Patents Examined by Linda Chau
  • Patent number: 9263075
    Abstract: Disclosed are a magnetic recording medium for a heat-assisted recording device, which has a high SNR at high density, and a manufacturing method thereof. The magnetic recording medium includes a non-magnetic substrate; a magnetic recording layer; a protective layer; and a liquid lubricating layer. The magnetic recording layer has a granular structure formed by magnetic portions and non-magnetic portions that surround the magnetic portions in which the non-magnetic portions between adjacent magnetic portions are recessed with respect to the magnetic portions. The non-magnetic portions have a volume percentage based on total volume of the granular structure ranging from 15 vol % to 30 vol % and include a carbon-based material. The magnetic recording medium has a surface having an arithmetic mean roughness Ra and an average length of roughness curve elements RSm such that Ra/RSm ranges from 0.05 to 0.15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Uchida
  • Patent number: 9251832
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention relates to hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder, which has an activation volume ranging from 900 nm3 to 1,600 nm3, and a ratio of a coefficient of plate thickness variation to a coefficient of particle diameter variation, coefficient of plate thickness variation/coefficient of particle diameter coefficient, ranging from 0.20 to 0.60.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Suzuki, Toshio Tada
  • Patent number: 9245568
    Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic disk that has excellent durability, particularly excellent LUL durability, and excellent alumina resistance and has a high level of reliability under a low flying height of a magnetic head involved in a recent tendency toward a rapid increase in recording density and a very severe environment resistance requirement due to diversified applications. A magnetic disk (10) comprises a substrate (1) and at least a magnetic layer (6), a carbon-based protective layer (7), and a lubricating layer (8) provided in that order over the substrate (1). The lubricating layer (8) contains a compound that has a perfluoropolyether main chain in the structure thereof and has an aromatic group and a polar group at the end of the molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: WD Media (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Kae Itoh, Katsushi Hamakubo
  • Patent number: 9240266
    Abstract: A grain oriented electrical steel sheet has sufficiently low iron loss and having less conventionally-concerned warpage of the steel sheet even after the steel sheet is subjected to artificial magnetic domain refining treatment, where strain-introducing treatment is conducted with high energy so that an iron loss-reducing effect can be maximized. The grain oriented electrical steel sheet is obtained by adjusting tension to be applied to a tension-applying insulating coating, or to both surfaces of the steel sheet by the tension-applying insulating coating, before strain-introducing treatment in the range of Formula (1): 1.0?(tension applied to non-strain-introduced surface)/(tension applied to strain-introduced surface)?2.0??(1), and by controlling the amount of warpage of the steel sheet toward the strain-introduced surface side after strain-introducing treatment in the range of 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Takenaka, Minoru Takashima, Hiroi Yamaguchi, Takeshi Omura
  • Patent number: 9240204
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic disk is provided. The disk includes, on a base and in the order from bottom, a first granular magnetic layer group including a plurality of magnetic layers each having a granular structure, a non-magnetic layer having Ru or a Ru alloy as a main component, a second granular magnetic layer group including a plurality of magnetic layers each having the granular structure, and an auxiliary recording layer having a CoCrPtRu alloy as a main component. Layers closer to a front surface among the plurality of magnetic layers included in the first granular magnetic layer group having an equal or smaller content of Pt. Layers closer to the front surface among the plurality of magnetic layers included in the second granular magnetic layer group having an equal or smaller content of Pt and having an equal or larger content of an oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: WD Media (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Teiichiro Umezawa, Takenori Kajiwara, Tokichiro Sato
  • Patent number: 9236076
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording disk includes a template layer below a Ru or Ru alloy underlayer, with a granular Co alloy recording layer formed on the underlayer. substrate. The template layer comprises nanoparticles spaced-apart and partially embedded within a polymer material, with the nanoparticles protruding above the surface of the polymer material. A seed layer covers the surface of the polymer material and the protruding nanoparticles and an underlayer of Ru or a Ru alloy covers the seed layer. The protruding nanoparticles serve as the controlled nucleation sites for the Ru or Ru alloy atoms. The nanoparticle-to-nanoparticle distances can be controlled during the formation of the template layer. This enables control of the Co alloy grain diameter distribution as well as grain-to-grain distance distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Bruce Alvin Gurney, Ricardo Ruiz, Manfred Ernst Schabes, Kentaro Takano, Shi-Ling Chang Wang, Qing Zhu, Han Zou
  • Patent number: 9183870
