Forming Or Treating Article Containing Magnetically Responsive Material Patents (Class 216/22)
  • Patent number: 9978563
    Abstract: Provided is a method of patterning a layer on a substrate using an integration scheme, the method comprising: disposing a substrate having a structure pattern layer, a neutral layer, and an underlying layer, the structure pattern layer comprising a first material and a second material; performing a first treatment process using a first process gas mixture to form a first pattern, the first process gas comprising a mixture of CxHyFz and argon; performing a second treatment process using a second process gas mixture to form a second pattern, the second process gas comprising a mixture of low oxygen-containing gas and argon; concurrently controlling selected two or more operating variables of the integration scheme in order to achieve target integration objectives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Vinh Luong, Akiteru Ko
  • Patent number: 9972345
    Abstract: A method includes depositing a layer of pole material on a substrate. The layer of pole material has a bottom surface that is adjacent to the substrate and a top surface that is opposite the bottom surface. A masking material is deposited over a portion of the top surface. Material from the pole material unprotected by the masking material is removed to form a write pole having first and second side walls. At least a portion of a trench formed by removal of the material from the layer of pole material is filled with a sacrificial material. The mask and a portion of the write pole at the top surface are removed to form a beveled trailing edge surface. The sacrificial material is then removed. Front shield gap material is deposited over the beveled trailing edge surface and over portions of the side walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Wei Tian, Hauqing Yin, Lei Lu, Yong Luo, Joseph Mundenar
  • Patent number: 9966096
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a structure includes: a substrate; and a monolayer of nanoparticles positioned above the substrate, where the nanoparticles are each grafted to one or more oligomers and/or polymers, and where each of the polymers and/or oligomers includes at least a first functional group configured to bind to the nanoparticles. In another embodiment, a structure includes: a substrate; a structured layer positioned above the substrate, the structured layer comprising a plurality of nucleation regions and a plurality of non-nucleation regions; and a crystalline layer positioned above the structured layer, where the plurality of nucleation regions have a pitch in a range between about 5 nm to about 20 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Chen, Nicholas R. Conley, Bruce A. Gurney, Ricardo Ruiz, Lei Wan, Qing Zhu
  • Patent number: 9966271
    Abstract: Methods for forming semiconductor devices, such as FinFET devices, are provided. An epitaxial film is formed over a semiconductor fin, and the epitaxial film includes a top surface having two facets and a bottom surface including two facets. A cap layer is deposited on the top surface, and portions of the epitaxial film in a lateral direction are removed by an isotropic plasma etch process. The isotropic plasma etch process may be performed at a pressure ranging from about 5 mTorr to about 200 mTorr in order to maximize the amount of radicals while minimizing the amount of ions in the plasma. Having a smaller lateral dimension prevents the epitaxial film from merging with an adjacent epitaxial film and creates a gap between the epitaxial film and the adjacent epitaxial film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Wei Liu, Hua Chung, Xuebin Li, Yuxiang Lu
  • Patent number: 9958441
    Abstract: A biosensing FET device, comprising a plurality of nanostructured SOI channels, that is adapted to operate in solutions having a high ionic strength and provides improves sensitivity and detection. Generally, the biosensing device comprises an underlying substrate layer, an insulator and a semiconductor layer and a plurality of channels in the semiconductor layer comprising a plurality of whole or partially formed nanopores in the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: An-Ping Zhang, Anthony John Murray, Rui Chen
  • Patent number: 9905259
    Abstract: Provided herein is a method, including forming a first template including a first pattern, wherein forming the first template includes self-assembly of diblock copolymers guided by an initial pattern; forming a second template including a second pattern, wherein the second pattern corresponds to a servo pattern; and forming a master template from the first template, wherein the master template includes one or more portions of the first pattern combined with the second pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Sundeep Chauhan, Alexander Kantorov, Kim Yang Lee, David Kuo, Rene Johannes Marinus Van de Veerdonk, Barmeshwar Vikaramaditya
  • Patent number: 9865508
