Patents by Inventor Mary Frances Minardi

Mary Frances Minardi 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: 7964297
    Abstract: The invention uses an adhesion layer of an amorphous alloy of aluminum. A first aluminum titanium embodiment of the amorphous adhesion layer preferably contains approximately equal amounts of aluminum and titanium (+/?5 at. %). A second embodiment of the amorphous adhesion layer preferably contains approximately equal amounts of aluminum and titanium (+/?5 at. %) and up to 10 at. % Zr with 5 at. % Zr being preferred. A third embodiment is aluminum tantalum preferably including from 15 to 25 at. % tantalum with 20 at. % being preferred. The most preferred compositions are Al50Ti50, Al47.5Ti47.5Zr5 or Al80Ta20. The adhesion layer is deposited onto the substrate. The substrate can be glass or a metal such as NiP-plated AlMg. The preferred embodiment of media according to the invention is for perpendicular recording and includes a magnetically soft underlayer deposited above the adhesion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Hong Deng, Yoshihiro Ikeda, Mary Frances Minardi, Kentaro Takano, Kai Tang
  • Patent number: 7862913
    Abstract: An improved structure for the construction of perpendicular recording media is disclosed. The structure includes a perpendicular recording layer with at least two oxide sublayers or a lower sublayer of a non-oxide. One structure includes an upper sublayer comprised of a Silicon-oxide, while a lower sublayer is comprised of a Tantalum-oxide. The structures provide for increased coercivity and corrosion resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Xiaoping Bian, Qing Dai, Hoa Do, Yoshihiro Ikeda, David Margulies, Mary Frances Minardi, Natacha Frederique Supper, Kentaro Takano, Min Xiao, Qi-Fan Xiao
  • Publication number: 20100110584
    Abstract: A method is described for improving recording performance of a perpendicular media. The method includes using a dual oxide layer as a sublayer of a magnetic recording layer of the perpendicular media. The dual oxide sublayer improves recording performance, increases resistance to corrosion and allows for a thinner exchange break layer. The dual oxide layer generally includes oxides of tantalum and one of silicon or boron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Qing Dai, Hoa Van Do, Mary Frances Minardi, Kentaro Takano, Kai Tang, Jinliu Wang
  • Publication number: 20100091402
    Abstract: The invention uses an adhesion layer of an amorphous alloy of aluminum. A first aluminum titanium embodiment of the amorphous adhesion layer preferably contains approximately equal amounts of aluminum and titanium (+/?5 at. %). A second embodiment of the amorphous adhesion layer preferably contains approximately equal amounts of aluminum and titanium (+/?5 at. %) and up to 10 at. % Zr with 5 at. % Zr being preferred. A third embodiment is aluminum tantalum preferably including from 15 to 25 at. % tantalum with 20 at. % being preferred. The most preferred compositions are Al50Ti50, Al47.5Ti47.5Zr5 or Al80Ta20. The adhesion layer is deposited onto the substrate. The substrate can be glass or a metal such as NiP-plated AlMg. The preferred embodiment of media according to the invention is for perpendicular recording and includes a magnetically soft underlayer deposited above the adhesion layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventors: Hong Deng, Yoshihiro Ikeda, Mary Frances Minardi, Kentaro Takano, Kai Tang
  • Patent number: 7651794
    Abstract: The invention uses an adhesion layer of an amorphous alloy of aluminum. A first aluminum titanium embodiment of the amorphous adhesion layer preferably contains approximately equal amounts of aluminum and titanium (+/?5 at. %). A second embodiment of the amorphous adhesion layer preferably contains approximately equal amounts of aluminum and titanium (+/?5 at. %) and up to 10 at. % Zr with 5 at. % Zr being preferred. A third embodiment is aluminum tantalum preferably including from 15 to 25 at. % tantalum with 20 at. % being preferred. The most preferred compositions are Al50Ti50, Al47.5Ti47.5Zr5 or Al80 Ta20. The adhesion layer is deposited onto the substrate. The substrate can be glass or a metal such as NiP-plated AlMg. The preferred embodiment of media according to the invention is for perpendicular recording and includes a magnetically soft underlayer deposited above the adhesion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Hong Deng, Yoshihiro Ikeda, Mary Frances Minardi, Kentaro Takano, Kai Tang
  • Patent number: 7638210
