Patents by Inventor Hiromasa Takahashi

Hiromasa Takahashi 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).

  • Publication number: 20090310400
    Abstract: In MRAM using a spin-transfer torque switching, a sufficient writing operation with a small memory cell is realized, and a reading current is enlarged while a reading disturbance is suppressed. In the case where the free layer of the tunnel magneto-resistance element is located on the side of the bit line, using a PMOS transistor, and in the case where the fixed layer of the tunnel magneto-resistance element is located on the side of the bit line, using an NMOS transistor, an anti-parallel writing in a source grounding operation is performed. The reading and writing operation margin is improved by performing a reading operation in an anti-parallel writing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Riichiro Takemura, Takayuki Kawahara, Kenchi Ito, Hiromasa Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20090310399
    Abstract: In a memory using spin transfer torque, state of the spin is made unstable by applying a weak pulse before rewriting to reduce rewrite current. Reading of high-speed operation is performed with current in a regime where the current becomes non-linearly increases corresponding to the pulse width to suppress disturb. Further, fluctuation of respective memory cells is suppressed by a driving method setting the amount of spin constant by bit line charge to suppress read disturb.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Kawahara, Riichiro Takemura, Kenchi ITO, Hiromasa Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20090243872
    Abstract: A tamper prevention system includes a mounting unit, a portable terminal device, a first data input unit, an authentication data storing unit, an authentication unit, a detecting unit, and a setting unit. The portable terminal device is detachably mounted to the mounting unit. The portable terminal device includes an operation input unit, and a performing unit. The operation input unit enables a user to input operation data. The performing unit performs operation in accordance with the operation data when the performing unit is set to a first mode, and fails to perform operation in accordance with the operation data when the performing unit is set to a second mode. The first data input unit enables the user to input first data. The authentication data storing unit stores authentication data. The authentication unit authenticates the user when the first data matches the authentication data. The detecting unit detects whether or not the portable terminal device is removed from the mounting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiromasa Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7596014
    Abstract: In a memory using spin transfer torque, state of the spin is made unstable by applying a weak pulse before rewriting to reduce rewrite current. Reading of high-speed operation is performed with current in a regime where the current becomes non-linearly increases corresponding to the pulse width to suppress disturb. Further, fluctuation of respective memory cells is suppressed by a driving method setting the amount of spin constant by bit line charge to suppress read disturb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Kawahara, Riichiro Takemura, Kenchi Ito, Hiromasa Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7593253
    Abstract: In MRAM using a spin-transfer torque switching, a sufficient writing operation with a small memory cell is realized, and a reading current is enlarged while a reading disturbance is suppressed. In the case where the free layer of the tunnel magneto-resistance element is located on the side of the bit line, using a PMOS transistor, and in the case where the fixed layer of the tunnel magneto-resistance element is located on the side of the bit line, using an NMOS transistor, an anti-parallel writing in a source grounding operation is performed. The reading and writing operation margin is improved by performing a reading operation in an anti-parallel writing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Riichiro Takemura, Takayuki Kawahara, Kenchi Ito, Hiromasa Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20090180312
    Abstract: A memory for which writing is conducted by using a unidirectional write current. Currents which differ in current pulse width are applied to a magnetoresistance element in a film thickness direction of the magnetoresistance element consisting of a first ferromagnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction, a second ferromagnetic layer having a variable magnetization direction, a third ferromagnetic layer having a variable magnetization direction, a first non-magnetic layer located between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer, and a second non-magnetic layer located between the second ferromagnetic layer and the third ferromagnetic layer, to reverse a magnetization direction of either the second ferromagnetic layer or the third ferromagnetic layer by using a spin-transfer torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventors: Katsuya MIURA, Jun Hayakawa, Hiromasa Takahashi, Kenchi Ito
  • Publication number: 20090161265
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor reduces thermal fluctuation and realizes high-sensitive signal detection using a spin Hall device of a simple structure configured with only one magnetic layer. The magnetic sensor includes a stacked film in which a nonmagnetic spin Hall layer, a nonmagnetic insulator layer, and a magnetic layer are stacked, an electrode nonmagnetic terminal pair connected to a side surface of the nonmagnetic spin Hall layer, and a unit applying a current in a film thickness direction of the stacked film. A thickness of the nonmagnetic spin Hall layer is thinner than twice a spin diffusion length of a material constituting the nonmagnetic spin Hall layer. A magnetization direction of the magnetic layer magnetized by an external magnetic field is detected due to the polarity of a voltage across both ends of the electrode nonmagnetic terminal pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Ryoko Sugano, Masahiko Ichimura, Hiromasa Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20090154030