    Abstract: Techniques for forming closely packed hybrid nanowires are provided. In one aspect, a method for forming hybrid nanowires includes: forming alternating layers of a first and a second material in a stack on a substrate; forming a first trench(es) and a second trench(es) in the stack; laterally etching the layer of the second material selectively within the first trench(es) to form first cavities in the layer; growing a first epitaxial material within the first trench(es) filling the first cavities; laterally etching the layer of the second material selectively within the second trench(es) to form second cavities in the layer; growing a second epitaxial material within the second trench(es) filling the second cavities, wherein the first epitaxial material in the first cavities and the second epitaxial material in the second cavities are the hybrid nanowires. A nanowire FET device and method for formation thereof are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Veeraraghavan S. Basker, Zuoguang Liu, Tenko Yamashita, Chun-chen Yeh
  • Patent number: 9840781
    Abstract: An etchant for simultaneously etching NiFe and AlN with approximately equal etch rates that comprises phosphoric acid, acetic acid, nitric acid and deionized water. Alternating layers of NiFe and AlN may be used to form a magnetic core of a fluxgate magnetometer in an integrated circuit. The wet etch provides a good etch rate of the alternating layers with good dimensional control and with a good resulting magnetic core profile. The alternating layers of NiFe and AlN may be encapsulated with a stress relief layer. A resist pattern may be used to define the magnetic core geometry. The overetch time of the wet etch may be controlled so that the magnetic core pattern extends at least 1.5 um beyond the base of the magnetic core post etch. The photo mask used to form the resist pattern may also be used to form a stress relief etch pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Mona M. Eissa, Yousong Zhang, Mark Jenson
  • Patent number: 9830935
    Abstract: An apparatus that includes a read sensor having a bearing surface and first and second free layers that are separated by an intermediate structure. The first FL includes multiple segments, with each segment having a width at the bearing surface. A sum of the widths of different ones of the multiple segments is a first width of the first FL. The second FL is unsegmented and has a second width at the bearing surface that is different from the first width of the first FL. The read sensor also includes a first terminal connected to a first one of the multiple segments of the first FL, and a second terminal connected to a second one of the multiple segments of the first FL. A third terminal is connected to the second FL. Control circuitry applies a bias current from either the first or second terminal to the third terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Kaizhong Gao, Wenzhong Zhu, Edward Gage
  • Patent number: 9768377
    Abstract: A magnetic cell structure comprises a seed material including tantalum, platinum, and ruthenium. The seed material comprises a platinum portion overlying a tantalum portion, and a ruthenium portion overlying the platinum portion. The magnetic cell structure comprises a magnetic region overlying the seed material, an insulating material overlying the magnetic region, and another magnetic region overlying the insulating material. Semiconductor devices including the magnetic cell structure, methods of forming the magnetic cell structure and the semiconductor devices are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Chen, Jonathan D. Harms, Sunil Murthy
  • Patent number: 9761252
    Abstract: An apparatus has a main pole layer of magnetic material, a second layer of magnetic material, a first gap layer of non-magnetic material between the main pole layer and the second layer of magnetic material, and a second gap layer of non-magnetic material disposed between the main pole layer and the second layer of magnetic material. The second gap layer of non-magnetic material can be directly adjacent to the second layer of magnetic material. In accordance with one embodiment, this allows the gap to serve as a non-magnetic seed for the second layer of magnetic material. A method of manufacturing such a device is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Wei Tian, Venkateswara Rao Inturi, Dong Lin, Huaqing Yin, Jiaoming Qiu
  • Patent number: 9728596
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a first magnetic layer, an insulative oxide layer, an oxygen trapping layer and a cap layer. The insulative oxide layer is over the first magnetic layer. The oxygen trapping layer is over the insulative oxide layer. The oxygen concentration of the oxygen trapping layer is less than an oxygen concentration of the insulative oxide layer. The cap layer is over the oxygen trapping layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Chun-Chi Chen, Kai-Wen Cheng, Cheng-Yuan Tsai, Kuo-Ming Wu
  • Patent number: 9714173
    Abstract: The present invention relates to, inter alia, gyroidal mesoporous carbon materials and methods of use and manufacture thereof. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a mesoporous carbon composition comprising a gyroidal mesoporous carbon having an ordered gyroidal structure and mesopores having a pore size of greater than 2 nanometers (nm) in diameter, and more particularly greater than 11 nm in diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Ulrich B. Wiesner, Joerg G. Werner
