magnetoresistive stack located between the first and second shields, and a flux guide. The magnetoresistive stack extends from a proximal end oriented toward the media-facing surface to a distal end oriented away from the media-facing surface. The flux guide extends from the first shield toward the second shield, and is spaced from the magnetoresistive stack at the distal end. The flux guide magnetically couples the distal end of the magnetoresistive stack to the first shield. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20110007422 | Protected Transducer for Dead Layer Reduction - A transducer includes magnetic material formed on a substrate that is shaped to include a trailing edge, a leading edge and a pair of opposing sidewalls extending between the trailing edge and the leading edge. A layer of protective material is positioned in contact with each of the pair of sidewalls of the shaped magnetic material. Backfill material surrounds the protective material on each of the pair of sidewalls of the shaped magnetic material. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110007426 | TRAPEZOIDAL BACK BIAS AND TRILAYER READER GEOMETRY TO ENHANCE DEVICE PERFORMANCE - A magnetoresistive sensor having a trilayer sensor stack with two ferromagnetic freelayers separated by a nonmagnetic spacer layer is disclosed. The sensor is biased with a back biasing magnet adjacent a back of the trilayer sensor. The back biasing magnet, the trilayer sensor stack, or both have substantially trapezoidal shapes to enhance the biasing field and to minimize noise. In some embodiments, the trilayer sensor or back bias magnet have a shape designed to stabilize a micromagnetic “C” shape or concentrate magnetic flux in the trilayer sensor stack. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110019300 | PULSE WRITING FOR BIT PATTERNED AND CONTINUOUS MEDIA RECORDING - Data storage systems are provided. Data storage systems illustratively include a writing element and a recording medium. In some embodiments, the writing element generates first and second magnetization fields that respectively record first and second magnetization patterns to the recording medium. In some embodiments, the writing element is de-saturated between recording the first and second magnetization patterns. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20110038072 | BPM RECORDING WITH MORE THAN ONE DOT PER BIT - Data storage systems are provided. Data storage systems illustratively include a recording head having a writing element and a bit patterned medium having a plurality of media dots. In some embodiments, the plurality of media dots pass the recording head at a media dot frequency. In some embodiments, the writing element writes data to the bit patterned media at a writing frequency that is less than the media dot frequency. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110050211 | TRAPEZOIDAL READER FOR ULTRA HIGH DENSITY MAGNETIC RECORDING - A magnetic sensor comprises a sensor stack and magnetic bias elements positioned adjacent each side of the sensor stack. The sensor stack and bias elements have substantially trapezoidal shapes. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110051294 | NON RECTANGULAR READER FOR ULTRA HIGH DENSITY MAGNETIC RECORDING - A magnetic sensor or magnetoresistive read head comprises a sensor stack and magnetic bias elements positioned adjacent each side of the sensor stack. The sensor stack and bias elements have non-rectangular shapes, such as substantially trapezoidal or parallelogram shapes having non-perpendicular corners. In some embodiments, the sensor stack and bias elements have a shape that stabilizes a “C” state or “S” state magnetization pattern. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110069537 | Magnetic Storage Element Responsive to Spin Polarized Current - The present invention relates to a memory cell including a first reference layer having a first magnetization with a first magnetization direction and a second reference layer having a second magnetization with a second magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to the first magnetization direction. A storage layer is disposed between the first reference layer and second reference layer and has a third magnetization direction about 45° from the first magnetization direction and about 135° from the second magnetization direction when the memory cell is in a first data state, and a fourth magnetization direction opposite the third magnetization direction when the memory cell is in a second data state. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110076516 | Perpendicular Magnetic Recording Media with Magnetic Anisotropy Gradient and Local Exchange Coupling - A perpendicular magnetic recording medium adapted for high recording density and high data recording rate comprises a non-magnetic substrate having at least one surface with a layer stack formed thereon, the layer stack including a perpendicular recording layer containing a plurality of columnar-shaped magnetic grains extending perpendicularly to the substrate surface for a length, with a first end distal the surface and a second end proximal the surface, wherein each of the magnetic grains has: (1) a gradient of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy field H | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110089510 | MAGNETIC MEMORY CELL CONSTRUCTION - A magnetic tunnel junction cell having a free layer, a ferromagnetic pinned layer, and a barrier layer therebetween. The free layer has a central ferromagnetic portion and a stabilizing portion radially proximate the central ferromagnetic portion. The construction can be used for both in-plane magnetic memory cells where the magnetization orientation of the magnetic layer is in the stack film plane and out-of-plane magnetic memory cells where the magnetization orientation of the magnetic layer is out of the stack film plane, e.g., perpendicular to the stack plane. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110090588 | WRITE HEAD WITH BEVEL STRUCTURE AND REVERSE NFT FOR HAMR - A magnetic recording head comprises a write pole tip adjacent to an air bearing surface and a return pole. In addition, a near field transducer is positioned adjacent the write pole in order to produce near field radiation to heat a portion of a recording medium to facilitate switching by the magnetic write pole. The near field transducer is a reverse optical near field transducer with internal bevel structures that enhance the magnetic write field intensity. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110109999 | MAGNETIC SHIELD STRUCTURE - An apparatus and associated method for a magnetic shield structure for data transduction from a recordable media in a data storage device. Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to a data transducer and a magnetic shield structure comprising a write shield magnetic material constructed of exchange decoupled material. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110121418 | MRAM Cells Including Coupled Free Ferromagnetic Layers for Stabilization - A free ferromagnetic data storage layer of an MRAM cell is coupled to a free ferromagnetic stabilization layer, which stabilization layer is directly electrically coupled to a contact electrode, on one side, and is separated from the free ferromagnetic data storage layer, on an opposite side, by a spacer layer. The spacer layer provides for the coupling between the two free layers, which coupling is one of: a ferromagnetic coupling and an antiferromagnetic coupling. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110134572 | DOUBLE BIASING FOR TRILAYER MR SENSORS - A trilayer magnetoresistive sensor includes first and second ferromagnetic layers separated by a nonmagnetic layer. A high coercivity permanent magnet bias element biases the first ferromagnetic layer in a first direction. A high moment permanent magnet bias element biases the second ferromagnetic layer in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110164335 | MAGNETIC SENSOR INCLUDING A FREE LAYER HAVING PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE ANISOTROPY - A magnetic sensor includes a reference layer having a first magnetization direction and a free layer assembly having an effective magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to the first magnetization direction and substantially perpendicular to a plane of each layer of the free layer assembly. A spacer layer is between the reference layer and the free layer, and a signal enhancement layer is exchange coupled to the free layer assembly on a side opposite the spacer layer. | 07-07-2011 |
