Patents by Inventor Alain Schuhl

Alain Schuhl has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9557392
    Abstract: Integrated magnetometer comprising a plurality of multilayer magnetoresistive sensors deposited on a surface, called the top surface, of a substantially planar substrate, characterized in that said top surface of the substrate has at least one cavity or protuberance provided with a plurality of inclined faces, and in that at least four said magnetoresistive sensors are placed on four said magnetoresistive sensors are placed on four said inclined faces, having different orientations and opposite one another in pairs, each sensor being sensitive to one component of an external magnetic field parallel to that face on which it is placed. Process for manufacturing such a magnetometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignees: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Alain Schuhl, Gilles Gaudin, Philippe Sabon, Pierre-Jean Zermatten, François Montaigne
  • Publication number: 20130134970
    Abstract: Integrated magnetometer comprising a plurality of multilayer magnetoresistive sensors deposited on a surface, called the top surface, of a substantially planar substrate, characterized in that said top surface of the substrate has at least one cavity or protuberance provided with a plurality of inclined faces, and in that at least four said magnetoresistive sensors are placed on four said magnetoresistive sensors are placed on four said inclined faces, having different orientations and opposite one another in pairs, each sensor being sensitive to one component of an external magnetic field parallel to that face on which it is placed. Process for manufacturing such a magnetometer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicants: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
    Inventors: Alain Schuhl, Gilles Gaudin, Philippe Sabon, Pierre-Jean Zermatten, François Montaigne
  • Patent number: 8416618
    Abstract: The invention relates to a writable magnetic element comprising a stack of layers presenting a write magnetic layer, wherein the stack has a central layer of at least one magnetic material presenting a direction of magnetization that is parallel or perpendicular to the plane of the central layer, said central layer being sandwiched between first and second outer layers of non-magnetic materials, the first outer layer comprising a first non-magnetic material and the second outer layer comprising a second non-magnetic material that is different from the first non-magnetic material, at least the second non-magnetic material being electrically conductive, wherein it includes a device for causing current to flow through the second outer layer and the central layer in a current flow direction parallel to the plane of the central layer, and a device for applying a magnetic field having a component along a magnetic field direction that is either parallel or perpendicular to the plane of the central layer and the curr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignees: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Universite Joseph Fourier, Institut Catala de Nanotechnologia (ICN), Institucio Catalana de Recerca I Estudis Avancats (ICREA)
    Inventors: Gilles Gaudin, Ioan Mihai Miron, Pietro Gambardella, Alain Schuhl
  • Patent number: 8384171
    Abstract: The invention relates to a writable magnetic element comprising a stack of layers presenting a write magnetic layer, wherein the stack has a central layer of at least one magnetic material presenting magnetization having a magnetization direction that is parallel to the plane of the central layer, which layer is sandwiched between first and second outer layers of non-magnetic materials, the first outer layer comprising a first non-magnetic material and the second outer layer comprising a second non-magnetic material that is different from the first non-magnetic material, at least the second non-magnetic material being electrically conductive, and wherein it includes a device to cause a write current to pass through the second outer layer and the central layer in a current flow direction parallel to the plane of the central layer at an angle ? lying in the range 90°±60°, in particular 90°±30°, and more particularly 90°±15° relative to said magnetization direction in order to generate an effective magnetic fiel
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignees: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives, Universite Joseph Fourier, Institut Catala de Nanotechnologia (ICN), Institucio Catalana de Recerca I Estudis Avancats (ICREA)
    Inventors: Gilles Gaudin, Ioan Mihai Miron, Pietro Gambardella, Alain Schuhl
  • Patent number: 8350347
    Abstract: The invention relates to a writable magnetic element comprising a stack of layers presenting a write magnetic layer, wherein the stack has a central layer of at least one magnetic material presenting a direction of magnetization that is perpendicular to the plane of the central layer, said central layer being sandwiched between first and second outer layers of non-magnetic materials, the first outer layer comprising a first non-magnetic material and the second outer layer comprising a second non-magnetic material that is different from the first non-magnetic material, at least the second non-magnetic material being electrically conductive, and wherein it includes a device for causing current to flow through the second outer layer in a current flow direction parallel to the plane of the central layer, and a device for applying a magnetic field along a magnetic field direction that is perpendicular to the plane of the central layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignees: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Universite Joseph Fourier, Institut Catala de Nanotechnologia, Institucio Catalana de Recerca I Estudis Avancats (ICREA)
    Inventors: Gilles Gaudin, Ioan Mihai Miron, Pietro Gambardella, Alain Schuhl
  • Publication number: 20120098077