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an accumulation element with high resolving power and high output suitable for magnetic recording and reproducing at high recording density. According to one embodiment, a plurality of spin injection parts and are provided to increase the total amount of spin electrons. The spin accumulation element is composed of a non-magnetic conductor, a first magnetic conductor, a second magnetic conductor, and a third magnetic conductor, each of which are in contact with the non-magnetic conductor through the tunneling junction. An output voltage due to the spin accumulation effect is detected as a potential difference between the non-magnetic conductor and the third magnetic conductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: Masaki Yamada, Hiromasa Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7508625
    Abstract: A magnetic recording device which can write magnetic information with high density. The device uses, for a magnetic recording layer of a magnetic recording medium, a magnetic material whose anisotropy energy varies with an applied electric field. The head has an electrode for applying an electric field to a recording area of the magnetic recording medium. Magnetic recording is performed by applying an AC electric field from the electrode while a DC magnetic field is applied to the recording area of the magnetic recording layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromasa Takahashi, Kenchi Ito
  • Publication number: 20090034131
    Abstract: To provide a magnetic reading head that features high resolution and low noise, and that can support a hard disk with terabit-level surface recording density. A current is caused to flow from a pinned layer with its magnetization direction fixed by an antiferro magnetic material, to a non-magnetic thin wire having a portion affected by an external magnetic field and a portion not affected by the external magnetic field, so that spin polarized electrons are accumulated in the non-magnetic thin wire. A distance between voltage terminals of a voltmeter is set to less than the spin diffusion length of the non-magnetic thin wire. A change in the external magnetic field modulates some of the accumulated spin polarized electron, but does not others. Accordingly, an electrical potential difference depending on the external magnetic field is generated between the both end surfaces of the non-magnetic thin wire, and measured with the voltmeter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Masaki Yamada, Hiromasa Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7443718
    Abstract: A magnetic memory device comprises a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) having a ferromagnetic free layer, and exhibits a first, relatively high resistance state, and a second, relatively low resistance state. To write to the magnetic memory device a current IMTJ is driven through the MTJ. For a first duration, the current is equal to a DC threshold current, being the DC current required to switch the multilayer structure between the first state and the second state. This induces a C-like domain structure in the free layer. For a second duration, the current IMTJ is larger than the DC threshold current. This causes the MTJ to switch states. The current requited to cause switching is less than that required using a uniform current pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenchi Ito, Hiromasa Takahashi, Takayuki Kawahara, Riichiro Takemura
  • Patent number: 7436613
    Abstract: A magnetic recording device which can write magnetic information with high density. The device uses, for a magnetic recording layer of a magnetic recording medium, a magnetic material whose anisotropy energy varies with an applied electric field. The head has an electrode for applying an electric field to a recording area of the magnetic recording medium. Magnetic recording is performed by applying an AC electric field from the electrode while a DC magnetic field is applied to the recording area of the magnetic recording layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromasa Takahashi, Kenchi Ito
  • Publication number: 20080175044
    Abstract: The present invention aims to reduce heat fluctuations of a memory cell and thereby provide a stable writing operation when a magnetization reversal process not involving a reversal magnetic field is used for writing into the memory cell. The magnetic memory cell has a structure where first and second magnetization pinned terminals are connected, with a space therebetween, to one surface of a non-magnetic region, and a magnetization free terminal is connected to the other surface. Magnetization directions of the first and second magnetization pinned terminals are anti-parallel to each other. Writing is performed by controlling a polarity of a current flowing between the first and second magnetization pinned terminals through the non-magnetic region and thus reversing magnetization of the magnetization free terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Inventors: Sadamichi MAEKAWA, Saburo Takahashi, Hiroshi Imamura, Masahiko Ichimura, Hiromasa Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20080176107
