Patents by Inventor Tadashi Kai

Tadashi Kai 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: 8107281
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive element includes a first magnetic layer with a variable magnetization and an easy-axis in a perpendicular direction to a film surface, a second magnetic layer with an invariable magnetization and an easy-axis in the perpendicular direction, and a first nonmagnetic layer between the first and second magnetic layers. The first magnetic layer comprises a ferromagnetic material including an alloy in which Co and Pd, or Co and Pt are alternately laminated on an atomically close-packed plane thereof. The first magnetic layer has C-axis directing the perpendicular direction. And a magnetization direction of the first magnetic layer is changed by a current flowing through the first magnetic layer, the first nonmagnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Tadashi Kai, Katsuya Nishiyama, Toshihiko Nagase, Masatoshi Yoshikawa, Eiji Kitagawa, Tadaomi Daibou, Makoto Nagamine, Masahiko Nakayama, Naoharu Shimomura, Hiroaki Yoda, Kei Yakushiji, Shinji Yuasa, Hitoshi Kubota, Taro Nagahama, Akio Fukushima, Koji Ando
  • Patent number: 8098514
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive element includes a first reference layer having magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to a film surface, and an invariable magnetization, a recording layer having a stacked structure formed by alternately stacking magnetic layers and nonmagnetic layers, magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to a film surface, and a variable magnetization, and an intermediate layer provided between the first reference layer and the recording layer, and containing a nonmagnetic material. The magnetic layers include a first magnetic layer being in contact with the intermediate layer and a second magnetic layer being not in contact with the intermediate layer. The first magnetic layer contains an alloy containing cobalt (Co) and iron (Fe), and has a film thickness larger than that of the second magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshihiko Nagase, Katsuya Nishiyama, Tadashi Kai, Masahiko Nakayama, Makoto Nagamine, Minoru Amano, Masatoshi Yoshikawa, Tatsuya Kishi, Hiroaki Yoda
  • Publication number: 20120008381
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive element which records information by supplying spin-polarized electrons to a magnetic material, includes a first pinned layer which is made of a magnetic material and has a first magnetization directed in a direction perpendicular to a film surface, a free layer which is made of a magnetic material and has a second magnetization directed in the direction perpendicular to the film surface, the direction of the second magnetization reversing by the spin-polarized electrons, and a first nonmagnetic layer which is provided between the first pinned layer and the free layer. A saturation magnetization Ms of the free layer satisfies a relationship 0?Ms<?{square root over ( )}{Jw/(6?At)}. Jw is a write current density, t is a thickness of the free layer, A is a constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Toshihiko NAGASE, Masatoshi Yoshikawa, Eiji Kitagawa, Masahiko Nakayama, Tadashi Kai, Tatsuya Kishi, Hiroaki Yoda
  • Publication number: 20110309418
    Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element includes: a first ferromagnetic layer having invariable magnetization perpendicular to a film plane; a second ferromagnetic layer having variable magnetization perpendicular to the film plane; a first nonmagnetic layer interposed between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer; a third ferromagnetic layer provided on an opposite side of the second ferromagnetic layer from the first nonmagnetic layer, and having variable magnetization parallel to the film plane; and a second nonmagnetic layer interposed between the second and third ferromagnetic layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Masahiko NAKAYAMA, Tadashi Kai, Sumio Ikegawa, Hiroaki Yoda, Tatsuya Kishi
  • Publication number: 20110299192
    Abstract: An example magnetic recording head includes: a main magnetic pole; a laminated body; and a pair of electrodes. The laminated body includes a first magnetic layer having a coercivity lower than magnetic field applied by the main magnetic pole, a second magnetic layer having a coercivity lower than the magnetic field applied by the main magnetic pole, and an intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The pair of electrodes is operable to pass a current through the laminated body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Kenichiro Yamada, Hitoshi Iwasaki, Junichi Akiyama, Masayuki Takagishi, Tomomi Funayama, Masahiro Takashita, Mariko Shimizu, Shuichi Murakami, Tadashi Kai
  • Publication number: 20110300409
    Abstract: An example magnetic recording head includes: a main magnetic pole; a laminated body; and a pair of electrodes. The laminated body includes a first magnetic layer having a coercivity lower than magnetic field applied by the main magnetic pole, a second magnetic layer having a coercivity lower than the magnetic field applied by the main magnetic pole, and an intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The pair of electrodes is operable to pass a current through the laminated body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Kenichiro Yamada, Hitoshi Iwasaki, Junichi Akiyama, Masayuki Takagishi, Tomomi Funayama, Masahiro Takashita, Mariko Shimizu, Shuichi Murakami, Tadashi Kai
  • Patent number: 8036025
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive element which records information by supplying spin-polarized electrons to a magnetic material, includes a first pinned layer which is made of a magnetic material and has a first magnetization directed in a direction perpendicular to a film surface, a free layer which is made of a magnetic material and has a second magnetization directed in the direction perpendicular to the film surface, the direction of the second magnetization reversing by the spin-polarized electrons, and a first nonmagnetic layer which is provided between the first pinned layer and the free layer. A saturation magnetization Ms of the free layer satisfies a relationship 0?Ms<?{square root over ( )}{Jw/(6?At)}. Jw is a write current density, t is a thickness of the free layer, A is a constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshihiko Nagase, Masatoshi Yoshkawa, Eiji Kitagawa, Masahiko Nakayama, Tadashi Kai, Tatsuya Kishi, Hiroaki Yoda
