Patents by Inventor Kurt W. Wierman

Kurt W. Wierman 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: 9620150
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); an amorphous gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Kurt W. Wierman, Michael Seigler, Xiaoyue Huang, Scott Franzen
  • Publication number: 20170069342
    Abstract: A device including a near field transducer, the near field transducer including gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), or aluminum (Al), and at least two other secondary atoms, the at least two other secondary atoms selected from: boron (B), bismuth (Bi), indium (In), sulfur (S), silicon (Si), tin (Sn), manganese (Mn), tellurium (Te), holmium (Ho), lutetium (Lu), praseodymium (Pr), scandium (Sc), uranium (U), barium (Ba), chlorine (Cl), cesium (Cs), dysprosium (Dy), europium (Eu), fluorine (F), germanium (Ge), hydrogen (H), iodine (I), rubidium (Rb), selenium (Se), terbium (Tb), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), carbon (C), antimony (Sb), gadolinium (Gd), samarium (Sm), thallium (Tl), cadmium (Cd), neodymium (Nd), phosphorus (P), lead (Pb), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), erbium (Er), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), palladium (Pd), vanadium (V), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), lithium (Li), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), sodium (Na), strontium (Sr), calcium (Ca), yttrium (Y), thorium (Th), beryllium (Be), thulium (Tm), erbium
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Tong Zhao, Michael C. Kautzky, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Scott Franzen, Sethuraman Jayashankar, Sarbeswar Sahoo, Justin Glen Brons, Steve C. Riemer, Jie Gong, Michael Allen Seigler
  • Patent number: 9570101
    Abstract: A device having an air bearing surface and a method of forming the device are disclosed. The device can include a writer portion including a surface at the air bearing surface of the device, a magnetic adhesion layer disposed proximate at least a portion of the surface of the writer portion, and an overcoat disposed proximate at least a portion of the magnetic adhesion layer such that the magnetic adhesion layer is between the at least a portion of the surface of the writer portion and the overcoat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Kurt W. Wierman
  • Patent number: 9552833
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); a multilayer gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT, the multilayer gas barrier layer including at least a first and a second sublayer, where the second gas barrier sublayer is positioned on the first gas barrier sublayer, the first gas barrier sublayer is positioned adjacent the NFT and the second gas barrier sublayer is positioned adjacent the wear resistant layer, the first and second sublayers independently have thicknesses from 0.01 nm to 5 nm; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Kurt W. Wierman, Michael Seigler, Scott Franzen
  • Patent number: 9502070
    Abstract: A device including a near field transducer, the near field transducer including gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), or aluminum (Al), and at least two other secondary atoms, the at least two other secondary atoms selected from: boron (B), bismuth (Bi), indium (In), sulfur (S), silicon (Si), tin (Sn), manganese (Mn), tellurium (Te), holmium (Ho), lutetium (Lu), praseodymium (Pr), scandium (Sc), uranium (U), barium (Ba), chlorine (Cl), cesium (Cs), dysprosium (Dy), europium (Eu), fluorine (F), germanium (Ge), hydrogen (H), iodine (I), rubidium (Rb), selenium (Se), terbium (Tb), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), carbon (C), antimony (Sb), gadolinium (Gd), samarium (Sm), thallium (Tl), cadmium (Cd), neodymium (Nd), phosphorus (P), lead (Pb), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), erbium (Er), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), palladium (Pd), vanadium (V), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), lithium (Li), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), sodium (Na), strontium (Sr), calcium (Ca), yttrium (Y), thorium (Th), beryllium (Be), thulium (Tm), erbium
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Tong Zhao, Michael C. Kautzky, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Scott Franzen, Sethuraman Jayashankar, Sarbeswar Sahoo, Justin Glen Brons, Steve C. Riemer, Jie Gong, Michael Allen Seigler
  • Patent number: 9502054
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT including a peg having five surfaces, the peg including a first material, the first material including gold (Au), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), or combinations thereof; an overlying structure; and at least one intermixing layer, positioned between the peg and the overlying structure, the at least one intermixing layer positioned on at least one of the five surfaces of the peg, the intermixing layer including at least the first material and a second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Tong Zhao, Michael C. Kautzky, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Scott Franzen, Michael Allen Seigler
