Patents by Inventor Kuok San Ho

Kuok San Ho 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: 11657835
    Abstract: A magnetic head includes a main pole configured to serve as a first electrode, an upper pole containing a trailing magnetic shield configured to a serve as a second electrode, and an electrically conductive portion located in a trailing gap between the main pole and the trailing magnetic shield. The electrically conductive portion is not part of a spin torque oscillator stack, and the electrically conductive portion includes at least one electrically conductive, non-magnetic material layer. The main pole and the trailing magnetic shield are electrically shorted by the electrically conductive portion across the trailing gap between the main pole and the trailing magnetic shield such that an electrically conductive path is present between the main pole and the trailing magnetic shield through the electrically conductive portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhigang Bai, Youfeng Zheng, Venkatesh Chembrolu, Supradeep Narayana, Yaguang Wei, Suping Song, Terence T. Lam, Kuok San Ho, Changqing Shi, Lijie Guan, Jian-Gang Zhu
  • Patent number: 11646054
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a tape drive including a tape head. The tape head comprises at least one same gap verify (SGV) module comprising a plurality of write transducer and read transducer pairs disposed on a substrate. Each pair comprises a null shield disposed between the write transducer and the read transducer. The null shield is used to create a null region, or a region where write flux goes to zero, and comprises laminated antiferromagnetic coupling materials to protect writer flux from going to the read transducer. The read transducer is disposed in the null region. The SGV module is configured to write data to a tape using the write transducer of each pair and read verify the data written on the tape using the read transducer of each pair such that the write transducer and read transducer of each pair are concurrently operable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Quang Le, Xiaoyong Liu, Kuok San Ho, Hisashi Takano
  • Patent number: 11641520
    Abstract: Computing devices, such as mobile computing devices, have access to one or more image sensors that can capture images with multiple subjects. Some of these subjects may be known to the user capturing an image with the image sensor. The user may prefer to have the captured image data be optimized around the known subjects. Low-power, fast-response machine learning logic can be configured to allow for the generation of a plurality of inference data. This inference data can be utilized along with other sensor data, such as a motion sensor, for the generation of one or more image sensor configuration changes that may be implemented to optimize the subsequent capture of image data. This cycle of image data analysis, image sensor optimization, and subsequent capture can continue multiple times until a threshold of optimization or time is met. The captured image data optimized around the known subjects is then stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Quang Le, Rajeev Nagabhirava, Kuok San Ho, Daniel Bai, Xiaoyong Liu
  • Publication number: 20230121375
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relate to spin-orbit torque (SOT) devices comprising a topological insulator (TI) modulation layer. The TI modulation layer comprises a plurality of bismuth or bismuth-rich composition modulation layers, a plurality of TI lamellae layers comprising BiSb having a (012) crystal orientation, and a plurality of texturing layers. The TI lamellae layers comprise dopants or clusters of atoms, the clusters of atoms comprising a carbide, a nitride, an oxide, or a composite ceramic material. The clusters of atoms are configured to have a grain boundary glass forming temperature of less than about 400° C. Doping the TI lamellae layers comprising BiSb having a (012) crystal orientation with clusters of atoms comprising a carbide, a nitride, an oxide, or a composite ceramic material enable the SOT MTJ device to operate at higher temperatures while inhibiting migration of Sb from the BiSb of the TI lamellae layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Quang LE, Brian R. YORK, Cherngye HWANG, Susumu OKAMURA, Xiaoyong LIU, Kuok San HO, Hisashi TAKANO
  • Patent number: 11615806
    Abstract: A magnetic head includes a main pole configured to serve as a first electrode, an upper pole containing a trailing magnetic shield configured to a serve as a second electrode, and an electrically conductive portion located in a trailing gap between the main pole and the trailing magnetic shield. The electrically conductive portion is not part of a spin torque oscillator stack, and the electrically conductive portion includes first and second electrically conductive, non-magnetic material layers. The spin torque oscillator stack is coupled to the first electrically conductive, non-magnetic material layer. The main pole and the trailing magnetic shield are electrically shorted by the electrically conductive portion across the trailing gap between the main pole and the trailing magnetic shield such that an electrically conductive path is present between the main pole and the trailing magnetic shield through the electrically conductive portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhigang Bai, Youfeng Zheng, Venkatesh Chembrolu, Supradeep Narayana, Yaguang Wei, Suping Song, Terence T. Lam, Kuok San Ho, Changqing Shi, Lijie Guan, Jian-Gang Zhu