  • Publication number: 20110227179
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive element according to an embodiment includes: a first magnetic layer; a tunnel barrier layer on the first magnetic layer; a second magnetic layer placed on the tunnel barrier layer and containing CoFe; and a nonmagnetic layer placed on the second magnetic layer, and containing nitrogen and at least one element selected from the group consisting of B, Ta, Zr, Al, and Ce.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Eiji KITAGAWA, Tadashi KAI, Tadaomi DAIBOU, Yutaka HASHIMOTO, Hiroaki YODA
  • Patent number: 8014193
    Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element includes: a first ferromagnetic layer having invariable magnetization perpendicular to a film plane; a second ferromagnetic layer having variable magnetization perpendicular to the film plane; a first nonmagnetic layer interposed between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer; a third ferromagnetic layer on an opposite side of the second ferromagnetic layer from the first nonmagnetic layer, and having variable magnetization parallel to the film plane; and a second nonmagnetic layer interposed between the second and third ferromagnetic layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masahiko Nakayama, Tadashi Kai, Sumio Ikegawa, Hiroaki Yoda, Tatsuya Kishi
  • Patent number: 8009465
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive element includes a first ferromagnetic layer having a first magnetization, the first magnetization having a first pattern when the magnetoresistive element is half-selected during a first data write, a second pattern when the magnetoresistive element is selected during a second data write, and a third pattern of residual magnetization, the first pattern being different from the second and third pattern, a second ferromagnetic layer having a second magnetization, and a nonmagnetic layer arranged between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer and having a tunnel conductance changing dependent on a relative angle between the first magnetization and the second magnetization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masahiko Nakayama, Tadashi Kai, Tatsuya Kishi, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Toshihiko Nagase, Sumio Ikegawa, Hiroaki Yoda
  • Patent number: 7957098
    Abstract: A magnetic writing head includes: a main magnetic pole; a laminated body; and a pair of electrodes. The laminated body includes a first magnetic layer having a coercivity lower than magnetic field applied by the main magnetic pole, a second magnetic layer having a coercivity lower than the magnetic field applied by the main magnetic pole, and an intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The pair of electrodes are operable to pass a current through the laminated body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kenichiro Yamada, Hitoshi Iwasaki, Junichi Akiyama, Masayuki Takagishi, Tomomi Funayama, Masahiro Takashita, Mariko Shimizu, Shuichi Murakami, Tadashi Kai
  • Patent number: 7924607
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive effect element includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a first spacer layer. The first magnetic layer has an invariable magnetization direction. The second magnetic layer has a variable magnetization direction, and contains at least one element selected from Fe, Co, and Ni, at least one element selected from Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, and Au, and at least one element selected from V, Cr, and Mn. The spacer layer is formed between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, and made of a nonmagnetic material. A bidirectional electric current flowing through the first magnetic layer, the spacer layer, and the second magnetic layer makes the magnetization direction of the second magnetic layer variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yoshikawa, Eiji Kitagawa, Tadashi Kai, Toshihiko Nagase, Tatsuya Kishi, Hiroaki Yoda
  • Patent number: 7920361
    Abstract: It is made possible to provide a magnetoresistive effect element that can reverse magnetization direction with a low current, having low areal resistance (RA) and a high TMR ratio. A magnetoresistive effect element includes: a film stack that includes a magnetization free layer including a magnetic layer in which magnetization direction is changeable, a magnetization pinned layer including a magnetic layer in which magnetization direction is pinned, and an intermediate layer provided between the magnetization free layer and the magnetization pinned layer, the intermediate layer being an oxide containing boron (B) and an element selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, Sr, Ba, Ti, and Sc. Current is applied bidirectionally between the magnetization pinned layer and the magnetization free layer through the intermediate layer, so that the magnetization of the magnetization free layer is reversible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yoshikawa, Tadashi Kai, Toshihiko Nagase, Eiji Kitagawa, Tatsuya Kishi, Hiroaki Yoda
  • Publication number: 20110073970
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive element includes a first magnetic layer with a variable magnetization and an easy-axis in a perpendicular direction to a film surface, a second magnetic layer with an invariable magnetization and an easy-axis in the perpendicular direction, and a first nonmagnetic layer between the first and second magnetic layers. The first magnetic layer comprises a ferromagnetic material including an alloy in which Co and Pd, or Co and Pt are alternately laminated on an atomically close-packed plane thereof. The first magnetic layer has C-axis directing the perpendicular direction. And a magnetization direction of the first magnetic layer is changed by a current flowing through the first magnetic layer, the first nonmagnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Inventors: Tadashi Kai, Katsuya Nishiyama, Toshihiko Nagase, Masatoshi Yoshikawa, Eiji Kitagawa, Tadaomi Daibou, Makoto Nagamine, Masahiko Nakayama, Naoharu Shimomura, Hiroaki Yoda, Kei Yakushiji, Shinji Yuasa, Hitoshi Kubota, Taro Nagahama, Akio Fukushima, Koji Ando
