Patents by Inventor James K. Howard

James K. Howard 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: 7035061
    Abstract: A transducing head includes a first bias element, a second bias element, and a magnetoresistive sensor positioned between the first bias element and the second bias element. The first bias element and the second bias element are each formed of a permanent magnet material having a remanent magnetic moment in a range of about 200 to about 800 emu/cm3. In a preferred embodiment, the permanent magnet material is an alloy comprising iron, platinum, and at least one material selected from copper, silver, magnesium, lead, zinc, bismuth, and antimony.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Eric W. Singleton, David J. Larson, Christopher L. Platt, Kurt W. Wierman, James K. Howard
  • Patent number: 6835464
    Abstract: A perpendicular exchange biased device comprises a layer of buffer material on a surface of a substrate, a layer of ferromagnetic material on a surface of the buffer layer, wherein the magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer lies in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the layer of ferromagnetic material, and a layer of antiferromagnetic material on a surface of the layer of ferromagnetic material. A method of making a perpendicular exchange biased device comprising positioning a layer of buffer material on a surface of a substrate, positioning a layer of ferromagnetic material on a surface of the layer of buffer material, wherein the magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer lies in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the layer of ferromagnetic material, and positioning a layer of antiferromagnetic material on a surface of the layer of ferromagnetic material is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Thomas F. Ambrose, Timothy John Klemmer, Rene Johannes Marinus van de Veerdonk, Gregory John Parker, James K. Howard
  • Patent number: 6777113
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium includes a hard magnetic recording layer and a soft magnetic underlayer adjacent the hard magnetic recording layer. The soft magnetic underlayer includes first and second ferromagnetically coupled multilayer structures and a coupling layer positioned between the first and second multilayer structures for antiferromagnetically coupling the first and second multilayer structures. A magnetic disc drive storage system incorporating such a perpendicular magnetic recording medium and a method of making such a perpendicular magnetic recording medium are also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Isabel G. Trindade, Sharat Batra, Dieter K. Weller, Yukiko Kubota, Kurt W. Wierman, James K. Howard, Ganping Ju
  • Publication number: 20040047089
    Abstract: A transducing head includes a first bias element, a second bias element, and a magnetoresistive sensor positioned between the first bias element and the second bias element. The first bias element and the second bias element are each formed of a permanent magnet material having a remanent magnetic moment in a range of about 200 to about 800 emu/cm3. In a preferred embodiment, the permanent magnet material is an alloy comprising iron, platinum, and at least one material selected from copper, silver, magnesium, lead, zinc, bismuth, and antimony.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Applicant: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Eric W. Singleton, David J. Larson, Christopher L. Platt, Kurt W. Wierman, James K. Howard
  • Publication number: 20030228491
    Abstract: A perpendicular exchange biased device comprises a layer of buffer material on a surface of a substrate, a layer of ferromagnetic material on a surface of the buffer layer, wherein the magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer lies in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the layer of ferromagnetic material, and a layer of antiferromagnetic material on a surface of the layer of ferromagnetic material. A method of making a perpendicular exchange biased device comprising positioning a layer of buffer material on a surface of a substrate, positioning a layer of ferromagnetic material on a surface of the layer of buffer material, wherein the magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer lies in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the layer of ferromagnetic material, and positioning a layer of antiferromagnetic material on a surface of the layer of ferromagnetic material is also included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas F. Ambrose, Timothy John Klemmer, Rene Johannes Marinus van de Veerdonk, Gregory John Parker, James K. Howard
  • Publication number: 20030228497
    Abstract: An overcoating for electronic devices, such as magnetic recording devices, includes an intermediate layer formed adjacent to or on the device and a protective layer formed adjacent to or on the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer and protective layer may have a combined thickness in the range of about 6 angstroms to about 35 angstroms. The intermediate layer may be formed of a material such as silicon, aluminum or boron containing borides, carbides, nitrides, oxides or oxynitrides. The protective layer may be formed of a metal oxide material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Inventors: Mei-Ling Wu, James K. Howard, Paul M. Jones
  • Publication number: 20030035973
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium includes a hard magnetic recording layer and a soft magnetic underlayer adjacent the hard magnetic recording layer. The soft magnetic underlayer includes first and second ferromagnetically coupled multilayer structures and a coupling layer positioned between the first and second multilayer structures for antiferromagnetically coupling the first and second multilayer structures. A magnetic disc drive storage system incorporating such a perpendicular magnetic recording medium and a method of making such a perpendicular magnetic recording medium are also included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Applicant: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Isabel G. Trindade, Sharat Batra, Dieter K. Weller, Yukiko Kubota, Kurt W. Wierman, James K. Howard, Ganping Ju
  • Patent number: 5828532
