Patents by Inventor Ming Mao

Ming Mao 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: 20180308514
    Abstract: A method of forming a magnetic head includes forming a read sensor stripe, depositing an electronic lapping guide (ELG) layer over the substrate in an ELG region, forming a backside edge of a read sensor by patterning the read sensor stripe in a first patterning step, forming a backside insulator layer and a rear bias magnetic material portion over the backside edge of the read sensor, forming a backside edge of an ELG by patterning the ELG layer in the ELG region in a second patterning step, simultaneously forming a front side edge of the read sensor and a front side edge of the ELG, and lapping the read sensor and the ELG to provide an air bearing surface of a read sensor. The physical stripe height offset can be determined for each flash field by correlating device conductance and ELG conductance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Guanxiong LI, Ming MAO, Rong CAO, Chen-Jung CHIEN
  • Patent number: 10074387
    Abstract: A method provides a magnetic transducer including a first antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) shield, a second AFC shield and a read sensor between the first and second AFC shields. The first AFC shield includes first and second ferromagnetic layers and a first nonmagnetic spacer layer between the first and second ferromagnetic layers. The first and second ferromagnetic layers have first and second saturation magnetizations and first and second thicknesses, respectively. The second ferromagnetic layer is between the read sensor and the first ferromagnetic layer. The second AFC shield includes third and fourth ferromagnetic layers and a second nonmagnetic spacer layer between the third and fourth ferromagnetic layers. The third ferromagnetic layer is between the read sensor and the fourth ferromagnetic layer. The third and fourth ferromagnetic layers have third and saturation magnetizations and third and fourth thicknesses, respectively. The second AFC shield is a mirror image of the first AFC shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
    Inventors: Rongfu Xiao, Miaoyin Wang, Zhihong Zhang, Guanghong Luo, Ming Mao
  • Patent number: 10068601
    Abstract: A magnetic read apparatus includes a media-facing surface (MFS), a sensor, a shield structure, a side bias structure, and a shield reference bias structure. The sensor includes a free layer and a nonmagnetic layer. The shield structure includes a shield pinning structure and a shield reference structure between the shield pinning structure and the nonmagnetic layer. The nonmagnetic layer is between the free layer and a shield reference structure. The shield pinning structure includes a pinned moment oriented in a first direction. The shield reference structure includes a reference structure moment weakly coupled with the pinned moment. The side bias structure is adjacent to a side of the free layer and biases the free layer in a first direction parallel to the MFS. The shield reference bias structure is adjacent to the shield reference structure and biases the shield reference structure in a direction opposite to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Shaoping Li, Shihai He, Gerardo A. Bertero, Ming Mao, Yuankai Zheng, Anup Ghosh Roy, Chen-Jung Chien, Zhihong Zhang
  • Publication number: 20180240699
    Abstract: An example embodiment may include a method for blocking one or more portions of one or more trenches during manufacture of a semiconductor structure. The method may include (i) providing a substrate comprising one or more trenches, and a dielectric material under the one or more trenches, (ii) providing a first overlayer on the substrate, thereby filling the one or more trenches, the first overlayer having a planar top surface, a top portion of the first overlayer, comprising the top surface, being etchable selectively with respect to a condensed photo-condensable metal oxide, (iii) covering a first area of the top surface, situated directly above the one or more portions and corresponding thereto, with a block pattern of the condensed photo-condensable metal oxide, thereby leaving a second area of the top surface, having at least another portion of at least one of the trenches thereunder, uncovered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicant: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Boon Teik Chan, Ming Mao, Peter De Schepper, Michael Kocsis
  • Patent number: 9922672