  • Patent number: 7875903
    Abstract: A magnetic memory device includes a magnetoresistive element and a first wiring layer. The magnetoresistive element includes a fixed layer, a recording layer, and a non-magnetic layer interposed therebetween. The first wiring layer extends in a first direction and generates a magnetic field for recording data in the magnetoresistive element. The recording layer includes a base portion extending in a second direction rotated from the first direction by an angle falling within a range of more than 0° to not more than 20°, and first and second projections projecting from the first and second sides of the base portion in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction. The third and fourth sides of the base portion are inclined with respect to the third direction in the same rotational direction as a rotational direction in which the second direction is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masahiko Nakayama, Tadashi Kai, Sumio Ikegawa, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Tatsuya Kishi
  • Patent number: 7848059
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive effect element includes a magnetization fixed layer having substantially fixed magnetization direction. A magnetization variable layer has a variable magnetization direction, consists of a magnetic alloy that has a BCC structure and is expressed by Fe1-x-yCoxNiy (0?x+y?1, 0?x?1, 0?y?1), and contains at least one additive element of V, Cr, and Mn in a range of 0<a?20 at % (a is a content). An intermediate layer is disposed between the magnetization fixed layer and the magnetization variable layer and consists of a nonmagnetic material. The magnetization direction of the magnetization variable layer is switched by a bidirectional current passing through the magnetization fixed layer, the intermediate layer, and the magnetization variable layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yoshikawa, Tadashi Kai, Toshihiko Nagase, Eiji Kitagawa, Tatsuya Kishi, Hiroaki Yoda
  • Publication number: 20100238717
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive device includes: a magnetic recording layer including a first magnetic layer having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, and a second magnetic layer having in-plane magnetic anisotropy and being exchange-coupled to the first magnetic layer, Curie temperature of the second magnetic layer being lower than Curie temperature of the first magnetic layer, and the magnetic recording layer having a magnetization direction perpendicular to a film plane; a magnetic reference layer having a magnetization direction which is perpendicular to a film plane and is invariable; and a nonmagnetic layer provided between the magnetic recording layer and the magnetic reference layer. The magnetization direction of the magnetic recording layer is changeable by spin-polarized electrons caused by flowing current between the magnetic recording layer and the magnetic reference layer in a direction perpendicular to the film plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Masahiko NAKAYAMA, Hiroaki Yoda, Tadashi Kai, Hisanori Aikawa, Katsuya Nishiyama, Jyunichi Ozeki
  • Publication number: 20100220415
    Abstract: A magnetic recording head includes: a main magnetic pole; a laminated body; and a pair of electrodes. The laminated body includes a first magnetic layer having a coercivity lower than magnetic field applied by the main magnetic pole, a second magnetic layer having a coercivity lower than the magnetic field applied by the main magnetic pole, and an intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The pair of electrodes are operable to pass a current through the laminated body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Kenichiro Yamada, Hitoshi Iwasaki, Junichi Akiyama, Masayuki Takagishi, Tomomi Funayama, Masahiro Takashita, Mariko Shimizu, Shuichi Murakami, Tadashi Kai
  • Publication number: 20100118600
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive element which records information by supplying spin-polarized electrons to a magnetic material, includes a first pinned layer which is made of a magnetic material and has a first magnetization directed in a direction perpendicular to a film surface, a free layer which is made of a magnetic material and has a second magnetization directed in the direction perpendicular to the film surface, the direction of the second magnetization reversing by the spin-polarized electrons, and a first nonmagnetic layer which is provided between the first pinned layer and the free layer. A saturation magnetization Ms of the free layer satisfies a relationship 0?Ms<?{square root over ( )}{Jw/(6?At)}. Jw is a write current density, t is a thickness of the free layer, A is a constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventors: Toshihiko NAGASE, Masatoshi Yoshikawa, Eiji Kitagawa, Masahiko Nakayama, Tadashi Kai, Tatsuya Kishi, Hiroaki Yoda
  • Publication number: 20100080050
    Abstract: A magnetic memory includes a magnetoresistive effect device comprising: a first ferromagnetic layer that has magnetic anisotropy in a direction perpendicular to a film plane thereof; a first nonmagnetic layer that is provided on the first ferromagnetic layer; a first reference layer that is provided on the first nonmagnetic layer, has magnetic anisotropy in a direction perpendicular to a film plane thereof, has magnetization antiparallel to a magnetization direction of the first ferromagnetic layer, and has a film thickness that is 1/5.2 to 1/1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Jyunichi OZEKI, Naoharu SHIMOMURA, Sumio IKEGAWA, Tadashi KAI, Masahiko NAKAYAMA, Hisanori AIKAWA, Tatsuya KISHI, Hiroaki YODA, Eiji KITAGAWA, Masatoshi YOSHIKAWA