  • Patent number: 9698341
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive-based device and method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive-based device using a plurality of masks. The magnetoresistive-based device includes magnetic material layers formed between a first electrically conductive layer and a second electrically conductive layer, the magnetic materials layers including a tunnel barrier layer formed between a first magnetic materials layer and a second magnetic materials layer. In one embodiment, the method may include removing the first electrically conductive layer and the first magnetic materials layer unprotected by a first mask, to form a first electrode and a first magnetic materials, respectively, and removing the tunnel barrier layer and the second magnetic materials layer unprotected by a second mask to form a tunnel barrier and second magnetic materials, and the second electrically conductive layer unprotected by the second mask to form, and a second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Everspin Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sarin A. Deshpande, Sanjeev Aggarwal
  • Patent number: 9673057
    Abstract: A method for forming a stair-step structure in a substrate within a plasma processing chamber is provided. An organic mask is formed over the substrate. The organic mask is trimmed with a vertical to lateral ratio of less than 0.8, wherein the trimming simultaneously forms a deposition over the organic mask. The substrate is etched. The steps of trimming the organic mask and etching the substrate are cyclically repeated a plurality of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: In Deog Bae, Qian Fu
  • Patent number: 9672856
    Abstract: A magnetic media having a lateral exchange control layer formed on a magnetic oxide layer of a magnetic recording layer. A cap layer is formed over the lateral exchange control layer. The lateral exchange control layer can be an alloy comprising Co and one or more of W, Ru, Hf, Ta, Nb and Fe. The lateral exchange control layer has the highest magnetic saturation moment among all the recording layers, and increases spacing between magnetic grains (e.g. increased non-magnetic boundary width), thereby reducing lateral exchange sigma. The presence of lateral exchange control increases signal to noise ratio and reduces bit error rate and increases areal density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Shun Tonooka, Masayoshi Shimizu, Miki Nishida, Hiroyuki Katada
  • Patent number: 9627205
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a blend solution that includes a block copolymer and an adsorbent is prepared. The block copolymer is synthesized by a copolymerization between a first polymer unit and a second polymer unit having a hydrophilicity greater than that of the first polymer unit. The adsorbent on which the block copolymer is adsorbed is extracted. The block copolymer is separated from the adsorbent. The block copolymer is collected. The block copolymer may be used to form a mask on an object layer on a substrate and the mask used to etch the object layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Won Han, Su-Jin Kwon, Hye-Ryun Kim, Jae-Hyun Kim, Jung-Sik Choi
  • Patent number: 9626990
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording writer with an all wrap around (AWA) shield design wherein one or more of the leading shield, trailing shield, and side shields comprises a magnetic hot seed layer made of a >19 kG to 24 kG material that adjoins a gap layer, and a side of the hot seed layer opposite the gap layer adjoins a high damping magnetic layer made of a 10-16 kG material (or a 16-19 kG material in the trailing shield) having a Gilbert damping parameter a >0.04. In one embodiment, the high damping magnetic layer is FeNiRe with a Re content of 3 to 15 atomic %. The main pole leading and trailing sides may be tapered. Side shields may have a single taper or dual taper structure. Higher writer speed with greater areal density capability is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuhui Tang, Yaguang Wei, Jiun-Ting Lee
  • Patent number: 9620156
    Abstract: A magnetic head device with high joint strength in an arm and a suspension is provided. The magnetic head device comprises an arm, a suspension overlapping with a leading end part of the arm, a slider located at a leading end part of the suspension, and a joint part that is located between the leading end part of the arm and the suspension and that joins the arm and the suspension, while the joint part includes Sn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Igarashi, Makoto Orikasa, Takashi Kawashima, Hisayuki Abe
  • Patent number: 9614143