    Abstract: A magnetic read apparatus has an air-bearing surface (ABS) and includes a read sensor and a rear magnetic bias structure. The read sensor includes first and second free layers, a spacer layer and a rear surface opposite to the ABS. The spacer layer is nonmagnetic and between the first and second free layers. The read sensor has a track width in a cross track direction parallel to the ABS. The rear magnetic bias structure magnetically biases the read sensor a stripe height direction perpendicular to the ABS. The read sensor is between the ABS and the rear magnetic bias structure. The rear magnetic bias structure has a width in the cross track direction and a length in the stripe height direction. The length is greater than the width. The width of the rear magnetic bias structure is substantially equal to the track width of the read sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Daniele Mauri, Savas Gider, Hui Zhao, Ming Mao
  • Publication number: 20180026485
    Abstract: An electric motor rotor mechanism includes a plurality of rotor bars and a rotor core. The rotor bars are disposed on the rotor core. The rotor core has a plurality of lines of barriers and a plurality of flux barrier holes. Each of the lines of barriers extends from one of the rotor bars to another one of the rotor bars. The flux barrier holes are arranged along the lines of barriers. Each of the flux barrier holes is a magnetic flux barrier. An area between each adjacent flux barrier hole is a magnetic flux path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Ming-Mao HSU
  • Patent number: 9830936
    Abstract: A tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) read sensor having a tabbed AFM layer and an extended pinned layer and methods for making the same are provided. The TMR read sensor has an AFM layer recessed from the air bearing surface, providing a reduced shield-to-shield distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
    Inventors: Shaoping Li, Yuankai Zheng, Gerardo A. Bertero, Qunwen Leng, Michael L. Mallary, Rongfu Xiao, Ming Mao, Zhihong Zhang, Anup G. Roy, Chen Jung Chien, Zhitao Diao, Ling Wang
  • Publication number: 20170337941
    Abstract: A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The method includes providing a first shield, a first read sensor, an antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) shield that includes an antiferromagnet, a second read sensor and a second shield. The read sensors are between the first and second shields. The AFC shield is between the read sensors. An optional anneal for the first shield is in a magnetic field at a first angle from the ABS. Anneals for the first and second read sensors are in magnetic fields in desired first and second read sensor bias directions. The AFC shield anneal is in a magnetic field at a third angle from the ABS. The second shield anneal is in a magnetic field at a fifth angle from the ABS. The fifth angle is selected based on a thickness and a desired AFC shield bias direction for the antiferromagnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: RONGFU XIAO, SHIHAI HE, DANIELE MAURI, MING MAO, SHAOPING LI
  • Patent number: 9812155
    Abstract: A method provides a magnetic read apparatus. A sensor stack is deposited. The read sensor is defined from the stack such that the sensor has sides forming a junction angle of 75 degrees-105 degrees from a sensor bottom. Defining the sensor includes performing a first ion mill at a first angle and a first energy and performing a second ion mill at a second angle greater than the first angle and at a second energy less than the first energy. The first angle is 5 degrees-30 degrees from normal to the top surface. After the first ion mill, less than half of the stack's bottom layer depth remains unmilled. Magnetic bias structure(s) adjacent to the sides may be formed. The magnetic bias structure(s) include a side shielding material having at least one of the saturation magnetization greater than 800 emu/cm3 and an exchange length less than five nanometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
    Inventors: Anup Ghosh Roy, Guanxiong Li, Daniele Mauri, Ming Mao, Goncalo Albuquerque, Savas Gider
  • Patent number: 9786305
    Abstract: A magnetic read apparatus includes a first sensor, a shield layer, an insulating layer, a shield structure and a second sensor. The shield layer is between the first sensor and the insulating layer. The shield structure is in the down track direction from the insulating layer. The shield structure includes a magnetic seed structure, a shield pinning structure and a shield reference structure. The magnetic seed structure adjoins the shield pinning structure. The shield pinning structure is between the shield reference structure and the magnetic seed structure. The second sensor includes a free layer and a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the shield reference structure and the free layer. The shield reference structure is between the shield pinning structure and the nonmagnetic spacer layer. The shield pinning structure includes a pinned magnetic moment. The shield reference structure includes another magnetic moment weakly coupled with the pinned magnetic moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