    Abstract: A thin film lead structure resistant to resistance increase phenomenon resulting from contamination by mobile impurities. A thin film lead is disposed proximate to a getter layer material having a higher affinity for mobile impurities that the thin film lead. The getter layer material captures mobile impurities and prevents their migration into the thin film lead. The getter layer material may be formed over and in contact with the thin film lead, may be encapsulated within the thin film lead, or both. The getter layer material comprises a rare earth metal selected from the group consisting of yttrium, scandium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, and ytterbium. The thin film lead is preferably tantalum, but may be selected from the group consisting of niobium, vanadium, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten and iron. An alternate embodiment of the invention includes a transition metal comprising titanium, zirconium, or hafnium as the getter layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard H. Ahlert, James K. Howard, Michael A. Parker
  • Patent number: 5680282
    Abstract: A thin film lead structure resistant to resistance increase phenomenon resulting from contamination by mobile impurities. A thin film lead is disposed proximate to a getter layer material having a higher affinity for mobile impurities that the thin film lead. The getter layer material captures mobile impurities and prevents their migration into the thin film lead. The getter layer material may be formed over and in contact with the thin film lead, may be encapsulated within the thin film lead, or both. The getter layer material comprises a rare earth metal selected from the group consisting of yttrium, scandium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, and ytterbium. The thin film lead is preferably tantalum, but may be selected from the group consisting of niobium, vanadium, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten and iron. An alternate embodiment of the invention includes a transition metal comprising titanium, zirconium, or hafnium as the getter layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: International Business Machine Corporation
    Inventors: Richard H. Alhert, James K. Howard, Michael A. Parker
  • Patent number: 5552204
    Abstract: A significantly thinner boron carbide overcoat layer is provided for a magnetic disk which has the same durability as thicker prior art overcoat layers for protecting an underlying magnetic layer. By employing adhesion layers selected from the group consisting of Ge, Ru, WTiSi, WTi, Si, and Y between the magnetic layer and the overcoat layer, the durability of the overcoat layer is significantly increased over a single overcoat layer of B4C. Certain process steps in the making of the B4C overcoat layer still further enhance the durability of the B4C overcoat layer by maintaining the disk or substrate specimen at a floating potential in a plasma chamber and employing low levels of argon pressure and sputtering wattage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard H. Ahlert, James K. Howard, Muhammad I. Ullah, Richard D. Umphress
  • Patent number: 5492775
    Abstract: A high-density recording media comprising longitudinally oriented polycrystalline barium ferrite exhibits large coercivity, corrosion resistance, high hardness and durability. Films are prepared by on-axis sputtering at ambient temperatures from stoichiometric targets followed by a post-deposition anneal at approximately 850.degree.C. to induce crystallization. Crystallization yields a magnetic film with large in-plane remanence and a fine scale texturing that greatly improves the tribological performance of barium ferrite disks. Exceptional durability can be achieved on disks without overcoats. Grain sizes as small as 200 .ANG. are produced by doping with small amounts of Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 or other additives. Coercivities greater than 4000 Oe are achieved even in small grain films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard H. Ahlert, James K. Howard, Todd L. Hylton, Michael A. Parker, Muhammad I. Ullah
  • Patent number: 5476680
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive read sensor incorporates a granular multilayer sensing element comprising a plurality of layers of generally flat particles of a ferromagnetic material embedded in a nonmagnetic electrically conductive material. A bias layer separated from the magnetoresistive sensing element by a spacer layer provides a magnetic field to bias the magnetoresistive sensing element at a desired non-signal point. The ferromagnetic and the nonmagnetic materials are mutually immiscible, or may be miscible or partially miscible and processed in a manner to control interdiffusion. The magnetoresistive sensing element is formed by alternatively despositing layers of ferromagnetic material and layers of nonmagnetic conductive material on a substrate and then annealing the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin R. Coffey, James K. Howard, Todd L. Hylton, Michael A. Parker
  • Patent number: 5452163
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive read sensor incorporates a multilayer sensing element formed of one or more magnetoresistive elements in a planar array, each magnetoresistive element having a multilayer structure of at least two ferromagnetic layers separated by a nonmagnetic layer. The ferromagnetic layers are coupled antiferromagnetically by magnetostatic coupling at opposing edges of the ferromagnetic layers. A bias layer separated from the magnetoresistive sensing element by a spacer layer provides a magnetic field to bias the magnetoresistive sensing element at a desired non-signal point for linear response. The magnetoresistive sensing element is formed by alternatively depositing layers of ferromagnetic material and layers of nonmagnetic material on a substrate and then patterning the resulting structure using photolithographic techniques to provide a planar array of magnetoresistive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin R. Coffey, Robert E. Fontana, James K. Howard, Todd L. Hylton, Michael A. Parker, Ching H. Tsang
  • Patent number: 5436047