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) trench having a first conductive barrier liner and a second conductive barrier liner. The MRAM trench may land on a hard mask of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) within an MTJ region of the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device may also include a logic trench having the first conductive barrier liner. The semiconductor device may further include a logic via having the first conductive barrier liner. The logic via may land on a first portion of a conductive interconnect (Mx) within a logic region of the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Yu Lu, Wei-Chuan Chen, Seung Hyuk Kang
  • Patent number: 9613777
    Abstract: A plasma chamber having improved plasma density is disclosed. The plasma chamber utilizes internal antennas. These internal antennas can be manipulated in a variety of ways to control the uniformity of the plasma density. In some embodiments, the conductive coil within the antenna is translated from a first location to a second location. For example, the entirety of the internal antennas may be translated within the plasma chamber. In another embodiment, the conductive coil disposed within the outer tube is translated relative to its outer tube. In another embodiment, the conductive coil within the outer tube may be bent and may be rotated within the outer tube. In another embodiment, the outer tube may also be bent and rotated. In other embodiments, ferromagnetic segments may be disposed in the outer tube to focus or block the electromagnetic energy emitted from the conductive coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Inventors: Alexandre Likhanskii, Svetlana B. Radovanov
  • Patent number: 9601688
    Abstract: In a case where reactive ion etching using a gas containing an oxygen atom is used for etching or a magnetoresistive element, a magnetic film becomes damaged due to oxidation. Such damage to the element by the oxidation becomes a factor which causes deterioration in element properties. In the etching of the magnetoresistive element according to one embodiment of the present invention, a magnetoresistive film is subjected to ion beam etching and thereafter to reactive ion etching. A side deposition formed by the ion beam etching coats a sidewall of the magnetoresistive film and reduces damage by the oxygen atom during the later reactive ion etching. Also, a time during which the element is exposed to plasma of the gas containing the oxygen atom can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Anelva Corporation
    Inventor: Masayoshi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9570550
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising forming a stack of nanowires, the stack including a first nanowire having a first length, and a second nanowire having a second length, the second nanowire arranged above the first nanowire, forming a sacrificial gate stack on the stack of nanowires, growing a source/drain region on the first, second nanowires, removing the sacrificial gate stack to expose channel regions of the first and second nanowires, and forming a gate stack over the channel regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael A. Guillorn, William L. Nicoll, Hanfei Wang
  • Patent number: 9564153
    Abstract: A substrate for suspension comprises a metallic substrate, an insulating layer formed on the metallic substrate, a conductor layer formed on the insulating layer, and a cover layer covering the conductor layer. The insulating layer and the cover layer are formed from different materials, whose coefficients of hygroscopic expansion are in the range between 3×10?6/% RH and 30×10?6/% RH. The difference between the coefficients of hygroscopic expansion of the two materials is 5×10?6/% RH or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Hitomi, Shinji Kumon, Terutoshi Momose, Katsuya Sakayori, Kiyohiro Takachi, Yoichi Miura, Tsuyoshi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9542961
    Abstract: Tolerances for manufacturing reader structures for transducer heads continue to grow smaller and storage density in corresponding storage media increases. Reader stop layers may be utilized during manufacturing of reader structures to protect various layers of the reader structure from recession and/or scratches while processing other non-protected layers of the reader structure. For example, the stop layer may have a very low polish rate during mechanical or chemical-mechanical polishing. Surrounding areas may be significantly polished while a structure protected by a stop layer with a very low polish rate is substantially unaffected. The stop layer may then be removed via etching, for example, after the mechanical or chemical-mechanical polishing is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Carolyn Pitcher Van Dorn, Thomas Roy Boonstra, Eric Walter Singleton, Shaun Eric McKinlay
  • Patent number: 9543509
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive structure includes a substrate and a patterned stack structure. The substrate has a back surface and a front surface having a step portion. The patterned stack structure is on the step portion of the front surface and comprises a magnetoresistive layer, a conductive cap layer and a dielectric hard mask layer. The step portion has a top surface parallel to the back surface, a bottom surface parallel to the back surface and a step height joining the top surface and bottom surface and being not parallel to the back surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Voltafield Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Fu-Tai Liou, Chien-Min Lee, Nai-Chung Fu
