Patents by Inventor Jikou Zhou

Jikou Zhou 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: 10266930
    Abstract: A method of forming an alloy composition including spinodal based glass matrix microconstituents. The method comprises melting an alloy composition comprising iron present in the range of 49 atomic percent (at %) to 65 at %, nickel present in the range of 10.0 at % to 16.5 at %, cobalt optionally present in the range of 0.1 at % to 12 at %, boron present in the range of 12.5 at % to 16.5 at %, silicon optionally present in the range of 0.1 at % to 8.0 at %, carbon optionally present in the range of 2 at % to 5 at %, chromium optionally present in the range of 2.5 at % to 13.35 at %, and niobium optionally present in the range of 1.5 at % to 2.5 at %, cooling the alloy composition at a rate of 103 K/s to 106 K/s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: The NanoSteel Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel James Branagan, Brian E. Meacham, Jason K. Walleser, Jikou Zhou, Alla V. Sergueeva
  • Patent number: 9530443
    Abstract: A method provides a magnetic write apparatus on a substrate. A mask is provided on a substrate. The mask has a trench therein. The trench has a top, a bottom and a plurality of sidewalls extending between the top and the bottom of the trench. The top of the trench is wider than the bottom. A protective layer is provided in the trench. The protective layer extends from the top of the trench along a first portion of the plurality of sidewalls such that the bottom of the trench and a second portion of the plurality of sidewalls are free of the protective layer. The structure is provided in a remaining portion of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
    Inventors: Li He, Jikou Zhou, Ge Yi, Dujiang Wan, Fujian Wang
  • Publication number: 20160304998
    Abstract: A method of forming an alloy composition including spinodal based glass matrix microconstituents. The method comprises melting an alloy composition comprising iron present in the range of 49 atomic percent (at %) to 65 at %, nickel present in the range of 10.0 at % to 16.5 at %, cobalt optionally present in the range of 0.1 at % to 12 at %, boron present in the range of 12.5 at % to 16.5 at %, silicon optionally present in the range of 0.1 at % to 8.0 at %, carbon optionally present in the range of 2 at % to 5 at %, chromium optionally present in the range of 2.5 at % to 13.35 at %, and niobium optionally present in the range of 1.5 at % to 2.5 at %, cooling the alloy composition at a rate of 103 K/s to 106 K/s.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Daniel James BRANAGAN, Brian E. MEACHAM, Jason K. WALLESER, Jikou ZHOU, Alla V. SERGUEEVA
  • Publication number: 20150307973
    Abstract: A method of forming an alloy composition including spinodal based glass matrix microconstituents. The method comprises melting an alloy composition comprising iron present in the range of 49 atomic percent (at %) to 65 at %, nickel present in the range of 10.0 at % to 16.5 at %, cobalt optionally present in the range of 0.1 at % to 12 at %, boron present in the range of 12.5 at % to 16.5 at %, silicon optionally present in the range of 0.1 at % to 8.0 at %, carbon optionally present in the range of 2 at % to 5 at %, chromium optionally present in the range of 2.5 at % to 13.35 at %, and niobium optionally present in the range of 1.5 at % to 2.5 at %, cooling the alloy composition at a rate of 103 K/s to 106 K/s.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Daniel James BRANAGAN, Brian E. MEACHAM, Jason K. WALLESER, Jikou ZHOU, Alla V. SERGUEEVA
  • Patent number: 9087542
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a structure in a magnetic recording transducer is described. A trench having sidewalls converging in a corner and a depth is formed. A dielectric layer is deposited using physical vapor deposit (PVD). The dielectric layer thickness is not more than one-half of the trench depth. A remaining portion of the trench is unfilled by the dielectric layer and has a top and a bottom. A portion of the dielectric layer is plasma etched. The plasma etch removes the portion of the dielectric layer at the top of the trench at a first rate and removes the portion of the dielectric layer at the bottom of the remaining portion of the trench at a second rate less than the first rate. An additional dielectric layer is deposited, also using PVD. The plasma etch and additional dielectric layer depositing steps are optionally repeated until the trench is filled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Yufeng Hu, Ut Tran, Shawn M. Tanner, Jerome S. Marcelino, Jikou Zhou
  • Patent number: 8858739
    Abstract: A method and system of forming a micro-wire including heating metal feedstock to a liquid state within a glass tube, wherein the metal feedstock includes an iron based glass forming alloy comprising one or more of nickel and cobalt present in the range of 7 atomic percent to 50 atomic percent and one or more of boron, carbon, silicon, phosphorous and nitrogen present in the range of 1 to 35 atomic percent. Negative pressure may be provided to the interior the glass tube and the glass tube containing the metal feedstock may be drawn down. The metal feedstock in the glass tube may be cooled at a rate sufficient to form a wire exhibiting crystalline microstructures present in the range of 2 to 90 percent by volume in a glass matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: The NanoSteel Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel James Branagan, Alla V. Sergueeva, Jikou Zhou, James N. Milloway