  • Publication number: 20160275972
    Abstract: Devices having an air bearing surface (ABS) and including a write pole; a near field transducer (NFT) that includes a peg and a disc, wherein the peg includes a rear peg portion and a peg tip, the rear peg portion and the peg tip are different materials and the peg tip includes: one or more metals; one or more nanoparticles comprising oxides, nitrides, carbides or combinations thereof; one or more conducting oxides, conducting nitrides, conducting bromides, conducting carbides, or combinations thereof; one or more semiconductors; or combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Tong Zhao, Yuhang Cheng, Martin Giles Blaber, Jie Gong, Edwin F. Rejda, Michael A. Seigler, Seung-Yeul Yang, Michael Kautzky, Yongjun Zhao, Justin Brons, Andrew J. Boyne, Kurt W. Wierman, Scott Franzen
  • Publication number: 20160275969
    Abstract: Devices having an air bearing surface (ABS), the devices include a write pole; a near field transducer (NFT) including a peg and a disc, wherein the peg is at the ABS of the device; an overcoat, the overcoat including a low surface energy layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Ed F. Rejda, Andrew J. Boyne, Kurt W. Wierman, Michael Seigler, Scott Franzen, Jie Gong
  • Patent number: 9412402
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); a gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer wherein the gas barrier layer includes tantalum oxide (TaO), titanium oxide (TiO), chromium oxide (CrO), silicon oxide (SiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), titanium oxide (TiO), zirconium oxide (ZrO), yttrium oxide (YO), magnesium oxide (MgO), beryllium oxide (BeO), niobium oxide (NbO), hafnium oxide (HfO), vanadium oxide (VO), strontium oxide (SrO), or combinations thereof; silicon nitride (SiN), aluminum nitride (Al), boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), niobioum nitride (NbN), hafnium nitride (HfN), chromium nitride (CrN), or combinations thereof; silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), niobioum carbide (NbC), chromium carbide (CrC), vanadium carbide (VC), boron carbide (BC), or combinations thereof; or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Scott Franzen, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Michael Allen Seigler
  • Publication number: 20160217812
    Abstract: Methods that include forming at least a portion of a near field transducer (NFT) structure; depositing a material onto at least one surface of the portion of the NFT to form a metal containing layer; and subjecting the metal containing layer to conditions that cause diffusion of at least a portion of the material into the at least one surface of the portion of the NFT; and devices formed thereby.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Sami Antrazi, Michael Seigler, Scott Franzen, Philip G. Pitcher, Edwin F. Redja, Kurt W. Wierman
  • Publication number: 20160163336
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT including a peg having five surfaces, the peg including a first material, the first material including gold (Au), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), or combinations thereof; an overlying structure; and at least one intermixing layer, positioned between the peg and the overlying structure, the at least one intermixing layer positioned on at least one of the five surfaces of the peg, the intermixing layer including at least the first material and a second material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Tong Zhao, Michael C. Kautzky, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Scott Franzen, Michael Allen Seigler
  • Publication number: 20160133278
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); a multilayer gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT, the multilayer gas barrier layer including at least a first and a second sublayer, where the second gas barrier sublayer is positioned on the first gas barrier sublayer, the first gas barrier sublayer is positioned adjacent the NFT and the second gas barrier sublayer is positioned adjacent the wear resistant layer, the first and second sublayers independently have thicknesses from 0.01 nm to 5 nm; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Kurt W. Wierman, Michael Seigler, Scott Franzen
  • Publication number: 20160133277
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); an amorphous gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Kurt W. Wierman, Michael Seigler, Xiaoyue Huang, Scott Franzen
  • Patent number: 9305572
    Abstract: Methods that include forming at least a portion of a near field transducer (NFT) structure; depositing a material onto at least one surface of the portion of the NFT to form a metal containing layer; and subjecting the metal containing layer to conditions that cause diffusion of at least a portion of the material into the at least one surface of the portion of the NFT; and devices formed thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Sami Antrazi, Michael Seigler, Scott Franzen, Philip G. Pitcher, Edward F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman
  • Publication number: 20160035379