  • Patent number: 9508364
    Abstract: A PMR writer is disclosed with an all wrap around (AWA) shield design in which one or more of the leading shield, trailing shield, and side shields are comprised of a composite wherein a magnetic “hot seed” layer made of a >19 kG to 24 kG material adjoins a gap layer, and a side of the hot seed layer opposite the gap layer adjoins a high damping magnetic layer made of a 10-16 kG material (or a 16-19 kG material in the trailing shield) having a Gilbert damping parameter ?>0.04. In a preferred embodiment, the high damping magnetic layer is FeNiRe with a Re content of 3 to 15 atomic %. One or both of the main pole leading and trailing sides may be tapered. Side shields may have a single taper or dual taper structure. Higher writer speed with greater areal density capability is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuhui Tang, Yaguang Wei, Jiun-Ting Lee
  • Patent number: 9506154
    Abstract: A plasma processing method is provided for reducing dimensions of a film to be etched from patterned dimensions, and is capable of reducing dimensions without causing deformation or collapse of the film to be etched. A plasma processing method for trimming a tantalum film by plasma etching using a resist, an antireflective film disposed under the resist, and a mask film disposed under the antireflective film, includes the steps of trimming the antireflective film and the mask film by plasma etching with the resist as a mask; removing the resist and the antireflective film subjected to the trimming, by plasma; and trimming the tantalum film by plasma etching with a mask film obtained after the resist and the antireflective film subjected to the trimming are removed by plasma, as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Ishimaru, Takeshi Shimada, Makoto Suyama, Takahiro Abe
  • Patent number: 9489974
    Abstract: The embodiments disclose a method including patterning a template substrate to have different densities using hierarchical block copolymer density patterns in different zones including a first pattern and a second pattern, using a first directed self-assembly to pattern a first zone in the substrate using a first block copolymer material, and using a second directed self-assembly to pattern a second zone in the substrate using a second block copolymer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: XiaoMin Yang, Shuaigang Xiao, Kim Y. Lee, Koichi Wago, Philip Steiner
  • Patent number: 9466659
    Abstract: Wafer-level methods of forming circuit elements, such as multilayer inductors or transformers, are provided. The methods include, for instance: forming, in at least one layer above a substrate, at least one conductive portion of the circuit element; providing an uncured polymer-dielectric material surrounding, at least in part, and overlying the conductive portion(s) of the element; partially curing the polymer-dielectric material to obtain a partially-hardened, polymer-dielectric material; and polishing the partially-hardened, polymer-dielectric material down to the conductive portion(s). The polishing planarizes the partially-hardened, polymer-dielectric material and exposes an upper surface of the conductive portion(s) to facilitate forming at least one other conductive portion of the element above and in electrical contact with the conductive portion(s). After polishing, curing of the polymer-dielectric material is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Luke England, Mahesh Anant Bhatkar, Wanbing Yi, Juan Boon Tan
  • Patent number: 9431605
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device structure. The method comprises forming a block copolymer assembly comprising at least two different domains over an electrode. At least one metal precursor is selectively coupled to the block copolymer assembly to form a metal-complexed block copolymer assembly comprising at least one metal-complexed domain and at least one non-metal-complexed domain. The metal-complexed block copolymer assembly is annealed in to form at least one metal structure. Other methods of forming a semiconductor device structures are described. Semiconductor device structures are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Sills, Dan B. Millward
  • Patent number: 9373520
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for etching a multilayer film formed by laminating a plurality of alternating layers of a first layer having a first dielectric constant and a second layer having a second dielectric constant. This method includes (a) a multilayer film etching step, in which an etchant gas is supplied into a processing chamber and a microwave is supplied into the processing chamber to excite a plasma of the etchant gas; and (b) a resist mask reducing step in which an oxygen-containing gas and a fluorocarbon-based gas are supplied to the processing chamber and a microwave is supplied into the processing chamber to excite a plasma of the oxygen-containing gas and the fluorocarbon-based gas. In this method, the steps (a) and (b) are alternately repeated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shota Yoshimura, Eiji Suzuki, Tomiko Kamada, Hiroto Ohtake