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium has an “exchange-spring” type magnetic recording layer (RL) with an improved coupling layer (CL). The RL includes the first or lower ferromagnetic layer MAG1, sometimes called the “media” layer, the second or upper ferromagnetic layer MAG2, sometimes called the “exchange-spring” layer, and the intermediate CL that provides ferromagnetic exchange coupling between MAG1 and MAG2. The CL is formed of NiCr or RuCr based alloys, or CoCr or CoCrB alloys with high Cr and/or B content (Cr plus B>about 25 atomic percent), or RuCoCr alloys with low Co content (<about 65 atomic percent). For each CL composition there is a CL thickness range that provides the optimal interlayer exchange coupling between MAG1 and MAG2. The selected CL materials provide an exchange-type perpendicular magnetic recording medium with good magnetic performance, while the relatively high amount of Cr of the CL improves the corrosion resistance of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Andreas Klaus Berger, Xiaoping Bian, Mary Frances Minardi, Kentaro Takano, Kai Tang
  • Publication number: 20090213494
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording disk has a soft magnetic underlayer (SUL) that has high corrosion resistance as well as high moment. The material of the SUL is an alloy comprising Co, Fe, X, and Y; where X is Ta or Nb, Y is Zr or Hf, and the combined amount of X and Y present in the alloy is between about 10 and 20 atomic percent. The atomic ratio of Co to Fe in the alloy is between about 90:10 to 10:90, preferably between about 25:75 and 35:65. The SUL may be a single-layer SUL or a multilayer SUL formed of multiple soft magnetic layers separated by an interlayer film or films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventors: Qing Dai, Bernd Heinz, Yoshihiro Ikeda, Mary Frances Minardi, Kentaro Takano
  • Patent number: 7524570
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording disk has a soft magnetic underlayer (SUL) that has high corrosion resistance as well as high moment. The material of the SUL is an alloy comprising Co, Fe, X, and Y; where X is Ta or Nb, Y is Zr or Hf, and the combined amount of X and Y present in the alloy is between about 10 and 20 atomic percent. The atomic ratio of Co to Fe in the alloy is between about 90:10 to 10:90, preferably between about 25:75 and 35:65. The SUL may be a single-layer SUL or a multilayer SUL formed of multiple soft magnetic layers separated by an interlayer film or films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Qing Dai, Bernd Heinz, Yoshihiro Ikeda, Mary Frances Minardi, Kentaro Takano
  • Patent number: 7514161
    Abstract: A laminated film structure is disclosed comprising multiple ferromagnetic layers achieving improved data recording performance. A non-magnetic spacer layer is disposed between an upper ferromagnetic layer and an antiferromagnetic coupled (AFC) structure. The AFC structure is comprised of a ferromagnetic layer and an antiferromagnetic slave layer. The ferromagnetic layer in the AFC structure, referred to as lower ferromagnetic layer, may contain tantalum to promote chromium segregation at the grain boundaries to achieve magnetic decoupling of the grains with relatively thin boundaries, improving medium signal-to-noise ratio while maintaining good thermal stability of the medium. In some embodiments, the interlayer is a five-element alloy such as a CoCrPtBTa alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Mary Frances Minardi, Mohammad Mirzamaani, Kai Tang
  • Publication number: 20080254324
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium has an “exchange-spring” type magnetic recording layer (RL) with an improved coupling layer (CL). The RL includes the first or lower ferromagnetic layer MAG1, sometimes called the “media” layer, the second or upper ferromagnetic layer MAG2, sometimes called the “exchange-spring” layer, and the intermediate CL that provides ferromagnetic exchange coupling between MAG1 and MAG2. The CL is formed of NiCr or RuCr based alloys, or CoCr or CoCrB alloys with high Cr and/or B content (Cr plus B>about 25 atomic percent), or RuCoCr alloys with low Co content (<about 65 atomic percent). For each CL composition there is a CL thickness range that provides the optimal interlayer exchange coupling between MAG1 and MAG2. The selected CL materials provide an exchange-type perpendicular magnetic recording medium with good magnetic performance, while the relatively high amount of Cr of the CL improves the corrosion resistance of the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: HITACHI GLOBAL STORAGE TECHOLOGIES NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Andreas Klaus Berger, Xiaoping Bian, Mary Frances Minardi, Kentaro Takano, Kai Tang
  • Publication number: 20080096053
    Abstract: An improved structure for the construction of perpendicular recording media is disclosed. The structure includes a perpendicular recording layer with at least two oxide sublayers or a lower sublayer of a non-oxide. One structure includes an upper sublayer comprised of a Silicon-oxide, while a lower sublayer is comprised of a Tantalum-oxide. The structures provide for increased coercivity and corrosion resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Xiaoping Bian, Qing Dai, Hoa Do, Yoshihiro Ikeda, David Margulies, Mary Frances Minardi, Natacha Frederique Supper, Kentaro Takano, Min Xiao, Qi-Fan Xiao