Patents by Inventor Thomas C. Anthony

Thomas C. Anthony 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: 7422912
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory device includes a plurality of magnetic data cells and a magnetic reference cell extending uninterrupted along more than one of the plurality of data cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Anthony, Judy Bloomquist, legal representative, Manoj K. Bhattacharyya, Darrel R. Bloomquist
  • Patent number: 7391641
    Abstract: An exemplary memory array including a plurality of memory cells, each of the memory cells comprises a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer spaced apart from the first ferromagnetic layer by a non-magnetic separating layer and being magnetically coupled to the first ferromagnetic layer by demagnetizing fields from the first ferromagnetic layer, a spacer layer above the second ferromagnetic layer, and a reference layer above the spacer layer. The first ferromagnetic layer, non-magnetic separating layer, and second ferromagnetic layer in combination function as a data layer of the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manish Sharma, Lung Tran, Thomas C. Anthony
  • Patent number: 7195927
    Abstract: An exemplary method for making a memory structure having different-sized memory cell layers comprises forming at least two layers of ferromagnetic materials, forming at least one mask layer above the ferromagnetic materials, patterning the at least one mask layer, etching the ferromagnetic materials using the at least one mask layer as a first etch transfer mask, laterally reducing a planar dimension of the at least one mask layer to be narrower than the ferromagnetic materials, and etching a layer of the ferromagnetic materials using the reduced at least one mask layer as a second etch transfer mask, such that the ferromagnetic layer being etched becomes a different lateral size than another ferromagnetic layer of the ferromagnetic materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Manish Sharma, Thomas C. Anthony
  • Patent number: 7196957
    Abstract: The invention includes a stacked magnetic memory structure. The magnetic memory structure includes a stacked magnetic memory structure. The first layer includes a first plurality of magnetic tunnel junctions. A second layer is formed adjacent to the first layer. The second layer includes a second plurality of magnetic tunnel junctions. The stacked magnetic memory structure further includes a common first group conductor connected to each of the first plurality of magnetic tunnel junctions and the second plurality of magnetic tunnel junctions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Lung Tran, Thomas C. Anthony
  • Patent number: 7193259
    Abstract: A thermally written magnetic memory device is disclosed. The thermally written magnetic memory device includes a plurality of thermally written magnetic tunnel junction devices. Each thermally written magnetic tunnel junction device includes a super-paramagnetically stable data layer. The data layer includes a high coercivity at a read temperature such that a bit of data previously written to the data layer at a higher write temperature can be read from the data layer at the read temperature. The data layer has a low coercivity at the higher write temperature and data is written to the data layer at the higher write temperature. Therefore, at the lower read temperature, the thermally written magnetic memory device is a read only non-volatile memory and the data stored therein can be read many times but new data cannot be written to the data layer at the read temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Manoj K. Bhattacharyya, Thomas C. Anthony
  • Patent number: 7187580
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a magnetic memory. In one embodiment, the magnetic memory comprises a magnetic memory cell and a conductor configured to provide a magnetic field to write the magnetic memory cell. Structure is configured to direct the magnetic field and reduce coercivity of the magnetic memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Anthony, Manoj K. Bhattacharyya, Judy Bloomquist, legal representative, Darrel R. Bloomquist, deceased
  • Patent number: 7102921
    Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetic memory device that includes a magnetic memory cell switchable between two states by the application of a magnetic field wherein the magnetic field for such switching is dependent in part on a memory cell temperature. The device further includes at least one heater element proximate to the magnetic memory cell and series connected with the magnetic memory cell for heating of the magnetic memory cell. The device also includes a circuit for selectively applying the electrical current through the at least one heater element so as to heat the cell and facilitate cell state-switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Anthony, Frederick A. Perner, Heon Lee, Robert G Walmsley
  • Patent number: 7057249
    Abstract: A memory device includes a first surface having memory chips disposed thereon, the memory chips defining an exterior face of the memory device, and a second surface opposite the exterior face. A magnetically permeable shield layer extends over at least one of the exterior face and the second surface of the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Anthony, Colin A. Stobbs, Manoj K. Bhattaharyya, Anthony P. Holden, Judy Bloomquist, legal representative, Darrel R. Bloomquist, deceased
  • Patent number: 7057920
    Abstract: A method of performing a thermally assisted write operation on a selected two conductor spin valve memory (SVM) cell having a material wherein the coercivity is decreased upon an increase in temperature. In a particular embodiment, a first write magnetic field is established by a first write current flowing from a first voltage potential to a second voltage potential as applied to the first conductor. A second write magnetic field is established by a second write current flowing from a third voltage potential to a fourth voltage potential as applied to the second conductor. The voltage potential of the first conductor is greater than the voltage potential of the second conductor. As a result, a third current, flows from the first conductor through the SVM cell to the second conductor. The SVM cell has an internal resistance such that the flowing current generates heat within the SVM cell. As the SVM cell is self heated, the coercivity of the SVM cell falls below the combined write magnetic fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Perner, Thomas C. Anthony, Robert C Walmsley, Lung Tran