    Abstract: The invention relates to a writable magnetic element comprising a stack of layers presenting a write magnetic layer, wherein the stack has a central layer of at least one magnetic material presenting magnetization having a magnetization direction that is parallel to the plane of the central layer, which layer is sandwiched between first and second outer layers of non-magnetic materials, the first outer layer comprising a first non-magnetic material and the second outer layer comprising a second non-magnetic material that is different from the first non-magnetic material, at least the second non-magnetic material being electrically conductive, and wherein it includes a device to cause a write current to pass through the second outer layer and the central layer in a current flow direction parallel to the plane of the central layer at an angle ? lying in the range 90°±60°, in particular 90°±30°, and more particularly 90°±15° relative to said magnetization direction in order to generate an effective magnetic fiel
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Inventors: Gilles Gaudin, Ioan Mihai Miron, Pietro Gambardella, Alain Schuhl
  • Publication number: 20120018822
    Abstract: The invention relates to a writable magnetic element comprising a stack of layers presenting a write magnetic layer, wherein the stack has a central layer of at least one magnetic material presenting a direction of magnetization that is perpendicular to the plane of the central layer, said central layer being sandwiched between first and second outer layers of non-magnetic materials, the first outer layer comprising a first non-magnetic material and the second outer layer comprising a second non-magnetic material that is different from the first non-magnetic material, at least the second non-magnetic material being electrically conductive, and wherein it includes a device for causing current to flow through the second outer layer in a current flow direction parallel to the plane of the central layer, and a device for applying a magnetic field along a magnetic field direction that is perpendicular to the plane of the central layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Gilles Gaudin, Ioan Mihai Miron, Pietro Gambardella, Alain Schuhl
  • Publication number: 20120020152
    Abstract: The invention relates to a writable magnetic element comprising a stack of layers presenting a write magnetic layer, wherein the stack has a central layer of at least one magnetic material presenting a direction of magnetization that is parallel or perpendicular to the plane of the central layer, said central layer being sandwiched between first and second outer layers of non-magnetic materials, the first outer layer comprising a first non-magnetic material and the second outer layer comprising a second non-magnetic material that is different from the first non-magnetic material, at least the second non-magnetic material being electrically conductive, wherein it includes a device for causing current to flow through the second outer layer and the central layer in a current flow direction parallel to the plane of the central layer, and a device for applying a magnetic field having a component along a magnetic field direction that is either parallel or perpendicular to the plane of the central layer and the curr
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Gilles Gaudin, Ioan Mihai Miron, Pietro Gambardella, Alain Schuhl
  • Patent number: 8036070
    Abstract: A magnetic recording device comprising at least one unstructured recording support exhibiting at least one elementary magnetic layer, the recording support having a magnetization perpendicular to the plane of the support characterized in that it comprises magnetic elements having a magnetization perpendicular to the plane of the support and a greater inversion field than the inversion field of the recording support, and which are separated from the recording support by a decoupling layer made of a nonmagnetic material so that the magnetic elements produce a dipolar field in the recording support. The magnetic elements are spaced apart from one another by nonmagnetic regions, each magnetic element defining during a write operation a memory point in the recording support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
    Inventors: Gilles Louis Gaudin, Pierre-Jean Zermatten, Ioan Mihai Miron, Alain Schuhl
  • Patent number: 7602178
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor for measuring the strength of a magnetic filed includes a stack of a reference element, a separation element and an element sensitive to the magnetic field. The reference element and the sensitive element have, respectively, a first and a second magnetic anisotropy in a first and a second direction. The sensitive element includes the superposition of a layer of a ferromagnetic material and a layer of an antiferromagnetic material which are arranged to obtain a magnetic moment having a component oriented in the direction of the field to be measured that varies reversibly in relation to the strength of the magnetic field to be measured, and linearly in an adjustable field range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: S.N.R. Roulements
    Inventors: Michel Hehn, Alain Schuhl, Grégory Malinowski, Christophe Nicot, Christophe Duret
  • Publication number: 20090122658
    Abstract: A magnetic recording device comprising at least one unstructured recording support exhibiting at least one elementary magnetic layer, the recording support having a magnetization perpendicular to the plane of the support characterized in that it comprises magnetic elements having a magnetization perpendicular to the plane of the support and a greater inversion field than the inversion field of the recording support, and which are separated from the recording support by a decoupling layer made of a nonmagnetic material so that the magnetic elements produce a dipolar field in the recording support. The magnetic elements are spaced apart from one another by nonmagnetic regions, each magnetic element defining during a write operation a memory point in the recording support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: Gilles Louis Gaudin, Pierre-Jean Zermatten, Ioan Mihai Miron, Alain Schuhl
  • Publication number: 20070159164
    Abstract: The invention concerns a magnetoresistive magnetic field sensor comprising a stack (1) of a reference element (2), a separation element (3) and an element (4) sensitive to the magnetic field, in which the reference element (2) and the sensitive element (4) have respectively a first and a second magnetic anisotropy (5, 6) in a first and a second direction. The sensitive element (4) comprises the superposition of a layer of a ferromagnetic material (FM1) and a layer of an antiferromagnetic material (AF1) which is arranged in order to obtain a magnetic moment (10) whose component oriented in the direction of the field to be measured varies reversibly in relation to the strength of the magnetic field to be measured, and linearly in an adjustable field range. The invention also concerns a use of such a sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventors: Michel Hehn, Alain Schuhl, Gregory Malinowski, Christophe Nicot, Christophe Duret
