Patents by Inventor Tong Zhao

Tong Zhao 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).

  • RECORDING HEAD INCLUDING NFT AND HEATSINK
    Publication number: 20140050057
    Abstract: An apparatus including a near field transducer positioned adjacent to an air bearing surface, the near field transducer comprising silver (Ag) and at least one other element or compound; a first magnetic pole; and a heat sink positioned between the first magnetic pole and the near field transducer, wherein the heat sink includes: rhodium (Rh) or an alloy thereof; ruthenium (Ru) or an alloy thereof; titanium (Ti) or an alloy thereof; tantalum (Ta) or an alloy thereof; tungsten (W) or an alloy thereof; borides; nitrides; transition metal oxides; or palladium (Pd) or an alloy thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Jie Zou, Kaizhong Gao, William Albert Challener, Mark Henry Ostrowski, Venkateswara Rao Inturi, Tong Zhao, Michael Christopher Kautzky
  • MR device with synthetic free layer structure
    Patent number: 8653615
    Abstract: A magneto-resistive device having a large output signal as well as a high signal-to-noise ratio is described along with a process for forming it. This improved performance was accomplished by expanding the free layer into a multilayer laminate comprising at least three ferromagnetic layers separated from one another by antiparallel coupling layers. The ferromagnetic layer closest to the transition layer must include CoFeB while the furthermost layer is required to have low Hc as well as a low and negative lambda value. One possibility for the central ferromagnetic layer is NiFe but this is not mandatory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tong Zhao, Hui-Chuan Wang, Yu-Chen Zhou, Min Li, Kunliang Zhang
  • INTERLAYER FOR DEVICE INCLUDING NFT AND CLADDING LAYERS
    Publication number: 20140004384
    Abstract: A device that includes a near field transducer (NFT); at least one cladding layer adjacent the NFT; and a discontinuous metal layer positioned between the NFT and the at least one cladding layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Tong Zhao, Michael Christopher Kautzky, Michael Allen Seigler, Yongjun Zhao, Jay Jayashankar, Xiaoyue Huang
  • RECORDING HEAD FOR HEAT ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING WITH DIFFUSION BARRIER SURROUNDING A NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCER
    Publication number: 20130343167
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a near field transducer positioned adjacent to an air bearing surface, a first magnetic pole, a heat sink positioned between the first magnetic pole and the near field transducer, and a diffusion barrier positioned between the near field transducer and the first magnetic pole. The diffusion barrier can be positioned adjacent to the magnetic pole or the near field transducer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventors: Jie Zou, Kaizhong Gao, William Albert Challener, Mark Henry Ostrowski, Venkateswara Rao Inturi, Tong Zhao, Michael Christopher Kautzky
  • Layered Near-field Transducer
    Publication number: 20130330573
    Abstract: A near-field transducer includes a substrate that defines a substrate-parallel plane. The near-field transducer also includes a composite layer deposited on the substrate-parallel plane. The composite layer has a first layer of the plasmonic material and a second layer of an insertion material adjacent the substrate. The insertion material reduces plastic deformation of the near-field transducer at elevated temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Tong Zhao, Michael Christopher Kautzky, Amit Itagi, Michael Allen Seigler
  • HEAT ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEADS HAVING BILAYER HEAT SINKS
    Publication number: 20130286804
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a near field transducer positioned adjacent to an air bearing surface of the apparatus; a first magnetic pole; and a heat sink positioned between the first magnetic pole and the near field transducer, wherein the heat sink includes a first and second portion, with the first portion being adjacent the near field transducer and the second portion being adjacent the first magnetic pole, the first portion including a plasmonic material, and the second portion including a diffusion blocking material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Tong Zhao, Ibro Tabakovic, Michael C. Kautzky, Venkatram Venkatasamy, Jie Gong
  • HAMR NFT MATERIALS WITH IMPROVED THERMAL STABILITY
    Publication number: 20130286799
    Abstract: An apparatus that includes a near field transducer, the near field transducer including silver (Ag) and at least one other element or compound, wherein the at least one other element or compound is selected from: copper (Cu), palladium (Pd), gold (Au), zirconium (Zr), zirconium oxide (ZrO), platinum (Pt), geranium (Ge), nickel (Ni), tungsten (W), cobalt (Co), rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru), tantalum (Ta), chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al), vanadium (V), iridium (Ir), titanium (Ti), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), molybdenum (Mo), silicon (Si), or combinations thereof oxides of V, Zr, Mg, calcium (Ca), Al, Ti, Si, cesium (Ce), yttrium (Y), Ta, W or thorium (Th), Co, or combinations thereof; or nitrides of Ta, Al, Ti, Si, indium (In), Fe, Zr, Cu, W, boron (B), halfnium (Hf), or combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Meng Zhu, Tong Zhao, Steven C. Riemer, Michael C. Kautzky
