Patents by Inventor Shaun E. McKinlay
Shaun E. McKinlay 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).
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Patent number: 10354682Abstract: A data reader may have a magnetoresistive stack with a magnetically free layer decoupled from a first shield by a cap. The cap can have one or more sub-layers respectively configured with a thickness of 4 nm or less as measured parallel to a longitudinal axis of the magnetoresistive stack on an air bearing surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2018Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Liwen Tan, ZhiGuo Ge, Shaun E. McKinlay, Jae-Young Yi, Stacey C. Wakeham
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Patent number: 10297279Abstract: Methods of planarizing materials, such as where surface topographies are created as part of a thin film device fabrication process are described. These methods find particular application in the creation of nano-sized devices, where surface topographical features can be effectively planarized without adversely creating other surface topographies and/or causing deleterious effects a material junctions. Methods include the step of depositing a sacrificial layer overlying at least a portion of a first material layer and at least a portion of a backfilled second material at a junction between the first and second materials. The sacrificial layer substantially retains the surface topography of the microelectronic device. Chemical-mechanical planarization is performed on a surface of the sacrificial layer but leaving a remainder portion of the thickness of the sacrificial layer.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2018Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Zhiguo Ge, Shaun E. Mckinlay, Stacey C. Wakeham
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Publication number: 20180308515Abstract: A data reader may have a magnetoresistive stack with a magnetically free layer decoupled from a first shield by a cap. The cap can have one or more sub-layers respectively configured with a thickness of 4 nm or less as measured parallel to a longitudinal axis of the magnetoresistive stack on an air bearing surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2018Publication date: October 25, 2018Inventors: Liwen Tan, ZhiGuo Ge, Shaun E. McKinlay, Jae-Young Yi, Stacey C. Wakeham
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Patent number: 10090008Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein include a reader structure, comprising a first reader, including a sensor stack and a top shield structure, the top shield structure comprises a synthetic antiferromagnetic shield (SAF) structure, including a reference layer including at least a layer of NiFe and an impurity additive, an RKKY coupling layer RKKY coupling layer (e.g., Ru layer), and a pinned layer. In another implementation, the RL of the SAF shield structure of a first reader includes at least a layer of amorphous magnetic material. Yet, in another implementation, the SAF shield structure includes an insertion layer of amorphous magnetic material under the SAF shield RL, within the SAF shield RL or between the SAF shield RL and SAF shield Ru.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2017Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLCInventors: Zhiguo Ge, Shaun E. McKinlay, Eric W. Singleton, LiWen Tan, Jae Young Yi
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Publication number: 20170294199Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein include a reader structure, comprising a first reader, including a sensor stack and a top shield structure, the top shield structure comprises a synthetic antiferromagnetic shield (SAF) structure, including a reference layer including at least a layer of NiFe and an impurity additive, an RKKY coupling layer RKKY coupling layer (e.g., Ru layer), and a pinned layer. In another implementation, the RL of the SAF shield structure of a first reader includes at least a layer of amorphous magnetic material. Yet, in another implementation, the SAF shield structure includes an insertion layer of amorphous magnetic material under the SAF shield RL, within the SAF shield RL or between the SAF shield RL and SAF shield Ru.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2017Publication date: October 12, 2017Inventors: Zhiguo Ge, Shaun E. McKinlay, Eric W. Singleton, LiWen Tan, Jae Young Yi
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Publication number: 20170221506Abstract: A data reader may have a magnetoresistive stack with a magnetically free layer decoupled from a first shield by a cap. The cap can have one or more sub-layers respectively configured with a thickness of 4 nm or less as measured parallel to a longitudinal axis of the magnetoresistive stack on an air bearing surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2016Publication date: August 3, 2017Inventors: Liwen Tan, ZhiGuo Ge, Shaun E. McKinlay, Jae-Young Yi, Stacey C. Wakeham
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Patent number: 9685177Abstract: A multi-sensor reader that includes a first sensor that has a sensing layer with a magnetization that changes according to an external magnetic field. The first sensor also includes first and second side biasing magnets having a magnetization substantially along a first direction. The first and second side biasing magnets align the magnetization of the sensing layer substantially along the first direction when the sensing layer is not substantially influenced by the external magnetic field. The multi-sensor reader further includes a second sensor that is stacked over the first sensor. The second sensor includes a reference layer that has a magnetization that is set substantially along a second direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2015Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Zhiguo Ge, Shaun E. Mckinlay, Eric W. Singleton, LiWen Tan, Jae Young Yi
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Publication number: 20170011759Abstract: A multi-sensor reader that includes a first sensor that has a sensing layer with a magnetization that changes according to an external magnetic field. The first sensor also includes first and second side biasing magnets having a magnetization substantially along a first direction. The first and second side biasing magnets align the magnetization of the sensing layer substantially along the first direction when the sensing layer is not substantially influenced by the external magnetic field. The multi-sensor reader further includes a second sensor that is stacked over the first sensor. The second sensor includes a reference layer that has a magnetization that is set substantially along a second direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2015Publication date: January 12, 2017Inventors: Zhiguo Ge, Shaun E. McKinlay, Eric W. Singleton, LiWen Tan, Jae Young Yi
