Light Beam Generation Patents (Class 369/13.24)
  • Patent number: 11651786
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to pretreating a magnetic recording head for magnetic media drive. For a heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) head, a light source provides the necessary heat for the drive to operation. A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) is mounted to a top surface of a slider. A plurality of laser beams are emitted from the bottom surface of the VCSEL and directed to a corresponding number of waveguide structures within the HAMR head. The waveguide structures feed into a multimode interference (MMI) device that then directs the laser into a single waveguide for focusing on a near field transducer (NFT). The VCSEL lasers are phase coherent and have no mode hopping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry C. Stipe, Takuya Matsumoto, Sergei Sochava
  • Patent number: 11626311
    Abstract: The present teachings disclose various embodiments of a printing system for printing substrate, in which the printing system can be housed in a gas enclosure, where the environment within the enclosure can be maintained as a controlled printing environment. A controlled environment of the present teachings can include control of the type of gas environment within the gas enclosure, the size and level particulate matter within the enclosure, control of the temperature within the enclosure and control of lighting. Various embodiments of a printing system of the present teachings can include a Y-axis motion system and a Z-axis moving plate that are configured to substantially decrease excess thermal load within the enclosure by, for example, eliminating or substantially minimizing the use of conventional electric motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Kateeva, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert B. Lowrance, Alexander Sou-Kang Ko, Justin Mauck, Eliyahu Vronsky, Aleksey Khrustalev, Karl Mathia, Shandon Alderson
  • Patent number: 11264585
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a flexible display device and a manufacturing method thereof. The flexible display device includes a base substrate; a pixel defining layer disposed on the base substrate defining a plurality of light emitting regions; and a first electrode layer disposed on a side of the pixel defining layer away from the base substrate and in light-emitting regions. A thin film encapsulation layer covers the first electrode layer and has protrusions protruding toward the pixel defining layer at a plurality of positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youwei Wang, Song Zhang, Tao Sun, Peng Cai, Huan Liu
  • Patent number: 10540998
    Abstract: A method and apparatus provide for determining a temperature at a junction of a laser diode when the laser diode is operated in a lasing state that facilitates heat-assisted magnetic recording, comparing the junction temperature and an injection current supplied during the lasing state to stored combinations of junction temperature and injection current, and determining a likelihood of mode hopping occurring for the laser diode during the lasing state based on the comparison to stored combinations of junction temperature and injection current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Karim Tatah, Mourad Benakli, James Gary Wessel
  • Patent number: 10319909
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an organic electronic element capable of reducing unevenness in film thickness of a coating film is disclosed. A method for manufacturing an organic electronic element according to an embodiment of the invention is a method for manufacturing an organic electronic element including a functional layer containing an organic material, including a coating step of forming a functional layer by horizontally conveying a base material (110) having flexibility using a roll-to-roll process and coating a coating solution containing an organic material onto the base material (110) using a slit coat applicator (30) disposed above the base material (110), wherein in the coating step, the base material (110) is floated by air using an air floating stage (20) disposed below the base material (110) and the coating solution is coated onto the base material (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Yasuo Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10147446
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a slider configured for heat assisted magnetic recording and comprising a substrate. At least one component of the slider generates heat when energized. At least one thermal via extends through a portion of the slider from a location proximate the component to the substrate. The thermal via is configured to conduct heat away from the component and to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: James Gary Wessel, Zoran Jandric, Vasudevan Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 10062402
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a waveguide includes forming a core including a first layer and a second layer. The first layer has a top surface including a first region with which a bottom surface of the second layer is in contact, and a second region with which the bottom surface of the second layer is not in contact. Forming the core includes the steps of: forming an initial first layer; forming an etching stopper layer on the second region of the initial first layer; forming an initial second layer on the initial first layer and the etching stopper layer; etching the initial second layer and the initial first layer so as to make the initial first layer into the first layer; and etching the initial second layer until the etching stopper layer is exposed, so as to make the initial second layer into the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: HEADWAY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Hironori Araki, Yoshitaka Sasaki, Hiroyuki Ito, Shigeki Tanemura, Seiichiro Tomita, Masakazu Okada
  • Patent number: 9911441
    Abstract: A solid-immersion mirror has two reflective portions surrounding a focal region. A thermal sensor that senses temperature as a function of resistance is proximate at least one of the two reflective portions of the solid-immersion mirror. A near-field transducer is located proximate the focal region of the solid-immersion mirror. The near-field transducer directs optical energy to a magnetic recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Zoran Jandric, Martin Blaber, Chubing Peng, John Charles Duda