  • Patent number: 9362453
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a near-infrared light-emitting diode (LED) and the method for manufacturing the same. When preparing the light-emitting layer of the near-infrared LED according to the present invention, the CsSnXX?2 solution is coated on the substrate having the hole transport layer. Then, by a drying process, the solvent is moved away and the CsSnXX?2 solution is solidified, crystallized to CsSnXX?2 in the perovskite structure, which is used as the light-emitting layer of the near-infrared LED and emits near infrared. X and X? are identical or different halogen elements. In addition, according to the present invention, lead can be used to replace a part of tin. By adjusting the ratio of lead and tin or adopting different combination of halogen elements, the wavelength of the generated near infrared varies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Chung Yuan Christian University
    Inventors: Yu-Chiang Chao, Yu-Chi Huang
  • Patent number: 9337414
    Abstract: A TMR (tunneling magnetoresistive) read sensor is formed in which a portion of the sensor stack containing the ferromagnetic free layer and the tunneling barrier layer is patterned to define a narrow trackwidth, but a synthetic antiferromagnetic pinning/pinned layer is left substantially unpatterned and extends in substantially as-deposited form beyond the lateral edges bounding the patterned portion. The narrow trackwidth of the patterned portion permits high resolution for densely recorded data. The larger pinning/pinned layer significantly improves magnetic stability and reduces thermal noise, while the method of formation eliminates possible ion beam etch (IBE) or reactive ion etch (RIE) damage to the edges of the pinning/pinned layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Min Li, Ruhang Ding, Cherng Chyi Han, Jianing Zhou, Minghui Yu
  • Patent number: 9312064
    Abstract: A first layered structure includes a magnetic layer, a first hard mask layer, a second hard mask layer, and a first stepping layer. The first stepping layer is etched through to create a sidewall. A mask-width definition layer is deposited on and adjacent to the sidewall, until a mask-width definition layer thickness is achieved adjacent to the sidewall. The mask-width definition layer is removed except on the sidewall. The first stepping layer is removed. The second hard mask layer is etched away, except for a remainder of the second hard mask layer beneath the mask-width definition layer. The first hard mask layer is etched away around the remainder of the second hard mask layer, to form a dual layer hard mask comprising the remainder of the second hard mask layer and the remainder of the first hard mask layer. The magnetic layer is ion milled around the dual hard mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Miao Wang, Wei Gao, Lingyun Miao, Hai Sun, Ming Mao
  • Patent number: 9306157
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive-based device using a plurality of hard masks. The magnetoresistive-based device includes magnetic material layers formed between a first electrically conductive layer and a second electrically conductive layer, the magnetic materials layers including a tunnel barrier layer formed between a first magnetic materials layer and a second magnetic materials layer. In one embodiment, the method may include removing the first electrically conductive layer and the first magnetic materials layer unprotected by a first hard mask, to form a first electrode and a first magnetic materials, respectively, and removing the tunnel barrier layer and the second magnetic materials layer unprotected by a second hard mask to form a tunnel barrier and second magnetic materials, and the second electrically conductive layer unprotected by the second hard mask to form, and a second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Everspin Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sarin A. Deshpande, Sanjeev Aggarwal
  • Patent number: 9299609
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus that includes a substrate; a first hard-mask pattern that includes a number of first features disposed over a top surface of the substrate; and a second hard-mask pattern disposed over the first hard-mask layer. The second hard-mask pattern includes a number of second features overlapping one or more of the first features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: XiaoMin Yang, Shuaigang Xiao, Yautzong Hsu, Zhaoning Yu, Kim Y. Lee, David S. Kuo
  • Patent number: 9299484
    Abstract: A resistive structure has an improved electric field profile deposited on the surface of a cylindrical insulating substrate. At least one resistive path or trace is provided with a helix-looking shape and is directly printed on the surface of the insulating substrate. A resistive voltage divider includes first and second resistors electrically connected in series, where each resistor is made of one or more traces of electrically resistive film material applied onto a cylindrical insulating substrate. At least one of the traces is shaped like a helix and is applied onto the substrate by direct printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: ABB AG