  • Patent number: 11615809
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to spin-orbital torque (SOT) differential reader designs. The SOT differential reader is a multi-terminal device that comprises a first shield, a first spin hall effect layer, a first free layer, a gap layer, a second spin hall effect layer, a second free layer, and a second shield. The gap layer is disposed between the first spin hall effect layer and the second spin hall effect layer. Electrical lead connections are located about the first spin hall effect layer, the second spin hall effect layer, the gap layer, the first shield, and/or the second shield. The electrical lead connections facilitate the flow of current and/or voltage from a negative lead to a positive lead. The positioning of the electrical lead connections and the positioning of the SOT differential layers improves reader resolution without decreasing the shield-to-shield spacing (i.e., read-gap).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Quang Le, Xiaoyong Liu, Zhigang Bai, Zhanjie Li, Kuok San Ho, Hisashi Takano
  • Patent number: 11600293
    Abstract: A magnetic recording device includes a main pole, a coil around the main pole, a trailing shield, and a leading shield. A trailing gap is between the main pole and the trailing shield. In one embodiment, the trailing gap includes a non-magnetic conductive material. In another embodiment, the trailing gap includes a spin torque oscillator device. A leading gap is between the main pole and the leading shield. The leading gap includes a non-magnetic conductive material. The main pole is coupled to a first terminal. The trailing shield coupled to a second terminal. The leading shield is coupled to a third terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Terence Lam, Michael Kuok San Ho, Yaguang Wei, Zhigang Bai, Muhammad Asif Bashir
  • Publication number: 20230047223
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relate to spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices comprising a buffer layer, a bismuth antimony (BiSb) layer having a (012) orientation disposed on the buffer layer, and an interlayer disposed on the BiSb layer. The buffer layer and the interlayer may each independently be a single layer of material or a multilayer of material. The buffer layer and the interlayer each comprise at least one of a covalently bonded amorphous material, a tetragonal (001) material, a tetragonal (110) material, a body-centered cubic (bcc) (100) material, a face-centered cubic (fcc) (100) material, a textured bcc (100) material, a textured fcc (100) material, a textured (100) material, or an amorphous metallic material. The buffer layer and the interlayer inhibit antimony (Sb) migration within the BiSb layer and enhance uniformity of the BiSb layer while further promoting the (012) orientation of the BiSb layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Quang LE, Brian R. YORK, Cherngye HWANG, Susumu OKAMURA, Michael GRIBELYUK, Xiaoyong LIU, Kuok San HO, Hisashi TAKANO
  • Publication number: 20230040698
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a tape drive including a tape head. The tape head comprises at least one same gap verify (SGV) module comprising a plurality of write transducer and read transducer pairs disposed on a substrate. Each pair comprises a null shield disposed between the write transducer and the read transducer. The null shield is used to create a null region, or a region where write flux goes to zero, and comprises laminated antiferromagnetic coupling materials to protect writer flux from going to the read transducer. The read transducer is disposed in the null region. The SGV module is configured to write data to a tape using the write transducer of each pair and read verify the data written on the tape using the read transducer of each pair such that the write transducer and read transducer of each pair are concurrently operable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Quang LE, Xiaoyong LIU, Kuok San HO, Hisashi TAKANO
  • Publication number: 20230027086
    Abstract: A spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device includes a substrate, a seed layer over the substrate, and a bismuth antimony (BiSb) layer having (0120) orientation on the seed layer. The seed layer includes a silicide layer and a surface control layer. The silicide layer includes a material of NiSi, NiFeSi, NiFeTaSi, NiCuSi, CoSi, CoFeSi, CoFeTaSi, CoCuSi, or combinations thereof. The surface control layer includes a material of NiFe, NiFeTa, NiTa, NiW, NiFeW, NiCu, NiCuM, NiFeCu, CoTa, CoFeTa, NiCoTa, Co, CoM, CoNiM, CoNi, NiSi, CoSi, NiCoSi, Cu, CuAgM, CuM, or combinations thereof, in which M is Fe, Cu, Co, Ta, Ag, Ni, Mn, Cr, V, Ti, or Si.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Quang LE, Cherngye HWANG, Brian R. YORK, Andrew CHEN, Thao A. NGUYEN, Yongchul AHN, Xiaoyong LIU, Hongquan JIANG, Zheng GAO, Kuok San HO