    Abstract: To provide a magnetic head that is suited for high recording density magnetic read and write, and has little noise. A magnetic pinned layer is formed on a non-magnetic electrode layer via a first insulating layer, and a magnetic free layer is formed on a medium-side plane of the non-magnetic electrode layer via a second insulating layer. A circuit for flowing current between the non-magnetic electrode layer and the magnetic pinned layer via the first insulating layer, and a circuit for measuring voltage between the non-magnetic electrode layer and the magnetic free layer are connected to the magnetic free layer. The medium-side plane on which the magnetic free layer is formed may be a plane substantially parallel to the surface of the medium, or may be a plane tilted from the surface of the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Inventors: Hiromasa Takahashi, Masaki Yamada
  • Publication number: 20080068937
    Abstract: A method for writing information on a highly coercive recording medium stably with an electric field applied through a metal probe and with a magnetic field applied from external and an information recording system that employs the method. The recording medium includes a substrate, a first ferromagnetic layer formed on the substrate, a nonmagnetic layer formed on the first ferromagnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer formed on the nonmagnetic layer. The coercivity Hc2 of the second ferromagnetic layer is larger than that Hc1 of the first ferromagnetic layer. A magnetic field H is applied to the magnetic recording medium from a magnetic pole to change the magnetizing direction of the first ferromagnetic layer to a direction of the applied magnetic field, then a positive or negative voltage V is applied between the metal probe and the magnetic recording medium to change the quantum well level energy between the first and second ferromagnetic layers, thereby inducing an exchange magnetic field HE.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventors: SUSUMU OGAWA, Hiromasa Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20080037179
    Abstract: A magnetic memory device comprises a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) connecting to a bit line to a sense line through an isolation transistor. The MTJ includes a ferromagnetic layer having a magnetic hard axis. An assist current line overlies the bit line and is insulated from the bit line. The MTJ is switchable between a first, relatively high resistance state and a second, relatively low resistance state. The assist current line applies a magnetic field along the magnetic hard axis in the ferromagnetic layer, independently of current flow through the MTJ for assisting switching of the MTJ between the first and second states.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Inventors: Kenchi Ito, Hiromasa Takahashi, Takayuki Kawahara, Riichiro Takemura, Thibault Devolder, Paul Crozat, Joo-von Kim, Claude Chappert
  • Publication number: 20070285974
    Abstract: In MRAM using a spin-transfer torque switching, a sufficient writing operation with a small memory cell is realized, and a reading current is enlarged while a reading disturbance is suppressed. In the case where the free layer of the tunnel magneto-resistance element is located on the side of the bit line, using a PMOS transistor, and in the case where the fixed layer of the tunnel magneto-resistance element is located on the side of the bit line, using an NMOS transistor, an anti-parallel writing in a source grounding operation is performed. The reading and writing operation margin is improved by performing a reading operation in an anti-parallel writing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventors: Riichiro Takemura, Takayuki Kawahara, Kenchi Ito, Hiromasa Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20070285975
    Abstract: In a memory using spin transfer torque, state of the spin is made unstable by applying a weak pulse before rewriting to reduce rewrite current. Reading of high-speed operation is performed with current in a regime where the current becomes non-linearly increases corresponding to the pulse width to suppress disturb. Further, fluctuation of respective memory cells is suppressed by a driving method setting the amount of spin constant by bit line charge to suppress read disturb.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventors: Takayuki KAWAHARA, Riichiro TAKEMURA, Kenchi ITO, Hiromasa TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20070258281
    Abstract: A magnetic memory device comprises a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) having a ferromagnetic free layer, and exhibits a first, relatively high resistance state, and a second, relatively low resistance state. To write to the magnetic memory device a current IMTJ is driven through the MTJ. For a first duration, the current is equal to a DC threshold current, being the DC current required to switch the multilayer structure between the first state and the second state. This induces a C-like domain structure in the free layer. For a second duration, the current IMTJ is larger than the DC threshold current. This causes the MTJ to switch states. The current requited to cause switching is less than that required using a uniform current pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Publication date: November 8, 2007
    Inventors: Kenchi Ito, Hiromasa Takahashi, Takayuki Kawahara, Riichiro Takemura
  • Publication number: 20070253121
    Abstract: A spin accumulation device with high output, high resolution, and low noise. A spin current confined layer is located between a voltage-detection magnetic conductive material and a nonmagnetic conductive material. A spin current alone flows through the spin current confined layer. Due to the confinement of the spin current, since it is possible to prevent the spin current from flowing through excess portions other than the scatterer that exhibits resistance change, the detection efficiency of the spin accumulation device is dramatically increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: MASAKI YAMADA, Hiromasa Takahashi