    Inventors: Adrian Hozoi, Rolf Disselnkötter, Marek Pavlas
  • Patent number: 9293157
    Abstract: A dual/beam FIB/SEM system and method for operating such a system are provided. A micrograph of a throat height view of a magnetic writer is obtained through iterative milling and repeated evaluation of the leading bevel angle or pole length. In some cases, the milling depth for a next iteration may be modified based on evaluation of the leading bevel angles of the current iteration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt C. Ruthe, Sataporn Sittisak
  • Patent number: 9284649
    Abstract: The embodiments disclose a method of fabricating a stack, including replacing a metal layer of a stack imprint structure with an oxide layer, patterning the oxide layer stack using chemical etch processes to transfer the pattern image and cleaning etch residue from the stack imprint structure to substantially prevent contamination of the metal layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Michael R. Feldbaum, Justin Jia-Jen Hwu, David S. Kuo, Gennady Gauzner, Kim Yang Lee, Li-Ping Wang
  • Patent number: 9236069
    Abstract: A method for making a current-perpendicular-to-the-plane magnetoresistive sensor structure produces a top electrode that is “self-aligned” on the top of the sensor and with a width less than the sensor trackwidth. A pair of walls of ion-milling resistant material are fabricated to a predetermined height above the biasing layers at the sensor side edges. A layer of electrode material is then deposited onto the top of the sensor between the two walls. The walls serve as a mask during angled ion milling to remove outer portions of the electrode layer. The height of the walls and the angle of ion milling determines the width of the resulting top electrode. This leaves the reduced-width top electrode located on the sensor. Because of the directional ion milling using walls that are aligned with the sensor side edges, the reduced-width top electrode is self-aligned in the center of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Patrick Mesquita Braganca, Jeffrey R. Childress, Jordan Asher Katine, Yang Li, Neil Leslie Robertson, Neil Smith, Petrus Antonius VanDerHeijden, Douglas Johnson Werner
  • Patent number: 9214167
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, an apparatus may be implemented that comprises a main pole layer of magnetic material, a non-magnetic gap layer of material above the main pole layer, an etched first sacrificial layer of material above the non-magnetic gap layer of material, and a second sacrificial layer of material above the etched first sacrificial layer of material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Wei Tian, Venkateswara Rao Inturi, Doug Lin, Huaqing Yin, Jiaoming Qiu
  • Patent number: 9202493
    Abstract: A mode converter for use in a Heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) read head to couple or bend light (e.g., from an external laser diode) into a tapered waveguide, and subsequently, to a near field transducer is provided. The mode converter may have an ultra-sharp tip, e.g., less than 200 nm to achieve a desired optical output. Manufacturing such a mode converter involves a two-pattern transform process, where overlay control (using a first edge, such as a right edge, as a reference layer relative to which positioning of a second edge, such as a left edge, is measured) allows for aligning of the right and left edges of a tip portion of the mode converter to ultimately create the ultra-sharp tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
    Inventors: Dujiang Wan, Ge Yi, Lijie Zhao, Zhong Shi, Hai Sun
  • Patent number: 9202487
    Abstract: An approach for aligning a light source on a slider involves filtering light emerging from the air bearing surface of a (ABS) of a heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) slider. A first portion of the emerging light is emitted by a near field transducer in response to optical excitation and has a component having a first polarization state. A second portion of the emerging light including stray light has polarization states different from the first polarization state. The polarizing filter substantially transmits light having the first polarization state and substantially rejects light having a polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state. Alignment coordinates for the light source are determined based on the light transmitted through the polarizing filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Chubing Peng
  • Patent number: 9196274
    Abstract: Disclosed is an embodiment of a suspension for a disk drive having a slider configured for bonding with a gimbal using an adhesive. Embodiments of the slider include one or more cavities in a portion of a slider mounting surface of the slider. The one or more cavities are configured for increasing a volume of the adhesive between the slider mounting surface and the gimbal. A method of forming the one or more cavities on the slider mounting surface, and bonding together the gimbal and the slider is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Michael Stephan, Gordon Merle Jones, Douglas Hampton Cole, Christopher Unger