  • Patent number: 11557314
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to magnetic recording systems, and more particularly to a magnetic recording system with a current-assisted write head. The write head comprises a main pole, a trailing shield disposed above the main pole, a trailing gap disposed between the main pole and the trailing shield, a side shield surrounding three sides of the main pole, the side shield being in contact with and disposed below the trailing shield and the trailing gap, and a side gap disposed between the side shield and each of the three sides of the main pole. The side gap comprises a non-magnetic electrically-conducting material to dissipate heat away from the main pole, lowering the resistance and temperature rise due to heating. The trailing gap may further comprise a non-magnetic electrically-conducting material. The write head may have a two terminal or three terminal connection configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Muhammad Asif Bashir, Zhigang Bai, Yaguang Wei, Terence Lam, Youfeng Zheng, Changqing Shi, Michael Kuok San Ho, Xinjiang Shen, Suping Song, Lijie Guan, Venkatesh Chembrolu
  • Publication number: 20220414942
    Abstract: Computing devices, such as mobile computing devices, have access to one or more image sensors that can capture images and video with multiple subjects. Some of these subjects may vary in priority for various tasks. It may be desired to increase or decrease the compression on each subject in order to more efficiently store the image data. Low-power, fast-response machine learning logic can be configured to allow for the generation of a plurality of inference data. Inference data can be associated with the type, motion and/or priority of the subjects as desired. This inference data can be utilized along with other subject data to generate one or more variable compression regions within the image data. The image data can be subsequently processed to compress different areas of the image based on a desired application. The variably compressed image can reduce file sizes and allow for more efficient storage and processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Quang Le, Rajeev Nagabhirava, Kuok San Ho, Daniel Bai, Xiaoyong Liu
  • Publication number: 20220417442
    Abstract: Computing devices, such as mobile computing devices, have access to one or more image sensors that can capture images with multiple subjects. Some of these subjects may be known to the user capturing an image with the image sensor. The user may prefer to have the captured image data be optimized around the known subjects. Low-power, fast-response machine learning logic can be configured to allow for the generation of a plurality of inference data. This inference data can be utilized along with other sensor data, such as a motion sensor, for the generation of one or more image sensor configuration changes that may be implemented to optimize the subsequent capture of image data. This cycle of image data analysis, image sensor optimization, and subsequent capture can continue multiple times until a threshold of optimization or time is met. The captured image data optimized around the known subjects is then stored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Quang Le, Rajeev Nagabhirava, Kuok San Ho, Daniel Bai, Xiaoyong Liu
  • Patent number: 11532325
    Abstract: The present disclosure is generally related to a tape drive including a tape head configured to read shingled data tracks on a tape. The tape head comprises a first module head assembly aligned with a second module head assembly. Both the first and second module head assemblies comprises one or more servo heads and a plurality of data heads. Each data head comprises a write head, a first read head aligned with the write head, and a second read head offset from the first read head in both a cross-track direction and a down-track direction. The first read heads and the second read heads are configured to read data from a shingled data track of the tape simultaneously. In some embodiments, the tape head is able to be dynamically tilted in order to tilt the first and second reads heads when reading curved portions of shingled data tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Quang Le, Xiaoyong Liu, Zhigang Bai, Kuok San Ho, Hisashi Takano
  • Patent number: 11532323
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relate to spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices comprising a topological insulator (TI) modulation layer. The TI modulation layer comprises a plurality of bismuth or bismuth-rich composition modulation layers, a plurality of TI lamellae layers comprising BiSb having a (012) crystal orientation, and a plurality of texturing layers. The TI lamellae layers comprise dopants or clusters of atoms, the clusters of atoms comprising a carbide, a nitride, an oxide, or a composite ceramic material. The clusters of atoms are configured to have a grain boundary glass forming temperature of less than about 400° C. Doping the TI lamellae layers comprising BiSb having a (012) crystal orientation with clusters of atoms comprising a carbide, a nitride, an oxide, or a composite ceramic material enable the SOT MTJ device to operate at higher temperatures while inhibiting migration of Sb from the BiSb of the TI lamellae layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Quang Le, Brian R. York, Cherngye Hwang, Susumu Okamura, Xiaoyong Liu, Kuok San Ho, Hisashi Takano