  • TMR Device with Low Magnetoresistive Free Layer
    Publication number: 20130277780
    Abstract: A high performance TMR sensor is fabricated by employing a free layer with a trilayer configuration represented by FeCo/CoFeB/CoB, FeCo/CoB/CoFeB, FeCo/CoFe/CoB, or FeCo/FeB/CoB may also be employed. Alternatively, CoNiFeB or CoNiFeBM formed by co-sputtering CoB with CoNiFe or CoNiFeM, respectively, where M is V, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta, or Mo may be included in a composite free layer or as a single free layer in the case of CoNiFeBM. A 15 to 30% in improvement in TMR ratio over a conventional CoFe/NiFe free layer is achieved while maintaining low Hc and RA<3 ohm-um2. In bilayer or trilayer embodiments, magnetostriction (?) between ?5×10?6 and 5×10?6 is achieved by combining CoB (??) and one or more layers having a positive ?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Hui-Chuan Wang, Tong Zhao, Min Li, Kunliang Zhang
  • NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCERS INCLUDING NITRIDE MATERIALS
    Publication number: 20130279315
    Abstract: An apparatus that includes a near field transducer, the near field transducer including an electrically conductive nitride.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Tong Zhao, Sarbeswar Sahoo, Michael Christopher Kautzky, Amit Vasant Itagi
  • Low resistance tunneling magnetoresistive sensor with natural oxidized double MgO barrier
    Patent number: 8557407
    Abstract: A high performance TMR sensor is fabricated by incorporating a tunnel barrier having a Mg/MgO/Mg configuration. The 4 to 14 Angstroms thick lower Mg layer and 2 to 8 Angstroms thick upper Mg layer are deposited by a DC sputtering method while the MgO layer is formed by a NOX process involving oxygen pressure from 0.1 mTorr to 1 Torr for 15 to 300 seconds. NOX time and pressure may be varied to achieve a MR ratio of at least 34% and a RA value of 2.1 ohm-um2. The NOX process provides a more uniform MgO layer than sputtering methods. The second Mg layer is employed to prevent oxidation of an adjacent ferromagnetic layer. In a bottom spin valve configuration, a Ta/Ru seed layer, IrMn AFM layer, CoFe/Ru/CoFeB pinned layer, Mg/MgO/Mg barrier, CoFe/NiFe free layer, and a cap layer are sequentially formed on a bottom shield in a read head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tong Zhao, Kunliang Zhang, Hui Chuan Wang, Yu-Hsia Chen, Min Li
  • SWITCHING COMPONENT AND SWITCH SYSTEM COMPRISING THE SAME
    Publication number: 20130249315
    Abstract: A switching component comprising a number of switch sets in parallel is disclosed herein. Each switch set comprises a number of power switches and a backup power switch in series. The backup power switch has a default position of closed. Rated powers of the power switches and the backup power switch are less than a rated power of the switching component, and the switching component is modular. A switch system comprising the switching component is also described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ronghui Zhou, Fei Xu, Pengju Kang, Tong Zhao, Fei Li, Yong Li, Xiangming Shen
  • HAMR NFT MATERIALS WITH IMPROVED THERMAL STABILITY
    Publication number: 20130235707
    Abstract: A near field transducer includes gold and at least one dopant. The dopant can include at least one of: Cu, Rh, Ru, Ag, Ta, Cr, Al, Zr, V, Pd, Ir, Co, W, Ti, Mg, Fe, or Mo. The dopant concentration may be in a range from 0.5% and 30%. The dopant can be a nanoparticle oxide of V, Zr, Mg, Ca, Al, Ti, Si, Ce, Y, Ta, W, or Th, or a nitride of Ta, Al, Ti, Si, In, Fe, Zr, Cu, W or B.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Tong Zhao, Michael Christopher Kautzky, William Albert Challener, Michael Allen Seigler
  • Layered near-field transducer
    Patent number: 8514673
    Abstract: A near-field transducer includes a substrate that defines a substrate-parallel plane. The near-field transducer also includes a composite layer deposited on the substrate-parallel plane. The composite layer has a first layer of the plasmonic material and a second layer of an insertion material adjacent the substrate. The insertion material reduces plastic deformation of the near-field transducer at elevated temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Tong Zhao, Michael Christopher Kautzky, Amit Itagi, Michael Allen Seigler
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING A REAL TIME SOLID FLOW RATE IN A SOLID-GAS MIXTURE
    Publication number: 20130204547