  • Patent number: 6496004
    Abstract: A magnetic detector which includes a first thin-layer element and a second thin-layer element made of magnetic material with magnetic anisotropy in the plane possessing, in this plane, two easy axes of magnetization. A coercive field of one of the first and second thin-layer elements has a value different from that of the other thin-layer element. The two thin-layer elements have elongated and mutually parallel shapes perpendicular to their direction of easy magnetization in the absence of a magnetic field. The width of these thin-layer elements is such that it obliges at least one of the thin-layer elements to have its magnetization oriented along the length of the thin-layer element when there is no external magnetic field. Such a magnetic field sensor may find particular application to the measurement of magnetic fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Frédéric Nguyen Van Dau, Alain Schuhl, Armando Encinas
  • Patent number: 6291993
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor having a layer of nonmagnetic insulator including at least one layer of ferromagnetic particles. This combination of layers is sandwiched between two ferromagnetic electrodes. Electrons are transported by the tunneling effect between each electrode and the ferromagnetic particles. The tunneling resistance depends on the orientation of the magnetization of the electrodes and therefore varies in the presence of the magnetic field. The multichannel and multistage nature of the tunneling conduction eliminates the problems of short-circuiting by porosity, thus leading to less difficult fabrication and improved robustness in terms of breakdown. The possible thermal fluctuations of the magnetic moments of the aggregates can be suppressed by the choice of a magnetic material for the part of the insulating layer which contains the aggregates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Albert Fert, Frédéric Petroff, Luiz Fernando Schelp, Alain Schuhl
  • Patent number: 6191581
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor which includes a planar thin-film element made of a crystalline magnetoresistive material exhibiting resistivity anisotropy in a plane, having a first and a second easy axis of magnetization. The planar thin-film element has electrical connections allowing a first electrical measurement current to flow through the planar thin-film element in a first direction, as well as two other electrical connections allowing a voltage to be measured in a second direction transverse to the first direction. The two easy axes of magnetization have comparable magnetization values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Frédéric Nguyen Van Dau, Alain Schuhl, François Montaigne
  • Patent number: 5686879
    Abstract: This ammeter comprises an element made of magnetoresistive material in a thin layer located on a first face of a substrate; first connection means connected to the magnetoresistive element in two zones along a first direction (XX') and enabling the element to be supplied with current; second connection means connected to the magnetoresistive element in two zones located along a second direction (YY') perpendicular to the first direction (XX'). This ammeter enables the measurement of the value of the current flowing in a conductor preferably oriented in a direction (ZZ') parallel to the first direction (XX').
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Alain Schuhl, Frederic Nguyen Van Dau
  • Patent number: 5521500
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor having a planar element made of a material formed by crystalline magnetoresistive thin layers with an anisotropy of resistivity in the planar element also having, in the planar element, two magnetization axes of different values. This sensor also has two electrical connections enabling, in the presence of an external magnetic field, the flow of a current in the element in a first direction that is not collinear with each of the axes of magnetization and two electrical connections enabling a measurement of voltage in a second direction transversal to the first direction. This sensor thus works by planar Hall effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Alain Schuhl, Jeffrey Childress
  • Patent number: 5474833
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive detector comprising a stack of layers having different magnetic characteristics (magnetic metal multilayers) wherein there is provision, under the effect of an electrical field, for a transfer of electrons perpendicularly to the layers. To ensure several perpendicular transfers through the same stack of layers, this stack is enclosed between two electrodes, and the electrical conduction of the entire piece is interrupted by a cutting out of the structure in the form of teeth in a Greek key pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Patrick Etienne, Alain Schuhl
  • Patent number: 5378683
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a Josephson junction formed by a non-superconducting barrier between two superconducting films of the (R) BaCuO (R=rare earth) group. In order to take advantage of the greater coherence length of superconductors along the CuO planes, i.e. perpendicularly to the long axis "c" of the crystal unit cell, the superconducting film is oriented so that the axis "c" is parallel to the plane of the junction. The device can be applied to Josephson junctions and to SQUIDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Regis Cabanel, Guy Garry, Alain Schuhl, Bruno Ghyselen
  • Patent number: 5313186
    Abstract: A sensor of weak magnetic fields with magnetoresistive effect features a metallic multilayer formed by alternating magnetic and non-magnetic metals. In order to detect weak fields, a sensor is described wherein a magnetic field is coupled by an anti-ferromagnetic type coupling with a first neighboring magnetic layer and by a ferromagnetic type coupling with a third neighboring magnetic layer, so that there is frustration of coupling. The first and third magnetic layers are blocked by their strong coercive field. The sensor finds particular application to detection on magnetic media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Alain Schuhl, Stephane Tyc