Patents by Inventor Thomas P. Nolan

Thomas P. Nolan 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: 20090280357
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium, comprising a non-magnetic interlayer structure selected from the group consisting of: (1) a structure comprising a layer of a fcc Au-containing non-magnetic material having a <111> preferred growth orientation and a layer of a different material in overlying or underlying contact therewith; (2) a structure comprising, in overlying sequence, a layer of a fcc Au-containing non-magnetic material adjacent a magnetically soft underlayer and having a <111> preferred growth orientation; and n layers of a different fcc non-magnetic material having a <111> preferred growth orientation, where n=1?5; (3) a structure comprising, in overlying sequence, a layer of a fcc Au-containing non-magnetic material adjacent a magnetically soft underlayer and having a <111> preferred growth orientation; and a layer of a hcp non-magnetic material having a <0002> preferred growth orientation; (4) a structure comprising, in overlying sequence, a layer of a fcc A
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Erol GIRT, Thomas P. Nolan
  • Publication number: 20070287031
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording system, comprises: a perpendicular magnetic recording medium including a non-magnetic substrate having a surface and a stacked plurality of thin film layers forming a layer stack overlying the substrate surface and including a magnetically soft underlayer (SUL) beneath at least one perpendicular magnetic recording layer, wherein the SUL has a saturation magnetization (Ms)—thickness (t) product (Mst) less than about 4 memu/cm2, and a ring-type magnetic transducer head is positioned in spaced adjacency to an upper surface of the layer stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventors: Thomas P. Nolan, Li Tang, Yong-Chang Feng, Zhong (Stella) Wu, Samuel D. Harkness, Hans J. Richter, Youfeng Zheng
  • Patent number: 7175925
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium, comprising: (a) a non-magnetic substrate having a surface; and (b) a layer stack formed over the substrate surface, comprising in overlying sequence from the substrate surface: (i) a magnetically soft underlayer; (ii) an interlayer structure for crystallographically orienting a layer of a perpendicular magnetic recording material formed thereon; and (iii) at least one crystallographically oriented magnetically hard perpendicular recording layer; wherein the magnetically soft underlayer is sputter-deposited at a sufficiently large target-to-substrate spacing and at a sufficiently low gas pressure selected to provide the underlayer with a smooth surface having a low average surface roughness Ra below about 0.3 nm, as measured by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Qixu David Chen, Thomas P. Nolan, Zhong Stella Wu, Samuel Dacke Harkness, IV, Rajiv Yadav Ranjan
  • Patent number: 7033685
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic recording medium, comprises steps of: (a) providing a substrate of an amorphous thermoplastic polymer material having softening and glass transition temperatures as low as about 95° C.; and (b) forming at least one stack of thin film layers atop at least one surface of the substrate, the at least one layer stack including at least one granular magnetic recording layer of perpendicular type, wherein oxides and/or nitrides provide physical de-coupling of adjacent magnetic grains; and wherein each of the thin film layers is formed by depositing at a substrate temperature not greater than about 70° C., and the coercivity (Hc) of the resultant perpendicular magnetic recording medium is at least about 4,000 Oe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jean L. Lee, Thomas P. Nolan, Hong Ying Wang, Gary C. Rauch
  • Publication number: 20040247943
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium, comprising a non-magnetic interlayer structure selected from the group consisting of:
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Erol Girt, Thomas P. Nolan
  • Publication number: 20040247945
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium, comprising:
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Qixu David Chen, Thomas P. Nolan, Zhong Stella Wu, Samuel Dacke Harkness, Rajiv Yadav Ranjan
  • Patent number: 5105196
    Abstract: An alignment procedure to insure the proper and faithful reproduction of the automatic control loop SERial DAta (SERDA) instructions issued by the Pulse Amplitude and Timing COntrol Unit (PATCO). This reproduction takes place during high level, multipulsed, radio frequency energy transfer to the antenna system. The precise reproduction of the low level digital pulse shape and timing instructions will insure that the transmitter set is operating within the constraints of the International Telecommunications Union for radio transmissions and the specifications which govern the original design during "automatic operation" at a specified Envelope to Cycle Difference (ECD). The alignment procedure once accomplished allows for a simplified monitoring technique, to insure continued proper operation. This monitoring and correction routine can be accomplished using personnel of less technical expertise and test equipments of less complexity and cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Inventors: Thomas P. Nolan, Charles B. Branch