  • Publication number: 20220358957
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to data storage devices, and more specifically, to a magnetic media drive employing a magnetic recording head. The head includes a main pole at a media facing surface (MFS), a trailing shield at the MFS, and a heavy metal layer disposed between the main pole and the trailing shield at the MFS. Spin-orbit torque (SOT) is generated from the heavy metal layer and transferred to a surface of the main pole as a current passes through the heavy metal layer in a cross-track direction. The SOT executes a torque on the surface magnetization of the main pole, which reduces the magnetic flux shunting from the main pole to the trailing shield. With the reduced magnetic flux shunting from the main pole to the trailing shield, write-ability is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Suping SONG, Zhanjie LI, Kuok San HO, Quang LE, Alexander M. ZELTSER
  • Patent number: 11489108
    Abstract: A spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device includes a substrate, a seed layer over the substrate, and a bismuth antimony (BiSb) layer having (0120) orientation on the seed layer. The seed layer includes a silicide layer and a surface control layer. The silicide layer includes a material of NiSi, NiFeSi, NiFeTaSi, NiCuSi, CoSi, CoFeSi, CoFeTaSi, CoCuSi, or combinations thereof. The surface control layer includes a material of NiFe, NiFeTa, NiTa, NiW, NiFeW, NiCu, NiCuM, NiFeCu, CoTa, CoFeTa, NiCoTa, Co, CoM, CoNiM, CoNi, NiSi, CoSi, NiCoSi, Cu, CuAgM, CuM, or combinations thereof, in which M is Fe, Cu, Co, Ta, Ag, Ni, Mn, Cr, V, Ti, or Si.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Quang Le, Cherngye Hwang, Brian R. York, Andrew Chen, Thao A. Nguyen, Yongchul Ahn, Xiaoyong Liu, Hongquan Jiang, Zheng Gao, Kuok San Ho
  • Patent number: 11437058
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to data storage devices, and more specifically, to a magnetic media drive employing a magnetic recording head. The head includes a main pole at a media facing surface (MFS), a trailing shield at the MFS, and a heavy metal layer disposed between the main pole and the trailing shield at the MFS. Spin-orbit torque (SOT) is generated from the heavy metal layer and transferred to a surface of the main pole as a current passes through the heavy metal layer in a cross-track direction. The SOT executes a torque on the surface magnetization of the main pole, which reduces the magnetic flux shunting from the main pole to the trailing shield. With the reduced magnetic flux shunting from the main pole to the trailing shield, write-ability is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Suping Song, Zhanjie Li, Michael Kuok San Ho, Quang Le, Alexander M. Zeltser
  • Patent number: 11430469
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a magnetic media drive employing a magnetic recording head. The magnetic recording head comprises a first write head, a second write head, at least one read head, and a thermal fly height control element. The first write head is a wide writing write head comprising a first main pole and a first trailing shield. The second write head a narrow writing write head comprising a second main pole, a trailing gap, a second trailing shield, and one or more side shields. The first main pole has a shorter height and a greater width than the second main pole. The second main pole has a curved or U-shaped surface disposed adjacent to the trailing gap. The thermal fly height control element and the at least one read head are aligned with a center axis of the second main pole of the second write head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Thao A. Nguyen, Michael Kuok San Ho, Zhigang Bai, Zhanjie Li, Quang Le
  • Patent number: 11404080
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a magnetic media drive employing a magnetic recording head. The magnetic recording head comprises a first write head and a second write head each coupled to a first pad and a second pad of a slider pad and an electrical circuit coupled to the first and second pads. The first write head is a wide writing write head, and the second write head a narrow writing write head. The electrical circuit comprises a first sub-circuit and a second sub-circuit connected in parallel. The first sub-circuit comprises a capacitor and a connection to a first thermal fly height control (TFC) of the first write head. The second sub-circuit comprises an inductor and a connection to a second TFC of the second write head. The electrical circuit is further connected to a third TFC of a read head, the second write head comprising the read head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Quang Le, Jih-Shiuan Luo, Thao A. Nguyen, Kuok San Ho