    Abstract: A magnetic recording disk has an improved surface film formed on the disk blank. A sputter-deposited surface coating containing nickel, chromium and oxygen (Ni--Cr--O) is formed on a AlMg disk blank, after which a cobalt alloy magnetic layer is formed over the Ni--Cr--O coating and a protective overcoat is formed over magnetic layer. The use of the Ni--Cr--O coating on the disk blank eliminates the need for a wet electroless deposition process for creation of a surface coating and results in an inherent texturing of the subsequently deposited magnetic film and protective overcoat which conform to the surface texture of the sputter-deposited Ni--Cr--O. The disks made with the Ni--Cr--O surface film exhibit a very low static friction force between the air-bearing slider and the disk surface when the disks are used in contact start/stop (CSS) disk files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James K. Howard, Hung-Chang W. Huang, Cherngye Hwang, Anthony W. Wu
  • Patent number: 5436778
    Abstract: A magnetic disk storage system wherein a magnetic includes a magnetoresistive sensor is described. The MR sensor comprises a sputtered layer of ferromagnetic material and a sputtered layer of antiferromagnetic nickel-manganese (Ni-Mn) to provide an exchange coupled longitudinal bias field in the MR element. The antiferromagnetic layer overlays the MR layer and may be patterned to provide the longitudinal bias field only in the end regions of the MR layer. Alternatively, the antiferromagnetic layer can underlay the MR layer with a Zr underlayer to enhance the exchange-coupled field. As initially deposited, the Ni-Mn layer has a face-centered-cubic crystalline structure and exhibits little or no exchange-coupled field. After one annealing cycle at a relatively low temperature, the Ni-Mn layer crystalline structure is face-centered-tetragonal and exhibits increased crystallographic ordering and provides sufficient exchange coupling for the MR element to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tsann Lin, James K. Howard, Cherngye Hwang, Daniele Mauri, Norbert Staud
  • Patent number: 5380548
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) sensor comprising a sputtered layer of ferromagnetic material and a sputtered layer of antiferromagnetic nickel-manganese (Ni-Mn) to provide an exchange coupled longitudinal bias field in the MR element is described. The antiferromagnetic layer overlays the MR layer and may be patterned to provide the longitudinal bias field only in the end regions of the MR layer. Alternatively, the antiferromagnetic layer can underlay the MR layer with a Zr underlayer to enhance the exchange-coupled field. As initially deposited, the Ni-Mn layer is face-centered-cubic and exhibits little or no exchange-coupled field. After one annealing cycle at a relatively low temperature, the Ni-Mn layer is face-centered-tetragonal and exhibits increased crystallographic ordering and provides sufficient exchange coupling for the MR element to operate. Addition of chromium to the Ni-Mn alloy provides increased corrosion resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tsann Lin, James K. Howard, Cherngye Hwang, Daniele Mauri, Norbert Staud
  • Patent number: 5315468
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) sensor comprising a sputtered layer of ferromagnetic material and a sputtered layer of antiferromagnetic nickel-manganese (Ni-Mn) to provide an exchange coupled longitudinal bias field in the MR element is described. The antiferromagnetic layer overlays the MR layer and may be patterned to provide the longitudinal bias field only in the end regions of the MR layer. Alternatively, the antiferromagnetic layer can underlay the MR layer with a Zr underlayer to enhance the exchange-coupled field. As initially deposited, the Ni-Mn layer is face-centered-cubic and exhibits little or no exchange-coupled field. After one annealing cycle at a relatively low temperature, the Ni-Mn layer is face-centered-tetragonal and exhibits increased crystallographic ordering and provides sufficient exchange coupling for the MR element to operate. Addition of chromium to the Ni-Mn alloy provides increased corrosion resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tsann Lin, James K. Howard, Cherngye Hwang, Daniele Mauri, Norbert Staud
  • Patent number: 5268806
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) sensor having electrically conductive lead structures which are in electrical contact with the MR element at spaced positions. The lead structures comprise a thin film layer of body-centered-cubic tantalum which is separated from the MR element by a thin film seed layer formed of a material taken from the group consisting of TiW, TaW, Cr and W.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wolfgang M. Goubau, James K. Howard, Hung-Chang W. Huang, Cherngye Hwang, Robert O. Schwenker, James C. Uy
  • Patent number: 5258884
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) read transducer has a thin film MR layer of ferromagnetic material and a nonmagnetic spacer layer in contact with the MR layer. The thin film spacer layer comprises an alloy of titanium (Ti) and tungsten (W) having a high resistivity. A thin film of soft magnetic material is deposited in contact with the nonmagnetic spacer layer so that the soft magnetic material is positioned parallel to, but spaced from, the MR layer. A feature of the invention is that the resistivity of the nonmagnetic spacer layer can be a specific value selected from a broad range of resistivity values by selecting the thickness, the Ti content, and/or the nitrogen content of the nonmagnetic spacer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1993
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James K. Howard, Cherngye Hwang
  • Patent number: 5227212
    Abstract: An improved CoPt based or CoNi based alloy magnetic recording disk for horizontal recording has a magnetic recording layer which is a laminated structure of relatively thin magnetic alloy films separated by relatively thin non-magnetic spacer films. The resulting laminated disk structure has substantially decreased intrinsic media noise at high linear recording densities. A magnetic recording disk drive uses the low noise laminated disk and and a magnetoresistive read sensor to provide a disk drive with significantly reduced noise in the data readback signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard H. Ahlert, James K. Howard, Steven E. Lambert, Ian L. Sanders