    Abstract: Methods to pattern substrates with dense periodic nanostructures that combine top-down lithographic tools and self-assembling block copolymer materials are provided. According to various embodiments, the methods involve chemically patterning a substrate, depositing a block copolymer film on the chemically patterned imaging layer, and allowing the block copolymer to self-assemble in the presence of the chemically patterned substrate, thereby producing a pattern in the block copolymer film that is improved over the substrate pattern in terms feature size, shape, and uniformity, as well as regular spacing between arrays of features and between the features within each array compared to the substrate pattern. In certain embodiments, the density and total number of pattern features in the block copolymer film is also increased. High density and quality nanoimprint templates and other nanopatterned structures are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignees: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Paul Franklin Nealey, Huiman Kang, Francois Detcheverry, Juan J. De Pablo, Ricardo Ruiz, Thomas Albrecht
  • Patent number: 9165586
    Abstract: The magnetic recording medium of the present invention comprises: a non-magnetic substrate; a non-magnetic layer formed on one of principal surfaces of the non-magnetic substrate; and a magnetic layer formed on a principal surface of the non-magnetic layer opposite to the non-magnetic substrate. Mr and t satisfy 0.0020 ?T·m?Mr·t?0.0150 ?T·m, where Mr is the residual magnetic flux density of the magnetic layer, and t is the average thickness of the magnetic layer, L1 satisfies 2 nm?L1?6 nm, where L1 is the average thickness of a first mixed layer that is formed on the surface of the magnetic layer opposite to the non-magnetic layer, and L2 satisfies 0.1?L2/t?0.45, where L2 is the average thickness of a second mixed layer that is formed on the surface of the magnetic layer facing the non-magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Kawakami, Sadamu Kuse, Kenji Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9099141
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention relates to a radiation-curable vinyl chloride resin composition comprising a vinyl chloride resin containing a radiation-curable functional group, and/or starting material compounds thereof, as well as a benzoquinone compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Araki, Kazufumi Omura
  • Patent number: 9082444
    Abstract: [PROBLEMS] To appropriately form a DTR medium, a patterned medium, or the like in a manner less likely to cause the problems of prolonged process time and increased cost. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A perpendicular magnetic recording layer 22 has a plurality of tracks 102 which define recording regions extending in a scanning direction of a magnetic head and which are arranged in parallel in a direction intersecting with the scanning direction. The perpendicular magnetic recording layer 22 has a guard band region 104 formed on its surface and provided with a groove portion 202 which extends along the tracks 102. In a cross-section of the perpendicular magnetic recording layer 22 taken along a plane perpendicular to the scanning direction, the maximum depth D of the groove portion 202 is in the range of 0.5 to 10 nm with reference to an average height (broken line 302) of the tracks 102 between which the groove portion 202 is interposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: WD Media (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Ishibashi, Akira Shimada
  • Patent number: 9076478
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention relates to a binder resin composition for a magnetic recording medium, which comprises a vinyl chloride resin containing a radiation-curable functional group, and a methacrylate compound denoted by formula (A): in an amount of equal to or more than 0.3 weight percent but equal to or less than 10 weight percent relative to a content of the vinyl chloride resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Kazufumi Omura
  • Patent number: 9058831
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a perpendicular magnetic recording medium includes an oxide recording layer including an oxide and a non-oxide recording layer which does not contain an oxide positioned above the oxide recording layer. The oxide recording layer includes a region R1 where a grain boundary width in a direction parallel to a plane of formation of R1 increases therealong from a lowermost portion of the oxide recording layer toward a medium surface, a region R3 positioned above R1 wherein a grain boundary width increases therealong toward the medium surface, a region R2 where a grain boundary width of R2 decreases therealong from R1 to R3, with R2 being positioned between R1 and R3, and a region R4 where a grain boundary width of R4 decreases therealong from R3 toward the medium surface, with R4 being positioned above R3 and near an uppermost portion of the oxide recording layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Shun Tonooka, Kiwamu Tanahashi, Hiroyuki Nakagawa, Ichiro Tamai
  • Patent number: 9047904
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium comprising a nonmagnetic layer comprising a nonmagnetic powder and a binder and a magnetic layer comprising a ferromagnetic powder and a binder in this order on a nonmagnetic support, wherein the magnetic layer and/or nonmagnetic layer comprises organic acid A and organic acid B below, with an acid strength pKa(A) of organic acid A and an acid strength pKa(B) of organic acid B satisfying a relation of pKa(A)<pKa(B); organic acid A: an unsaturated bond-containing organic acid comprising one substituent selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group, a phosphoric acid group, and a phosphonic acid group per molecule; organic acid B: an aliphatic or alicyclic organic acid in which two or more substituents substituted onto adjacent carbon atoms within the molecule are present per molecule, and at least one of the substituents is a carboxyl group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yohei Aritoshi, Kazufumi Omura
