Patents Assigned to Seagate Technologies
  • STRAM with composite free magnetic element
    Patent number: 8681539
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Yuankai Zheng, Dimitar V. Dimitrov, Dexin Wang, Haiwen Xi, Kaizhong Gao, Olle Heinonen, Wenzhong Zhu
  • Magnetic memory cell construction
    Patent number: 8679577
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Kaizhong Gao, Haiwen Xi
  • Layered optical waveguide and near field transducer
    Patent number: 8681595
    Abstract: Waveguides that include a top cladding layer made of a material having an index of refraction n4; a core bilayer structure, the core bilayer structure including a lower index core layer having an index of refraction n3; and a higher index core layer having an index of refraction n1, wherein the higher index core layer includes TiO2 and one or more than one of Nb2O5, CeO2, Ta2O5, ZrO2, HfO2, Y2O3, Sc2O3, MgO, Al2O3 and SiO2, wherein the lower index core layer is adjacent the higher index core layer; a bottom cladding layer made of a material having an index of refraction n2, wherein the waveguide is configured with the higher index core layer of the core bilayer structure adjacent the top cladding layer and the lower index core layer of the core bilayer structure adjacent the bottom cladding layer, and wherein n4 is less than n3 and n1, and n2 is less than n3 and n1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Xiaoyue Huang, Michael C. Kautzky, Tong Zhao
  • Magnetic memory with separate read and write paths
    Patent number: 8681541
    Abstract: Magnetic memory having separate read and write paths is disclosed. The magnetic memory unit includes a ferromagnetic strip having a first end portion with a first magnetization orientation, an opposing second end portion with a second magnetization orientation, and a middle portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, the middle portion having a free magnetization orientation. The first magnetization orientation opposes the second magnetization orientation. A tunneling barrier separates a magnetic reference layer from the middle portion forming a magnetic tunnel junction. A bit line is electrically coupled to the second end portion. A source line is electrically coupled to the first end portion and a read line is electrically coupled to the magnetic tunnel junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Yong Lu, Hongyue Liu, Zheng Gao, Insik Jin, Dimitar V. Dimitrov
  • Methods and devices including multiple resistive heating elements
    Patent number: 8681446
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a head includes a writer portion having coils positioned near a writer, a reader portion separate from the writer portion and a single-layer heating circuit positioned near the writer portion. The heating circuit includes at least two resistive elements. In certain embodiments, a slider includes a single layer heating circuit including at least two heating element resistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Erik Jon Hutchinson, Bradley Hugh Miller
  • Air bearing slider
    Patent number: 8681455
    Abstract: A slider includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, a transducer adjacent to the trailing edge, and an air bearing surface. The air bearing surface includes a forward pad, a rearward pad, and a center rail pad feature disposed along a longitudinal axis of the slider. The center rail pad feature includes a first shallow recess finger and a second shallow recess finger diverging from the longitudinal axis toward the trailing edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Anil Junuthula Reddy, Manuel Charles Anaya Dufresne
  • NOISE MEASUREMENT FOR MEASURED DISPLACEMENT
    Publication number: 20140077822
    Abstract: An apparatus including a first plurality of electrodes and a second plurality of electrodes is disclosed. Each electrode of the first plurality of electrodes is configured to measure an electric field associated with a position of a moving object. The second plurality of electrodes is disposed further away from the moving object in comparison to the first plurality of electrodes. The second plurality of electrodes is configured to measure a signal associated with ambient noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Hans Leuthold
  • Spin-transfer torque memory self-reference read method
    Patent number: 8675401
    Abstract: A spin-transfer torque memory apparatus and self-reference read schemes are described. One method of self-reference reading a spin-transfer torque memory unit includes applying a first read current through a magnetic tunnel junction data cell and forming a first bit line read voltage. Then applying a low resistance state polarized write current through the magnetic tunnel junction data cell, forming a low second resistance state magnetic tunnel junction data cell. A second read current is applied through the low second resistance state magnetic tunnel junction data cell to forming a second bit line read voltage. The method also includes comparing the first bit line read voltage with the second bit line read voltage to determine whether the first resistance state of the magnetic tunnel junction data cell was a high resistance state or low resistance state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Hai Li, Yiran Chen, Hongyue Liu, Kang Yong Kim, Dimitar V. Dimitrov, Henry F. Huang
  • Data reader with heusler alloy reference lamination
    Patent number: 8675319
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a current perpendicular to the plane giant magneto-resistance (CPP GMR) read sensor may include a reference layer and/or a free layer that includes a plurality of sub-layers. For example, at least one of the reference layer or free layer may include a first ferromagnetic sub-layer, a second ferromagnetic sub-layer, and a Heusler alloy layer located between the first ferromagnetic sub-layer and the second ferromagnetic sub-layer. In some embodiments, a CPP GMR read sensor may include a current closed path (CCP) spacer layer between the reference layer and the free layer. The CCP spacer layer may include Ag and Al2O3. In further embodiments, a CPP GMR read sensor may include a Heusler alloy free layer, a Heusler alloy reference layer, and a CCP spacer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Qing He, Konstantin Nikolaev, Hao Meng, Yonghua Chen, Juren Ding
  • Shield with continuously and throat regions adjacent a main pole
    Patent number: 8675307
    Abstract: A write element for magnetic recording includes a main pole and a shield. The main pole has first and second sides with respect to a down-track direction. The shield at least partially surrounds the main pole with a continuously concave inner sidewall. The angle between the inner sidewall of the shield and the direction of motion of the write element is greater than the angle between the sides of the main pole and the direction of motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Kaizhong Gao, Mourad Benakli