  • Patent number: 9754794
    Abstract: Techniques related to semiconductor fabrication are generally described herein. An example fabrication method may include coupling, by a lithographic equipment, a surface of a planar waveguide structure with a first surface of a photolithographic mask. Some example methods may also include directing, by the lithographic equipment, a lithography light beam into the planar waveguide structure, causing a surface plasmon being emitted from the surface of the planar waveguide structure when the lithography light beam is reflected by internal surfaces of the planar waveguide structure, effectuating an attenuated total reflection. Some example methods may further include directing, by the lithographic equipment, an evanescent wave caused by the surface plasmon through the photolithographic mask, wherein the evanescent wave has a sub-diffraction characteristic and is used as a photolithographic light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT LLC
    Inventor: Qingkang Wang
  • Patent number: 9659582
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electronic device includes a positioning step of positioning a first member supporting a laser diode with respect to a second member having a waveguide, a bonding step of bonding the first member and the second member together, and a checking step of checking the accuracy of positioning of the first member with respect to the second member. In the positioning step, the laser diode is energized to allow laser light to be emitted, and the laser light is allowed to be incident on the incidence end of the waveguide. In the bonding step, a bonding material is melted by irradiating the first member with heating light while the laser diode is not energized. In the checking step, the laser diode is energized again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignees: TDK CORPORATION, SAE MAGNETICS (H.K.) LTD.
    Inventors: Seiichi Takayama, Yasuhiro Ito, Nobuyuki Mori, Koji Shimazawa, Kazuaki Takanuki, Youichi Ando
  • Patent number: 9472212
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a controller configured to apply a writing configuration (WC) to a heat-assisted magnetic recording head to write data to a recording medium. The recording medium includes a plurality of sectors. The controller is further configured to determine an optimized WC for each of the plurality of sectors and initiate a write operation to one of the plurality of sectors. The write operation is configured to be performed by the head utilizing the optimized WC for the respective sector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Minjie Ma, Edward Charles Gage, Kaizhong Gao
  • Patent number: 9460740
    Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic recording head is disclosed having a spot size converter with at least one secondary waveguide adjoining a top or bottom surface of a primary waveguide. Each waveguide has tapered sides but the secondary waveguide is tapered at a greater angle over a shorter taper distance in order to couple propagated light into the primary waveguide before the front end of the taper. The secondary waveguide terminates in a ridge with a fixed width w3 of about 50-170 nm that is between the front end of the taper and the air bearing surface (ABS). The ridge enables transverse magnetic (TM) transmission mode efficiency above 90% even with a typical process misalignment in the cross-track and height directions. The primary waveguide has a front section with width w2 between an end of its tapered sides and the ABS where w2 is substantially larger than w3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Matteo Staffaroni, Xuhui Jin, Weihao Xu, Jianing Zhou, Ya-An Yang, Dayu Zhou
  • Patent number: 9201178
    Abstract: A planar collimator has first and second sections each intersecting at a junction between a first axis and a second axis normal to the first axis. Each of the first and second sections have geometries configured to receive light from a source point located on the first axis and collimate the light at respective positive and negative tilting angles relative to the second axis. The first and second sections direct the collimated light to respective first and second sides of a focusing mirror and away from a gap between the first and second sides of the focusing mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Chubing Peng, Kaizhong Gao, Frank Edgar Stageberg
  • Patent number: 9190085
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a waveguide with first and second sections, and a junction coupling the first and second waveguide sections together. The first waveguide section has a first reflective device and the second section comprising a second reflective device arranged to generate a standing wave in the waveguide with maximum energy wave intensity at a target region of the waveguide in response to an incident energy wave being provided into at least one of the waveguide sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Hongxing Yuan, Jinshan Li, Zhong Shi
  • Patent number: 9117479
    Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, wherein the head comprises a laser configured to heat the disk during write operations. A first test pattern written at a first laser power is read to generate a first track width metric and a first peak amplitude. A second test pattern written at second laser power is read to generate a second track width metric and a second peak amplitude. The first track width metric, the first peak amplitude, the second track width metric, and the second peak amplitude are processed to estimate a coefficient C of an error function. An operating write power for the laser is calibrated based on the estimated coefficient C of the error function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Madison, Andreas Moser
  • Patent number: 9099103