  • Patent number: 9040180
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording disk has a graded-anisotropy recording layer (RL) formed of at least two ferromagnetically exchange coupled CoPtCr-oxide magnetic layers (MAG1 and MAG2) with two nucleation films (NF1 and NF2) between the magnetic layers. NF1 is a metal film, preferably Ru or a Ru-based alloy like RuCr, sputter deposited on MAG1 at low pressure to a thickness between about 0.1-1.5 nm. NF2 is a metal oxide film, preferably an oxide of Ta, sputter deposited on NF1 at high pressure to a thickness between about 0.2-1.0 nm. MAG2 is sputter deposited over NF2. NF1 and NF2 provide a significant reduction in average grain size in the RL from a graded-anisotropy RL without nucleation films between MAG1 and MAG2, while also assuring that MAG1 and MAG2 are strongly exchange coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Ernesto E. Marinero, Dieter K. Weller, Brian R. York
  • Patent number: 9040179
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium of the present invention comprises a non-magnetic substrate, and at least a backing layer, an under layer, an intermediate layer and a perpendicular magnetic recording layer, which are sequentially laminated on the non-magnetic substrate, wherein the backing layer is formed of a soft magnetic film having an amorphous structure, the under layer contains a NiW alloy containing any one or both of Co and Fe, the W content of the NiW alloy is within a range from 3 to 10 atom %, the total of the Co and Fe contents of the NiW alloy is 5 atom % or more and less than 40 atom %, the saturation magnetic flux density Bs of the NiW alloy is 280 emu/cm3 or more, the thickness of the under layer is within a range from 2 to 20 nm, and the intermediate layer contains Ru or a Ru alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
    Inventor: Takashi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9005782
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic disk that is excellent in durability, particularly in LUL durability and CFT properties, and thus has high reliability despite the low flying height of a magnetic head following the rapid increase in recording density in recent years and despite the very strict environmental resistance following the diversification of applications. A magnetic disk (10) has at least a magnetic layer (6), a carbon-based protective layer (7), and a lubricating layer (8) provided in this order over a substrate (1). The lubricating layer (8) contains a compound having a perfluoropolyether main chain in a structure thereof and having a polar group other than at ends of a molecule thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: WD Media, LLC
    Inventors: Katsushi Hamakubo, Kae Itoh
  • Patent number: 8999533
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic disk comprising a lubricating layer formed of a lubricant. The lubricant constituting the lubricating layer has excellent properties, for example, excellent fluidity, surface energy, and CFT properties. By virtue of the excellent properties, the magnetic disk has a high level of reliability despite a low flying height of a magnetic head due to a recent rapid increase in recording density and a very severe environment resistance requirement due to diversification of applications. The magnetic disk comprises a substrate and at least a magnetic layer, a protective layer, and a lubricating layer provided in that order over the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: WD Media (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Shimokawa
  • Patent number: 8945732
    Abstract: A recording medium comprising a magnetic recording layer having an axis of magnetic anisotropy substantially perpendicular to the surface thereof, a soft magnetic underlayer disposed under the magnetic recording layer and physically coupled to the magnetic recording layer through one or more intermediate layers magnetically decoupling the soft magnetic underlayer from the magnetic recording layer, and an orientation initialization layer disposed between the magnetic recording layer and the soft magnetic underlayer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: WD Media, LLC
    Inventors: Hua Yuan, Alexander Chernyshov, B. Ramamurthy Acharya
  • Patent number: 8895164
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium, which includes a nonmagnetic substrate, and a first underlayer in the form of a soft magnetic under-layer (SUL), a second underlayer, an intermediate layer, a magnetic recording layer, a protective layer, and a lubricant layer sequentially laminated on the nonmagnetic substrate. The SUL has a plurality of SUL layers including a type-A SUL layer, a plurality of type-B SUL layers including at least two adjacent type-B SUL layers, and a nonmagnetic metal spacer layer disposed between the two adjacent type-B SUL layers. The type-A SUL layer may include a material selected from Co, Fe and Ni, a material selected from Cr, V and Ti, and a material selected from W, Zr, Ta and Nb. Each of the type-B SUL layers is in antiferromagnetic coupling, and may include a material selected from Co, Fe and Ni, a material selected from Cr, V and Ti, and a material selected from W, Zr, Ta and Nb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tuqiang Li, Shunji Takenoiri, Yuko Ueki
  • Patent number: 8883328
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium having a soft magnetic backing layer is disclosed. The medium has reduced Co elution, improved corrosion resistance, and satisfactory electromagnetic transducing characteristics, without providing constraints on the configuration of the protective layer such as, for example, the thickness of the protective layer, film deposition processes or layer configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Kuboki