    Abstract: A system for determining a real time solid flow rate of a solid-gas mixture is provided. The system includes multiple sensors, a data-fusion unit and an estimating unit. The sensors generate multiple measurement signals for obtaining at least two measured values of the real time solid flow rate. The data-fusion unit receives the measured values and establishes a state-space model based on the measured values. The estimating unit estimates the state-space model to generate an estimated value of the real time solid flow rate. A method for determining a real time solid flow rate of a solid-gas mixture is also presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventors: Xu Fu, Baoming Huang, Yao Chen, Tong Zhao, Zili Cai, Zhongzhi Hu
  • Recording head for heat assisted magnetic recording with diffusion barrier surrounding a near field transducer
    Patent number: 8477454
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a near field transducer positioned adjacent to an air bearing surface, a first magnetic pole, a heat sink positioned between the first magnetic pole and the near field transducer, and a diffusion barrier positioned between the near field transducer and the first magnetic pole. The diffusion barrier can be positioned adjacent to the magnetic pole or the near field transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jie Zou, Kaizhong Gao, William Albert Challener, Mark Henry Ostrowski, Venkateswara Rao Inturi, Tong Zhao, Michael Christopher Kautzky
  • TMR device with low magnetorestriction free layer
    Patent number: 8472151
    Abstract: A high performance TMR sensor is fabricated by employing a free layer with a trilayer configurations represented by FeCo/CoFeB/CoB, FeCo/CoB/CoFeB, FeCo/CoFe/CoB, or FeCo/FeB/CoB may also be employed. Alternatively, CoNiFeB or CoNiFeBM formed by co-sputtering CoB with CoNiFe or CoNiFeM, respectively, where M is V, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta, or Mo may be included in a composite free layer or as a single free layer in the case of CoNiFeBM. A 15 to 30% in improvement in TMR ratio over a conventional CoFe/NiFe free layer is achieved while maintaining low Hc and RA<3 ohm-um2. In bilayer or trilayer embodiments, magnetostriction (?) between ?5×10?6 and 5×10?6 is achieved by combining CoB (??) and one or more layers having a positive ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hui-Chuan Wang, Tong Zhao, Min Li, Kunliang Zhang
  • TMR device with novel free layer structure
    Patent number: 8456781
    Abstract: A composite free layer having a FL1/insertion/FL2 configuration where a top surface of FL1 is treated with a weak plasma etch is disclosed for achieving enhanced dR/R while maintaining low RA, and low ? in TMR or GMR sensors. The weak plasma etch removes less than about 0.2 Angstroms of FL1 and is believed to modify surface structure and possibly increase surface energy. FL1 may be CoFe, CoFe/CoFeB, or alloys thereof having a (+) ? value. FL2 may be CoFe, NiFe, or alloys thereof having a (?) ? value. The thin insertion layer includes at least one magnetic element such as Co, Fe, and Ni, and at least one non-magnetic element. When CoFeBTa is selected as insertion layer, the CoFeB:Ta ratio is from 1:1 to 4:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tong Zhao, Hui-Chuan Wang, Min Li, Kunliang Zhang
  • Composition and method for inhibition of microorganisms
    Patent number: 8440448
    Abstract: Provided are methods of treating a surface of a food processing facility which has a first population of microorganisms disposed thereon. The method includes disposing on the surface a biofilm containing a second population of microorganisms or a population of microorganisms that can form a biofilm onto the surface of the food processing facility. The growth of the second microbial population and the formation of a biofilm comprising these microorganisms can then inhibit the growth of the first population of microorganisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Doyle, Tong Zhao
  • STATISTICALLY BASED GOLF SWING ANALYSIS KIT
    Publication number: 20130116061
    Abstract: A golf swing analysis kit including a first member that rests on the floor; a second member that is secured to a wall or otherwise securably hung or placed; a third member that can both rest on the first member or removably connect to the front side of the second member; a fourth member that projects the third member from a stationary position resting atop the first member to removably attach to the second member, and a method of analyzing consistency of the projected third member location and correlation to improve a golf swing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: STATISTICAL GOLF, LLC
    Inventor: Tong Zhao
  • HAMR NFT materials with improved thermal stability
    Patent number: 8427925
    Abstract: A near field transducer includes gold and at least one dopant. The dopant can include at least one of: Cu, Rh, Ru, Ag, Ta, Cr, Al, Zr, V, Pd, Ir, Co, W, Ti, Mg, Fe, or Mo. The dopant concentration may be in a range from 0.5% and 30%. The dopant can be a nanoparticle oxide of V, Zr, Mg, Ca, Al, Ti, Si, Ce, Y, Ta, W, or Th, or a nitride of Ta, Al, Ti, Si, In, Fe, Zr, Cu, W or B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Tong Zhao, Michael Christopher Kautzky, William Albert Challener, Michael Allen Seigler