  • Patent number: 8807197
    Abstract: A method of forming an iron based glass forming alloy. The method may include providing a feedstock of an iron based glass forming alloy, melting the feedstock, casting the feedstock into an elongated body in an environment comprising 50% or more of a gas selected from carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide or mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: The NanoSteel Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel James Branagan, Brian E. Meacham, Jason K. Walleser, Jikou Zhou, Alla V. Sergueeva
  • Patent number: 8689777
    Abstract: Wire for cutting feedstock and a method for cutting feedstock with the wire. The wire may include an iron based alloy comprising at least 35 at % iron, nickel and/or cobalt in the range of about 7 to 50 at %, at least one non-metal or metalloid selected from the group consisting of boron, carbon, silicon, phosphorus, and/or nitrogen present in the range of about 1 to 35 at %, and one metal selected from the group consisting of copper, titanium, molybdenum, aluminum, and/or chromium present in the range of about 0 to 25 at %, wherein the wire has an aspect ratio of greater than one and exhibits metallic and/or crystalline phases of less than 500 nm in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: The NanoSteel Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel James Branagan, Brian E. Meacham, Jason K. Walleser, Jikou Zhou, Alla V. Sergueeva, David Paratore
  • Patent number: 8628672
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a magnetic recording transducer having a magnetic writer pole with a short effective throat height is provided. In an embodiment, a writer structure comprising a magnetic writer pole having a trailing bevel and a nonmagnetic stack on the top surface of the writer pole is provided. A dielectric write gap layer comprising alumina is deposited over the trailing bevel section and the nonmagnetic stack; and at least one etch stop layer is deposited over the dielectric write gap layer. A layer of nonmagnetic fill material is deposited over the etch stop layer and to form a nonmagnetic bevel by performing a dry etch process. The etch stop layer(s) are removed from the short throat section; and a trailing shield is deposited over the short throat section, nonmagnetic bevel, and nonmagnetic stack top surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Weimin Si, Ying Hong, Zhigang Bai, Yunhe Huang, Fenglin Liu, Hong Zhang, Jikou Zhou, Xiaoyu Yang, Yuan Yao, Iulica Zana, Feng Liu, Ling Wang
  • Patent number: 8497027
    Abstract: A honeycomb structure and a method of forming an iron based glass forming honeycomb structure. The honeycomb structure may include at least two sheets, each having a thickness in the range of 0.01 mm to 0.15 mm, formed from an iron based glass forming alloy comprising 40 to 68 atomic percent iron, 13 to 17 atomic percent nickel, 2 to 21 atomic percent cobalt, 12 to 19 atomic percent boron, optionally 0.1 to 6 atomic percent carbon, optionally 0.3 to 4 atomic percent silicon, optionally 1 to 20 percent chromium. The sheets may be stacked, bonded together and formed into a honeycomb. The honeycomb structure may include a plurality of cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: The NanoSteel Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel James Branagan, Jikou Zhou, Brian E. Meacham, Jason K. Walleser, Alla V. Sergueeva
  • Patent number: 8293036
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a glass forming alloy. The glass forming alloy may include 43.0 atomic percent to 68.0 atomic percent iron, 10.0 atomic percent to 19.0 atomic percent boron, 13.0 atomic percent to 17.0 atomic percent nickel, 2.5 atomic percent to 21.0 atomic percent cobalt, optionally 0.1 atomic percent to 6.0 atomic percent carbon, and optionally 0.3 atomic percent to 3.5 atomic percent silicon. Furthermore, the glass forming alloy includes between 5% to 95% by volume one or more spinodal glass matrix microconstituents which include one or more semi-crystalline or crystalline phases at a length scale less than 50 nm in a glass matrix. In addition, the glass forming alloy is capable of blunting shear bands through localized deformation induced changes under tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: The NanoSteel Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel James Branagan, Brian E. Meacham, Jikou Zhou, Alla V. Sergueeva
  • Publication number: 20110293463