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Patent number: 9536549Abstract: A multi-sensor reader that includes a first sensor that has a sensor stack, which includes a free layer (FL) that has a magnetization that changes according to an external magnetic field. The first sensor also includes a shielding structure that is positioned over the sensor stack. The multi-sensor reader also includes a second sensor stacked over the first sensor. The second sensor includes a sensor stack, which includes a FL that has a magnetization that changes according to the external magnetic field. The multi-sensor reader further includes an isolation layer between the first sensor and the second sensor. A FL-to-FL spacing reduction feature is included in at least one of the isolation layer or the shielding structure.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2015Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Zhiguo Ge, Victor Sapozhnikov, Shaun E. Mckinlay, Eric W. Singleton, Jae Young Yi, Mohammed Shariat Ullah Patwari
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Publication number: 20160365104Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein include a reader structure, comprising a first reader, including a sensor stack and a top shield structure, the top shield structure comprises a synthetic antiferromagnetic shield (SAF) structure, including a reference layer including at least a layer of NiFe and an impurity additive, an RKKY coupling layer RKKY coupling layer (e.g., Ru layer), and a pinned layer. In another implementation, the RL of the SAF shield structure of a first reader includes at least a layer of amorphous magnetic material. Yet, in another implementation, the SAF shield structure includes an insertion layer of amorphous magnetic material under the SAF shield RL, within the SAF shield RL or between the SAF shield RL and SAF shield Ru.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2015Publication date: December 15, 2016Inventors: Zhiguo Ge, Shaun E. McKinlay, Eric W. Singleton, LiWen Tan, Jae Young Yi
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Patent number: 8711525Abstract: In accordance with various embodiments, at least one magnetic shield for a magnetoresistive (MR) element has one or more lateral hard magnets and a coupling layer contactingly adjacent both the MR element and the hard magnet. The coupling layer concurrently magnetically decouples the MR element while magnetically coupling the hard magnet.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2011Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Eric W. Singleton, Junjie Quan, Shaun E. McKinlay
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Patent number: 8659854Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) reader is adjacent to at least one shield that extends from an air bearing surface (ABS) a first distance. The shield has a stabilizing feature that is contactingly adjacent the MR reader and extends from the ABS a second distance that is less than the first distance.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2011Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Eric W. Singleton, Junjie Quan, Jae-Young Yi, Shaun E. McKinlay
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Publication number: 20120281320Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) reader is adjacent to at least one shield that extends from an air bearing surface (ABS) a first distance. The shield has a stabilizing feature that is contactingly adjacent the MR reader and extends from the ABS a second distance that is less than the first distance.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2011Publication date: November 8, 2012Applicant: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Eric W. Singleton, Junjie Quan, Jae-Young Yi, Shaun E. McKinlay
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Publication number: 20120280773Abstract: In accordance with various embodiments, a magnetic shield for a magnetoresistive (MR) element has one or more lateral hard magnets and a coupling layer contactingly adjacent both the MR element and the hard magnet. The coupling layer concurrently magnetically decouples the MR element while magnetically coupling the hard magnet.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2011Publication date: November 8, 2012Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLCInventors: Eric W. Singleton, Junjie Quan, Shaun E. McKinlay
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Patent number: 6758950Abstract: A sputtering chamber includes a sputtering target with a front target surface, and a magnetron behind the sputtering target. The magnetron provides a magnetic field at the front target surface along a generally round path that includes a path indentation. A shutter is spaced apart from the front target surface by a shutter spacing. A substrate is aligned with a central region in front of the front target surface and spaced apart from the front target surface by a selected spacing that is greater than the shutter spacing. The central region has a diameter defined by a uniformly sputtered thickness of deposited layers on the substrate. The path indentation is set to a path indentation depth that adjusts the selected spacing to maximize the diameter.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2002Date of Patent: July 6, 2004Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Peter R. Krauss, Shaun E. McKinlay
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Patent number: 6733640Abstract: A shutter assembly for use in a thin-film processing system to control exposure of a substrate to a process energy source includes a shield member having a shutter opening. The shutter opening is defined by sides which are oriented along radial lines of a central axis to promote uniform exposure of the substrate to the process energy source.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2002Date of Patent: May 11, 2004Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Peter R. Krauss, Shaun E. McKinlay
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Publication number: 20030132107Abstract: A shutter assembly for use in a thin-film processing system to control exposure of a substrate to a process energy source includes a shield member having a shutter opening. The shutter opening is defined by sides which are oriented along radial lines of a central axis to promote uniform exposure of the substrate to the process energy source.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2002Publication date: July 17, 2003Inventors: Peter R. Krauss, Shaun E. McKinlay
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Publication number: 20030132106Abstract: A sputtering chamber includes a sputtering target with a front target surface, and a magnetron behind the sputtering target. The magnetron provides a magnetic field at the front target surface along a generally round path that includes a path indentation. A shutter is spaced apart from the front target surface by a shutter spacing. A substrate is aligned with a central region in front of the front target surface and spaced apart from the front target surface by a selected spacing that is greater than the shutter spacing. The central region has a diameter defined by a uniformly sputtered thickness of deposited layers on the substrate. The path indentation is set to a path indentation depth that adjusts the selected spacing to maximize the diameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2002Publication date: July 17, 2003Inventors: Peter R. Krauss, Shaun E. McKinlay