  • Patent number: 9153253
    Abstract: The perpendicular magnetic recording head includes: a magnetic pole including an end surface exposed on an air bearing surface, and extending in a height direction perpendicular to the air bearing surface; a leading shield including an end surface exposed on the air bearing surface; a leading gap provided between the magnetic pole and the leading shield; and a recess shield including a mid-part and other parts, and provided at a position on a side opposite to the magnetic pole with the leading shield in between, the mid-part being distanced from the leading shield in a track width direction, the other parts being in contact with the leading shield, and the position being recessed from the air bearing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamaguchi, Atsushi Matsuo, Yuji Matsuura, Michitaka Nishiyama, Yumiko Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 9123358
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording writer for use in a data storage device, the recording transducer has a magnetic writer pole, a pole tip facing an air bearing surface (ABS). The pole tip has a pole face, leading side wall, a trailing side wall, a first side wall and a second side wall. A trailing side wall nonmagnetic gap layer on the trailing side wall, a first side wall nonmagnetic gap layer deposited on the first side wall, and a second side wall nonmagnetic gap layer deposited on the second side wall. A high magnetic moment seed layer is deposited on the trailing side wall nonmagnetic gap layer, the first side wall nonmagnetic gap layer, and the second side wall nonmagnetic gap layer. In other aspects of the invention shields are provided that have magnetic moments less than the magnetic moment of the seed layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Feng Liu, Dehua Han, Yugang Wang, Zhigang Bai, Tao Pan
  • Patent number: 9105569
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a magnetic film structure is provided. The method comprises forming a magnetic structure on a bottom electrode layer, the magnetic structure comprising at least one pinned bottom magnetic film layer having a fixed magnetic orientation; at least one top magnetic film layer whose magnetic orientation can be manipulated by a current; and a tunneling layer between the bottom magnetic film layer and the top magnetic film layer; forming a metallic hard mask atop the magnetic structure; patterning and etching the metallic hard mask to define exposed areas of the magnetic structure; selectively etching the exposed areas of the magnetic structure by a chemical etch process based on a CO etch chemistry to form discrete magnetic bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: III Holdings 1, LLC
    Inventors: Krishnakumar Mani, Benjamin Chen
  • Patent number: 9096937
    Abstract: Provided is a method of etching a transition metal-containing film using a substrate processing apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing container configured to define a processing chamber and a plasma generation chamber; and a shielding unit provided between the processing chamber and the plasma generation chamber and formed with a plurality of openings to communicate the processing chamber and the plasma generation chamber with each other. The shielding unit has a shielding property against ultraviolet rays. The method includes: supplying neutral particles of oxygen atoms to the processing chamber in which a workpiece is accommodated by generating plasma of a first gas containing oxygen in the plasma generation chamber; supplying a second gas to complex a transition metal oxidized while supplying the neutral particles of oxygen to the processing chamber; and supplying neutral particles of rare gas atoms to the processing chamber by generating plasma of a rare gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignees: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Xun Gu, Seiji Samukawa
  • Patent number: 9087703
    Abstract: A bonding structure includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, anisotropic conductive adhesive (ACA) and conductive wires. The ACA is disposed between second connecting bonding pads of the first substrate and second bonding pads of the second substrate. First bonding pads of the first substrate are bonded with corresponding first matching bonding pads of the PCB, and second duplicated bonding pads of the first substrate are bonded with second matching bonding pads of the PCB, wherein the first and the second matching bonding pads are disposed on the same surface of the PCB. The second connecting bonding pads and the corresponding second duplicated bonding pads are electrically coupled via the conductive wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Henghao Technology Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Ting-Chieh Chen, Chin-Liang Chen