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).

  • Publication number: 20150248905
    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: May 14, 2015
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Scott Franzen, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Michael Allen Seigler
  • Publication number: 20150179194
    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: February 26, 2015
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Tong Zhao, Michael C. Kautzky, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Scott Franzen, Michael Allen Seigler
  • Publication number: 20150170684
    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: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 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: 9058824
    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: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Scott Franzen, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Michael Allen Seigler
  • Patent number: 9025281
    Abstract: A recording device and a method of forming a recording device are disclosed. The recording device includes an air bearing surface and a near field transducer including a surface proximate the air bearing surface. The device also includes a write pole including a sloped pole piece proximate the near field transducer, where the sloped pole piece includes an end proximate the air bearing surface; a capping material disposed proximate the surface of the near field transducer; and an overcoat layer disposed proximate the capping material and at least a portion of the air bearing surface of the recording device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Edwin F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman
  • Patent number: 8976634
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT including a peg having five exposed surfaces, the peg including a first material; an overlying structure; 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: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 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: 20150063086
    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: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventor: Kurt W. Wierman
  • Patent number: 8971161
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT having a disc and a peg, and the peg having five surfaces thereof; and at least one adhesion layer positioned on at least one of the five surfaces of the peg, the adhesion layer including one or more of the following: rhenium, osmium, iridium, platinum, hafnium, ruthenium, technetium, rhodium, palladium, beryllium, aluminum, manganese, indium, boron, and combinations thereof beryllium oxide, silicon oxide, iron oxide, zirconium oxide, manganese oxide, cadmium oxide, magnesium oxide, hafnium oxide, and combinations thereof tantalum carbide, uranium carbide, hafnium carbide, zirconium carbide, scandium carbide, manganese carbide, iron carbide, niobium carbide, technetium carbide, rhenium carbide, and combinations thereof chromium nitride, boron nitride, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 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
  • Publication number: 20150055441
    Abstract: A recording device and a method of forming a recording device are disclosed. The recording device includes an air bearing surface and a near field transducer including a surface proximate the air bearing surface. The device also includes a write pole including a sloped pole piece proximate the near field transducer, where the sloped pole piece includes an end proximate the air bearing surface; a capping material disposed proximate the surface of the near field transducer; and an overcoat layer disposed proximate the capping material and at least a portion of the air bearing surface of the recording device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Edwin F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman
  • Publication number: 20140376349
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT having a disc and a peg, and the peg having five surfaces thereof; and at least one adhesion layer positioned on at least one of the five surfaces of the peg, the adhesion layer including one or more of the following: rhenium, osmium, iridium, platinum, hafnium, ruthenium, technetium, rhodium, palladium, beryllium, aluminum, manganese, indium, boron, and combinations thereof beryllium oxide, silicon oxide, iron oxide, zirconium oxide, manganese oxide, cadmium oxide, magnesium oxide, hafnium oxide, and combinations thereof tantalum carbide, uranium carbide, hafnium carbide, zirconium carbide, scandium carbide, manganese carbide, iron carbide, niobium carbide, technetium carbide, rhenium carbide, and combinations thereof chromium nitride, boron nitride, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Tong Zhao, Michael C. Kautzky, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Scott Franzen, Andrew J. Boyne, Michael Allen Seigler, Sethuraman Jayashankar
  • Publication number: 20140376348
    Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT including a peg having five exposed surfaces, the peg including a first material; an overlying structure; 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: June 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Tong Zhao, Michael C. Kautzky, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Scott Franzen, Michael Allen Siegler
  • Publication number: 20140376351
    Abstract: A device including a near field transducer, the near field transducer including gold (Au) and at least one other secondary atom, the at least one other secondary atom selected from: boron (B), bismuth (Bi), indium (In), sulfur (S), silicon (Si), tin (Sn), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), manganese (Mn), antimony (Sb), tellurium (Te), carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O), and combinations thereof erbium (Er), holmium (Ho), lutetium (Lu), praseodymium (Pr), scandium (Sc), uranium (U), zinc (Zn), and combinations thereof and barium (Ba), chlorine (Cl), cesium (Cs), dysprosium (Dy), europium (Eu), fluorine (F), gadolinium (Gd), germanium (Ge), hydrogen (H), iodine (I), osmium (Os), phosphorus (P), rubidium (Rb), rhenium (Re), selenium (Se), samarium (Sm), terbium (Tb), thallium (Th), and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Tong Zhao, Michael C. Kautzky, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Scott Franzen, Sethuraman Jayashankar, Sarbeswar Sahoo, Jie Gong, Michael Allen Seigler
  • Publication number: 20140376352
    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: June 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    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
  • Publication number: 20140376350
    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: June 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Yuhang Cheng, Scott Franzen, Ed F. Rejda, Kurt W. Wierman, Michael Allen Seigler
  • Patent number: 8395863
    Abstract: A contact pad includes a first layer of material with a first yield strength and a second layer of material with a second yield strength is laminated to the first layer. A third yield strength of the laminated composite of the first layer and the second layer exceeds the first yield strength and the second yield strength due to the Hall-Petch phenomenon. An overcoat covers an edge of the first layer and the second layer of the contact pad to prevent wear. A method of creating the contact pad or other microelectronic structure includes depositing a first layer of material with a first yield strength on a substrate. A second layer of material with a second yield strength is deposited on the first layer. An edge of the first layer and the second layer is coated with an overcoat material to prevent wear of the first and second layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy A. Thurn, Ibro Tabakovic, Maissarath Nassirou, Brian Karr, Kurt W. Wierman, Joachim W. Ahner
  • Publication number: 20120026625
    Abstract: A contact pad includes a first layer of material with a first yield strength and a second layer of material with a second yield strength is laminated to the first layer. A third yield strength of the laminated composite of the first layer and the second layer exceeds the first yield strength and the second yield strength due to the Hall-Petch phenomenon. An overcoat covers an edge of the first layer and the second layer of the contact pad to prevent wear. A method of creating the contact pad or other microelectronic structure includes depositing a first layer of material with a first yield strength on a substrate. A second layer of material with a second yield strength is deposited on the first layer. An edge of the first layer and the second layer is coated with an overcoat material to prevent wear of the first and second layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy A. Thurn, Ibro Tabakovic, Maissarath Nassirou, Brian Karr, Kurt W. Wierman, Joachim W. Ahner
  • 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: 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: 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