  • Patent number: 7027319
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for retrieving data stored in a magnetic integrated memory. In one embodiment, the method includes applying a perturbing hard-axis magnetic field to a magnetic element in a magnetic integrated memory and detecting a change in an electrical parameter caused by said perturbing hard-axis magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Anthony, Richard L. Hilton, Lung T. Tran
  • Patent number: 6989327
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention is a method of forming a contact in a thin-film device. The method includes forming a liftoff stencil, depositing at least one material through the liftoff stencil, removing a portion of the liftoff stencil, forming a re-entrant profile with the remaining portion of the liftoff stencil and depositing a conductor material in contact with the at least one material on the re-entrant profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Manish Sharma, Thomas C. Anthony, Heon Lee
  • Patent number: 6985381
    Abstract: A method for reading the magnetization orientation of a memory cell includes applying a magnetic field to the memory cell, observing any change in resistance of the memory cell as the magnetic field is applied, and determining the magnetization orientation based upon the observed change in resistance of the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Manoi K. Bhattacharyya, Thomas C. Anthony, Anthony P. Holden
  • Patent number: 6984530
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device is disclosed. The method reduces the number of mask steps and processing steps required to fabricate the MRAM device. A first conductive layer and a sense layer are patterned in a first mask step. A subsequent etching step forms a bottom electrode and a sense layer that are continuous with each other in a first direction. A second conductive layer and a plurality of layers of material required to form a magnetic tunnel junction stack are patterned in a second mask step. A subsequent etching step forms a top electrode and a plurality of layers of material that are continuous with each other in a second direction, and a plurality of discrete sense layers. The discrete sense layers and the plurality of layers of material define a plurality of magnetic tunnel junction devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Heon Lee, Thomas C. Anthony, Manish Sharma
  • Patent number: 6961263
    Abstract: A memory device includes an array of magnetic storage cells. Each magnetic storage cell in the array includes a set of conductors used to write data to a storage cell and a second set of conductors used to heat the magnetic storage cell and read data from the magnetic storage cell. The magnetic storage cells can be used in electronic systems such as a computer system or consumer electronic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Kenneth K. Smith, Thomas C. Anthony, Lung T. Tran
  • Patent number: 6947313
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for coupling conductors in magnetic memory. In some embodiments, the memory element comprises: a first magnetic memory element, a first group of conductors magnetically coupled to the first magnetic memory element, a second magnetic memory element, a second group of conductors magnetically coupled to the second magnetic memory element, where the second magnetic memory element is substantially vertical to the first, and the first and second group of conductors have at least one conductor in common.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Perner, Kenneth K. Smith, Thomas C. Anthony
  • Patent number: 6944053
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a magnetic memory. In one embodiment, the magnetic memory comprises a magnetic memory cell and a conductor configured to provide a magnetic field to write the magnetic memory cell. Structure is configured to direct the magnetic field and reduce coercivity of the magnetic memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Anthony, Manoj K. Bhattacharyya, Judy Bloomquist, Darrel R. Bloomquist
  • Patent number: 6937506
    Abstract: A random access memory (MRAM) that includes a magnetic memory cell that is switchable between two states under the influence of a magnetic field. The MARAM also includes an electrical bit line coupled to the magnetic memory cell for generating the magnetic field. The electrical bit line includes a conductive component and a magnetic component to guide magnetic flux associated with the magnetic field towards the magnetic memory cell. A thermal insulator is positioned between the conductive portion and the magnetic memory cell, and the magnetic component has at least one guiding portion that extends from the conductive component towards the magnetic memory cell to guide the magnetic flux around at least a portion of the thermal insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Anthony, Frederick A. Perner, Heon Lee
  • Patent number: 6936903
    Abstract: An exemplary magnetic memory cell comprises a data layer, a soft reference layer having a lower magnetic energy than the data layer, and spacer layer between the data layer and the soft reference layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Anthony, Manish Sharma, Manoj K. Bhottacharyya
  • Patent number: 6930370
    Abstract: A memory includes an array of magnetic memory cells, each magnetic memory cell being adapted to store a bit of information, interconnects in communication with the magnetic memory cells, and conductors in communication with the magnetic memory cells and the interconnects, the conductors filling spaces between adjacent magnetic memory cells of the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Perner, Thomas C. Anthony
  • Patent number: 6925003
    Abstract: The invention includes a magnetic memory cell. The magnetic memory cell includes a reference layer having a preset magnetization. A barrier layer is formed adjacent to the reference layer. A sense layer is formed adjacent to the barrier layer. A first conductive write line is electrically connected to the reference layer. The magnetic memory cell further includes a second conductive write line having a gap, the gap being filled by at least a portion of the sense layer. A write current conducting through the second conductive write line is at least partially conducted through the portion of the sense layer, the write current increasing a temperature of the sense layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Lung Tran, Thomas C. Anthony