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); a gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer wherein the gas barrier layer includes tantalum oxide (TaO), titanium oxide (TiO), chromium oxide (CrO), silicon oxide (SiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), titanium oxide (TiO), zirconium oxide (ZrO), yttrium oxide (YO), magnesium oxide (MgO), beryllium oxide (BeO), niobium oxide (NbO), hafnium oxide (HfO), vanadium oxide (VO), strontium oxide (SrO), or combinations thereof; silicon nitride (SiN), aluminum nitride (Al), boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), niobioum nitride (NbN), hafnium nitride (HfN), chromium nitride (CrN), or combinations thereof silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), niobioum carbide (NbC), chromium carbide (CrC), vanadium carbide (VC), boron carbide (BC), or combinations thereof or combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Scott Franzen, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Michael Allen Seigler
  • Publication number: 20150380020
    Abstract: A device that includes a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT having a disc and a peg, and the peg having an air bearing surface thereof; and at least one adhesion layer positioned on at least the air bearing surface of the peg, the adhesion layer including one or more of platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), palladium (Pd), yttrium (Y), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and scandium (Sc).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Tong Zhao, Michael C. Kautzky, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Scott Franzen, Andrew J. Boyne, Michael Allen Seigler, Sethuraman Jayashankar
  • Patent number: 9218829
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT including a peg having five surfaces, the peg including a first material, the first material including gold (Au), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), or combinations thereof; an overlying structure; and at least one intermixing layer, positioned between the peg and the overlying structure, the at least one intermixing layer positioned on at least one of the five surfaces of the peg, the intermixing layer including at least the first material and a second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Tong Zhao, Michael C. Kautzky, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Scott Franzen, Michael Allen Seigler
  • Publication number: 20150318003
    Abstract: Methods that include forming at least a portion of a near field transducer (NFT) structure; depositing a material onto at least one surface of the portion of the NFT to form a metal containing layer; and subjecting the metal containing layer to conditions that cause diffusion of at least a portion of the material into the at least one surface of the portion of the NFT; and devices formed thereby.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Sami Antrazi, Michael Seigler, Scott Franzen, Philip G. Pitcher, Edward F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman
  • Patent number: 9165576
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); a gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer wherein the gas barrier layer includes tantalum oxide (TaO), titanium oxide (TiO), chromium oxide (CrO), silicon oxide (SiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), titanium oxide (TiO), zirconium oxide (ZrO), yttrium oxide (YO), magnesium oxide (MgO), beryllium oxide (BeO), niobium oxide (NbO), hafnium oxide (HfO), vanadium oxide (VO), strontium oxide (SrO), or combinations thereof; silicon nitride (SiN), aluminum nitride (Al), boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), niobioum nitride (NbN), hafnium nitride (HfN), chromium nitride (CrN), or combinations thereof silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), niobioum carbide (NbC), chromium carbide (CrC), vanadium carbide (VC), boron carbide (BC), or combinations thereof or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Scott Franzen, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Michael Allen Seigler
  • Patent number: 9129620
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT having a disc and a peg, and the peg having an air bearing surface; and at least one adhesion layer positioned on the air bearing surface of the peg, the adhesion layer including one or more of the following: tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), chromium (Cr), silicon (Si), nickel (Ni), tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), yttrium (Y), vanadium (V), magnesium (Mg), cobalt (Co), tin (Sn), niobium (Nb), hafnium (Hf), and combinations thereof; tantalum oxide, titanium oxide, tin oxide, indium oxide, and combinations thereof; vanadium carbide (VC), tungsten carbide (WC), titanium carbide (TiC), chromium carbide (CrC), cobalt carbide (CoC), nickel carbide (NiC), yttrium carbide (YC), molybdenum carbide (MoC), and combinations thereof and titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), hafnium nitride (HfN), and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Tong Zhao, Michael C. Kautzky, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Scott Franzen, Andrew J. Boyne, Michael Allen Seigler, Sethuraman Jayashankar