    Inventors: Shaoping Li, Shihai He, Gerardo A. Bertero, Ming Mao, Yuankai Zheng
  • Patent number: 9786301
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for providing thin shields in a multiple sensor array are provided. One such apparatus is a magnetic read transducer including a first read sensor, a second read sensor, and a shield assembly positioned between the first read sensor and the second read sensor at an air bearing surface (ABS) of the magnetic read transducer, the shield assembly including a first shield layer assembly having a first footprint with a first area, and a second shield layer assembly having a second footprint with a second area, where the second area is greater than the first area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
    Inventors: Shaoping Li, Gerardo A. Bertero, Steven C. Rudy, Shihai He, Ming Mao, Haiwen Xi, Srikanth Ganesan, Qunwen Leng, Ge Yi, Rongfu Xiao, Feng Liu, Lei Wang
  • Patent number: 9754613
    Abstract: A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The method includes providing a first shield, a first read sensor, an antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) shield that includes an antiferromagnet, a second read sensor and a second shield. The read sensors are between the first and second shields. The AFC shield is between the read sensors. An optional anneal for the first shield is in a magnetic field at a first angle from the ABS. Anneals for the first and second read sensors are in magnetic fields in desired first and second read sensor bias directions. The AFC shield anneal is in a magnetic field at a third angle from the ABS. The second shield anneal is in a magnetic field at a fifth angle from the ABS. The fifth angle is selected based on a thickness and a desired AFC shield bias direction for the antiferromagnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Rongfu Xiao, Shihai He, Daniele Mauri, Ming Mao, Shaoping Li
  • Publication number: 20170249959
    Abstract: A magnetic read apparatus includes a read sensor, a shield structure and a side magnetic bias structure. The read sensor includes a free layer having a side and a nonmagnetic spacer layer. The shield structure includes a shield pinning structure and a shield reference structure. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is between the shield reference structure and the free layer. The shield reference structure is between the shield pinning structure and the nonmagnetic spacer layer. The shield pinning structure includes a pinned magnetic moment in a first direction. The shield reference structure includes a shield reference structure magnetic moment weakly coupled with the pinned magnetic moment. The side magnetic bias structure is adjacent to the side of the free layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: GERARDO A. BERTERO, Shaoping LI, Qunwen LENG, YUANKAI ZHENG, Rongfu XIAO, MING MAO, SHIHAI HE, Miaoyin WANG
  • Patent number: 9715889
    Abstract: A magnetic read apparatus has a media-facing surface (MFS) and includes a read sensor, a magnetic bias structure and an insulating layer. The read sensor has a side, a front occupying part of the MFS and a back. The read sensor includes a free layer, a pinned layer and a barrier layer between the free and pinned layers. The barrier layer has a barrier layer coefficient of thermal expansion. The magnetic bias structure is adjacent to the side of the free layer. The insulating layer includes first and second portions. The first portion of the insulating layer is between the read sensor side and the magnetic bias structure. The second portion of the insulating layer adjoins the read sensor back. The insulating layer has an insulating layer coefficient of thermal expansion that is at least ? of and not more than 5/3 of the barrier layer coefficient of thermal expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Shaoping Li, Gerardo A. Bertero, Ming Mao, Shihai He, Steven C. Rudy, Haiwen Xi, Zhipeng Li, Haifeng Wang, Jianxin Fang, Zhihong Zhang, Yingbo Zhang, Qunwen Leng, Christopher L. Beaudry, Ruisheng Liu
  • Patent number: 9705072
    Abstract: A spin transfer torque magnetic junction includes a magnetic reference layer structure with magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to a substrate plane. A laminated magnetic free layer comprises at least three sublayers (e.g. sub-layers of CoFeB, CoPt, FePt, or CoPd) having magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to the substrate plane. Each such sublayer is separated from an adjacent one by a dusting layer (e.g. tantalum). An insulative barrier layer (e.g. MgO) is disposed between the laminated free layer and the magnetic reference layer structure. The spin transfer torque magnetic junction includes conductive base and top electrodes, and a current polarizing structure that has magnetic anisotropy parallel to the substrate plane. In certain embodiments, the current polarizing structure may also include a non-magnetic spacer layer (e.g. MgO, copper, etc).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