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus are described for increasing areal density and track density for a data storage system. Media with high magneto-crystalline anisotropy is heated locally during writing, utilizing heating methods such as heat-assisted magnetic recording, energy assisted magnetic recording, thermally assisted recording. In an aspect, high-power heated tracks of a magnetic recording layer are heated and written, and then low-power heated tracks are heated and written. The high-power heated tracks and the low-power heated tracks are interlaced, such that a low-power heated track is situated between two high-power heated tracks. In an aspect, media rewriting speed is increased. In an aspect, the high-power heated tracks and low-power heated tracks are written to at substantially the same data rate and linear density. In an aspect, any erasure of any portion of the high-power heated tracks from heating the low-power heated tracks is avoided, or minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander Krichevsky
  • Patent number: 9093085
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a magnetic disk device including a light source, a light irradiation element, and a controller. The light irradiation element is configured to receive light from the light source to irradiate light onto a magnetic disk. The controller is configured to switch between a first control and a second control according to a pulse width of data to be written onto the magnetic disk. The first control keeps an output of the light source at a first value. The second control makes the output of the light source change periodically between the first value and a second value lower than the first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hiroshi Isokawa
  • Patent number: 9064528
    Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) head is coupled with a laser for providing energy and has an air-bearing surface (ABS) configured to reside in proximity to a media during use. The HAMR head includes a slider coupled with the laser and a HAMR transducer coupled with the slider. The HAMR transducer includes a write pole that writes to a region of the media, coil(s) for energizing the write pole and an interferometric waveguide (IWG) optically coupled with the laser. The IWG includes a splitter, a recombination region and arms between the splitter and the recombination region. The arms have multiple optical path lengths. The IWG is configured to provide the energy from the laser to the media by forming an interference pattern in the recombination region. An antinode of the interference pattern is at a region of the media and heats the region of the media for a write operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Krichevsky, Christopher B. Wolf
  • Publication number: 20150146506
    Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk and a head comprising a laser configured to heat the disk while writing to the disk. At least one transmission line couples a laser driver to the laser. Data is written to the disk by pulsing the laser driver, wherein the transmission line comprises an impedance that results in a target pulse shape of optical power output by the laser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: ALEXANDER KRICHEVSKY, ROBERT J. JOHNSON
  • Patent number: 9042207
    Abstract: Controlling a laser diode involves activating a first current source in preparation for writing to a magnetic recording medium. The first current source applies a threshold current to a laser diode that brings the laser diode close to an operating point. Responsive to a write signal, a second current source is activated that applies a write current to the laser diode. A combination of the write current and the threshold current fully energizes the laser diode and is less than a target recording current. Coincident with the activation of the second current source, a photodiode is activated that is optically coupled to the laser diode. The activated photodiode causes a feedback current to be applied to the laser diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventor: Housan Dakroub
  • Publication number: 20150138937
    Abstract: A method of storing data includes providing a write signal for a write head of a hard disk drive, generating a transition pulse signal derived from the write signal using a transition pulse generator, and generating a logic signal to drive a thermal source associated with the write head of the hard disk drive. The logic signal includes the logical summation of a cyclical base pulse signal and the transition pulse signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Naoto Ito, Michiya Kazusawa, Hiroyasu Tanabe, Sarbanoo Das, Hideki Zaitsu
  • Patent number: 9036456
    Abstract: An near-field light device (100) is provided with: a first electrode layer (123) having a protruding portion (123a); a second electrode layer (121); and a light emitting layer (122), the protruding portion protrudes along a predetermined direction (Y axis direction) to be capable of extracting energy which is caused by emission of light at the light emitting layer, the predetermined direction intersects with a laminated direction (X axis direction) of the near-field light device, an edge surface of at least one portion of the projection portion is located at more outward side in the optical device than an edge surface of the second electrode layer is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Kasuya, Satoshi Sugiura
  • Patent number: 9025420
    Abstract: A method of storing data includes providing a write signal for a write head of a hard disk drive, generating a transition pulse signal derived from the write signal using a transition pulse generator, and generating a logic signal to drive a thermal source associated with the write head of the hard disk drive. The logic signal includes the logical summation of a cyclical base pulse signal and the transition pulse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Naoto Ito, Michiya Kazusawa, Hiroyasu Tanabe, Sarbanoo Das, Hideki Zaitsu
  • Patent number: 9025422
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a plasmon generator, in which a surface plasmon is excited by application of light. The plasmon generator extends along one direction. The plasmon generator includes a first end surface that is positioned on one end in the one direction and at which near-field light is generated along with the excitation of the plasmon; and a second cross section that is substantially parallel to the first end surface and is away from the first end surface. The first end surface has a polygonal shape that does not have a substantially acute inner angle. The second cross section has an upper part that has a shape substantially the same as or similar to that of the first end surface and a flare shaped lower part that is connected to the upper part and has a width that increases as it is far from the upper part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Susumu Aoki, Kosuke Tanaka, Keita Kawamori, Hiroki Kawato, Takeshi Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 9007878