  • Method to synthesize ordered magnetic alloys at low temperature
    Patent number: 8673463
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of synthesizing an ordered magnetic alloy comprising obtaining a substrate and performing sequential sputter deposition of multiple atomic monolayers of the magnetic alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Samuel Dacke Harkness, IV
  • Low-coupling oxide media (LCOM)
    Patent number: 8673464
    Abstract: A low-coupling perpendicular magnetic recording media comprising a magnetic storage layer and at least one low saturation magnetization layer. The magnetic storage layer has a saturation magnetization between about 400-900 emu/cm3 and the at least one low saturation magnetization layer has a saturation magnetization below that of the magnetic storage layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Erol Girt, Hans Jurgen Richter, Mariana R. Munteanu, Thomas Nolan
  • Head radial positioning over contact-start-stop zone during spin-up/spin-down of disk
    Patent number: 8675299
    Abstract: A read/write head is moved across a contact-start-stop (CSS) zone on a data storage disk during the spin-up and/or spin-down of the disk. Moving the head during spin-up and/or spin-down may reduce the concentration of wear along a surface of the CSS zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Mark Edward Sheffield, Philip John Bartels, Geoffrey Wayne Kaiser, James Fay Martin, Seshadri Ramaswamy
  • CoPtCr-based bit patterned magnetic media
    Patent number: 8673466
    Abstract: A bit patterned magnetic recording medium comprises a substrate having a surface, and a plurality of spaced apart magnetic elements on the surface, each element constituting a discrete magnetic domain or bit of the same structure and comprised of a stack of thin film layers including in order from the substrate surface: a seed layer; and a perpendicular magnetic recording layer in contact with a surface of the seed layer and comprising a Co 1-x-yPtxCry alloy material, where 0.05?x?0.35 and 0?y?0.15. The Co1-x-yPtxCry alloy material has a first order magnetic anisotropy constant K1 up to about 2×107 erg/cm3, a saturation magnetization Ms up to about 1200 emu/cm3, an anisotropy field HK=2K1/Ms up to about 35 kOe, a hexagonal (0001) crystal structure with c-axis perpendicular to a surface thereof, and an X-Ray diffraction (XRD) rocking curve with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of ˜5° or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Dieter K. Weller, Hans J. Richter, Samuel D. Harkness, IV, Erol Girt
  • Block copolymer assembly methods and patterns formed thereby
    Patent number: 8673541
    Abstract: Patterned substrates templates are provided, as well as methods comprising a combination of lithography and self-assembly techniques. The patterned substrates may comprise first and second patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Shuaigang Xiao, XiaoMin Yang, Yuan Xu, Lei Wan
  • Active test and alteration of sample times for a ring based random number generator
    Patent number: 8676870
    Abstract: An apparatus includes: a plurality of bit producing circuits; a controller setting a sample frequency at which bits from the bit producing circuits are sampled; and a plurality of test circuits determining if bits sampled from each of the bit producing circuits are random, wherein the controller adjusts the sample frequency if the test circuits determine that the sampled bits are not random. A method performed by the apparatus is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Donald Preston Matthews, Jr., Laszlo Hars
  • Magnetic sensor with anisotropic liner
    Patent number: 8675315
    Abstract: An apparatus and associated method are generally directed to a magnetic sensor constructed with an anisotropic liner capable of screening magnetic flux. Various embodiments can have a data read element positioned on an air bearing surface adjacent a magnetic shield which is at least partially lined with an in-plane anisotropy layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Werner Scholz, Michael C. Kautzky, Sarbeswar Sahoo, Mark T. Kief, James G. Wessel
  • Magnetic stack having assist layers
    Patent number: 8670271
    Abstract: A magnetic tunnel junction having a ferromagnetic free layer and a ferromagnetic pinned reference layer, each having an out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy and an out-of-plane magnetization orientation, the ferromagnetic free layer switchable by spin torque. The magnetic tunnel junction includes a ferromagnetic assist layer proximate the free layer, the assist layer having a low magnetic anisotropy less than 700 Oe and positioned to apply a magnetic field on the free layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Yuankai Zheng, Zheng Gao, Wonjoon Jung, Xuebing Feng, Xiaohua Lou, Haiwen Xi
  • Head-disk interference (HDI) detection
    Patent number: 8670204
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting head disk interference (HDI). In accordance with some embodiments, a bias calibration circuit is adapted to respectively bypass or amplify a head disk interference (HDI) signal output from an HDI sensor responsive to a bias voltage adjusted according to a first control signal. A detection circuit is adapted to compare a swing range of a signal output from the bias calibration circuit and a swing range of a reference signal, and to output the first control signal responsive to said comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Myoung Mee Kim
  • Assessing connection joint coverage between a device and a printed circuit board
    Patent number: 8669777
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to assessing coverage of a connection joint, such as a solder joint, between a device and a printed circuit board (PCB). In accordance with various embodiments, a PCB includes a conductive thermal pad adapted to be electrically and mechanically connected to an exposed pad of a component by an intervening connection joint to establish a thermal path to dissipate thermal energy from the component. An isolated test via that extends through the conductive thermal pad in non-contacting relation thereto, the test via adapted to mechanically and electrically contact said intervening connection joint. A coverage characteristic of the intervening connection joint can be determined in relation to application of an electrical signal to the test via.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: BengKit Kuah, Lucas KongYaw Lee, William L. Rugg, SaiPo Yuen, William B S Koh, Jui Whatt Tan