    Inventors: Shaoping Li, Gerardo A. Bertero, Yuankai Zheng, Qunwen Leng, Shihai He, Yunfei Ding, Ming Mao, Abhinandan Chougule, Daniel K. Lottis
  • Patent number: 9666214
    Abstract: A magnetic read apparatus includes a read sensor, a shield structure and a side magnetic bias structure. The read sensor includes a free layer having a side and a nonmagnetic spacer layer. The shield structure includes a shield pinning structure and a shield reference structure. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is between the shield reference structure and the free layer. The shield reference structure is between the shield pinning structure and the nonmagnetic spacer layer. The shield pinning structure includes a pinned magnetic moment in a first direction. The shield reference structure includes a shield reference structure magnetic moment weakly coupled with the pinned magnetic moment. The side magnetic bias structure is adjacent to the side of the free layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
    Inventors: Gerardo A. Bertero, Shaoping Li, Qunwen Leng, Yuankai Zheng, Rongfu Xiao, Ming Mao, Shihai He, Miaoyin Wang
  • Publication number: 20160336030
    Abstract: A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The method includes providing a first shield, a first read sensor, an antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) shield that includes an antiferromagnet, a second read sensor and a second shield. The read sensors are between the first and second shields. The AFC shield is between the read sensors. An optional anneal for the first shield is in a magnetic field at a first angle from the ABS. Anneals for the first and second read sensors are in magnetic fields in desired first and second read sensor bias directions. The AFC shield anneal is in a magnetic field at a third angle from the ABS. The second shield anneal is in a magnetic field at a fifth angle from the ABS. The fifth angle is selected based on a thickness and a desired AFC shield bias direction for the antiferromagnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: RONGFU XIAO, SHIHAI HE, DANIELE MAURI, MING MAO, SHAOPING LI
  • Publication number: 20160329064
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for making ultra-narrow track width (TW) read sensors, and read transducers incorporating such sensors. The methods utilize side-wall line patterning techniques to prepare ultra-narrow mill masks that can be used to prepare the ultra-narrow read sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: MIAO WANG, WEI GAO, XIAOYU YANG, ANUP G. ROY, WEI ZHANG, WENCHENG SU, ZHIHONG ZHANG, JAMES YUAN, GUANXIONG LI, MING MAO, HAI SUN, LINGYUN MIAO
  • Publication number: 20160284989
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a thickness of a soft bias layer in a tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) reader are provided. One such method involves providing a magnetoresistive sensor stack including a free layer and a bottom shield layer, performing contiguous junction milling on the sensor stack, depositing an insulating layer on the sensor stack, depositing a spacer layer on the insulating layer, performing an angled milling sub-process to remove preselected portions of the spacer layer, depositing a soft bias layer on the sensor stack, and depositing a top shield layer on the sensor stack and the soft bias layer. The method can further involve adjusting an alignment of a top surface of the spacer layer with respect to the free layer. In one such case, the top surface of the spacer layer is adjust to be below the free layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: YI ZHENG, MING JIANG, ANUP G. ROY, GUANXIONG LI, MING MAO, DANIELE MAURI
  • Patent number: 9449621
    Abstract: A magnetic read apparatus has an air-bearing surface (ABS) and includes a read sensor and a rear magnetic bias structure. The read sensor includes first and second free layers, a spacer layer and a rear surface opposite to the ABS. The spacer layer is nonmagnetic and between the first and second free layers. The read sensor has a track width in a cross track direction parallel to the ABS. The rear magnetic bias structure magnetically biases the read sensor a stripe height direction perpendicular to the ABS. The read sensor is between the ABS and the rear magnetic bias structure. The rear magnetic bias structure has a width in the cross track direction and a length in the stripe height direction. The length is greater than the width. The width of the rear magnetic bias structure is substantially equal to the track width of the read sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
    Inventors: Daniele Mauri, Savas Gider, Hui Zhao, Ming Mao