    Abstract: An alloy composition comprising iron present in the range of 49 atomic percent (at %) to 65 at %, nickel present in the range of 10.0 at % to 16.5 at %, cobalt optionally present in the range of 0.1 at % to 12 at %, boron present in the range of 12.5 at % to 16.5 at %, silicon optionally present in the range of 0.1 at % to 8.0 at %, carbon optionally present in the range of 2 at % to 5 at %, chromium optionally present in the range of 2.5 at % to 13.35 at %, and niobium optionally present in the range of 1.5 at % to 2.5 at %, wherein the alloy composition exhibits spinodal glass matrix microconstituents when cooled at a rate in the range of 103K/s to 104K/s and develops a number of shear bands per linear meter in the range of greater than 1.1×102 m?1 to 107 m?1 upon application of a tensile force applied at a rate of 0.001 s?1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Daniel James BRANAGAN, Brian E. MEACHAM, Jason K. WALLESER, Jikou ZHOU, Alla V. SERGUEEVA
  • Publication number: 20110186259
    Abstract: A method of forming an iron based glass forming alloy. The method may include providing a feedstock of an iron based glass forming alloy, melting the feedstock, casting the feedstock into an elongated body in an environment comprising 50% or more of a gas selected from carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide or mixtures thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: THE NANOSTEEL COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel James BRANAGAN, Brian E. MEACHAM, Jason K. WALLESER, Jikou ZHOU, Alla V. SERGUEEVA
  • Publication number: 20110108166
    Abstract: A honeycomb structure and a method of forming an iron based glass forming honeycomb structure. The honeycomb structure may include at least two sheets, each having a thickness in the range of 0.01 mm to 0.15 mm, formed from an iron based glass forming alloy comprising 40 to 68 atomic percent iron, 13 to 17 atomic percent nickel, 2 to 21 atomic percent cobalt, 12 to 19 atomic percent boron, optionally 0.1 to 6 atomic percent carbon, optionally 0.3 to 4 atomic percent silicon, optionally 1 to 20 percent chromium. The sheets may be stacked, bonded together and formed into a honeycomb. The honeycomb structure may include a plurality of cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: THE NANOSTEEL COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel James BRANAGAN, Jikou ZHOU, Brian E. MEACHAM, Jason K. WALLESER, Alla V. SERGUEEVA
  • Publication number: 20110100347
    Abstract: Wire for cutting feedstock and a method for cutting feedstock with the wire. The wire may include an iron based alloy comprising at least 35 at % iron, nickel and/or cobalt in the range of about 7 to 50 at %, at least one non-metal or metalloid selected from the group consisting of boron, carbon, silicon, phosphorus, and/or nitrogen present in the range of about 1 to 35 at %, and one metal selected from the group consisting of copper, titanium, molybdenum, aluminum, and/or chromium present in the range of about 0 to 25 at %, wherein the wire has an aspect ratio of greater than one and exhibits metallic and/or crystalline phases of less than 500 nm in size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: THE NANOSTEEL COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel James BRANAGAN, Brian E. MEACHAM, Jason K. WALLESER, Jikou ZHOU, Alla V. SERGUEEVA, David PARATORE
  • Publication number: 20110094700
    Abstract: A method and system of forming a micro-wire including heating metal feedstock to a liquid state within a glass tube, wherein the metal feedstock includes an iron based glass forming alloy comprising one or more of nickel and cobalt present in the range of 7 atomic percent to 50 atomic percent and one or more of boron, carbon, silicon, phosphorous and nitrogen present in the range of 1 to 35 atomic percent. Negative pressure may be provided to the interior the glass tube and the glass tube containing the metal feedstock may be drawn down. The metal feedstock in the glass tube may be cooled at a rate sufficient to form a wire exhibiting crystalline microstructures present in the range of 2 to 90 percent by volume in a glass matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: THE NANOSTEEL COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel James BRANAGAN, Alla V. SERGUEEVA, Jikou ZHOU, James N. MILLOWAY
  • Publication number: 20100111747
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a glass forming alloy. The glass forming alloy may include 43.0 atomic percent to 68.0 atomic percent iron, 10.0 atomic percent to 19.0 atomic percent boron, 13.0 atomic percent to 17.0 atomic percent nickel, 2.5 atomic percent to 21.0 atomic percent cobalt, optionally 0.1 atomic percent to 6.0 atomic percent carbon, and optionally 0.3 atomic percent to 3.5 atomic percent silicon. Furthermore, the glass forming alloy includes between 5% to 95% by volume one or more spinodal glass matrix microconstituents which include one or more semi-crystalline or crystalline phases at a length scale less than 50 nm in a glass matrix. In addition, the glass forming alloy is capable of blunting shear bands through localized deformation induced changes under tension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: The NanoSteel Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel James BRANAGAN, Brian E. MEACHAM, Jikou ZHOU, Alla V. SERGUEEVA