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention relates to glass for a magnetic recording medium substrate, which includes essential components in the form of SiO2, Li2O, Na2O, and one or more alkaline earth metal oxides selected from the group consisting of MgO, CaO, SrO, and BaO, wherein a molar ratio of a content of MgO to a combined content of MgO, CaO, SrO, and BaO (MgO/(MgO+CaO+SrO+BaO)) is equal to or greater than 0.80, and which has a Young's modulus of equal to or greater than 80 GPa, and a glass transition temperature of equal to or greater than 620° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Naomi Matsumoto, Kazuaki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8982494
    Abstract: A head gimbal assembly has a suspension configured to extend along a surface of a recording medium and to bend and deform in a thickness direction of the recording medium. A slider is provided on a front end side of the suspension so as to confront the surface of the recording medium. A support section supports the slider such that the slider can pivot about two axes parallel to the surface of the recording medium and perpendicular to each other. An optical waveguide is connected to the slider and is configured to introduce a light flux into the slider. A near-field light generating element generates near-field light from the optical flux and causes the near-field light to record information on the recording medium. A positioning section is mounted between the support section and the slider for positioning the optical waveguide relative to the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Masakazu Hirata, Manabu Oumi, Majung Park, Sachiko Tanabe
  • Patent number: 8982678
    Abstract: A data storage media may have at least a multi-layer recording lamination with a predetermined coercivity. The multi-layer recording lamination can be configured to record at least one servo format mark for a plurality of data tracks with a solid immersion mirror and program a data bit on the multi-layer recording lamination with a near field transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Edward Charles Gage, Jan-Ulrich Thiele
  • Patent number: 8976633
    Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a disk, a head comprising a laser configured to heat the disk while writing data to the disk, and a fly height actuator (FHA) configured to actuate the head vertically over the disk based on an FHA setting. A write laser power applied to the laser during a write operation is calibrated, a first fly height of the head is measured at a first laser power setting, and a second fly height of the head is measured at a second laser power setting different from the first laser power setting. A FHA write setting is generated based on the calibrated write laser power and the first and second fly height measurements, where the FHA write setting is applied to the FHA during the write operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Huanxiang Ruan, Galvin T. Chia
  • Patent number: 8971159
    Abstract: A light delivery system in a slider includes a channel waveguide, a mode-index refractive surface, a solid immersion mirror, and a near field transducer. The mode-index refractive surface shapes the angular spectrum of the light on its path to the solid immersion mirror in a manner so as to change the distribution of light energy focused on to the near field transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Bernard W. Bell, Chubing Peng
  • Publication number: 20150049594
    Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic recording medium (1) includes a substrate (101), an underlayer (3) that is formed above the substrate (101), and a magnetic layer (107) that is formed on the underlayer (3) and contains an alloy having an L10 structure as a main component. The underlayer (3) is formed by continuously laminating a first underlayer (104) having a BCC structure with a lattice constant that is 0.302 to 0.332 nm, a second underlayer (105) that has a NaCl structure including C, and a third underlayer (106) that is composed of MgO.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kanbe, Kazuya Niwa, Yuji Murakami, Lei Zhang
  • Patent number: 8953421
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a submount having a mounting surface and a top surface opposite the mounting surface. A slider has a bonding feature that interfaces with the mounting surface of the submount, and two or more layers are disposed between the mounting surface of the submount and the bonding feature. The two or more layers are configured to enhance light absorption of light in proximity to the bonding feature. The light originates from a source of electromagnetic energy that illuminates the top surface of the submount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Chubing Peng, Michael Allen Seigler
  • Publication number: 20150036467
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a slider with a cavity in a trailing end of the slider. A laser is positioned in the cavity and has an output facet positioned adjacent to a first wall of the cavity. A cap is connected to the trailing end of the slider and covers the laser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Cole, Lijuan Zhong, Roger Lee Hipwell, JR., Joseph Michael Stephan, Scott Eugene Olson, Tanya Jegeris Snyder, Yongjun Zhao
  • Publication number: 20150016236
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic recording medium including a structure in which at least a soft magnetic underlayer, a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and a magnetic recording layer are sequentially laminated on a non-magnetic substrate, wherein the magnetic recording layer includes a first magnetic layer, a non-magnetic layer, and a second magnetic layer in order from the non-magnetic substrate side, has a structure in which the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer are magnetically separated from each other with the non-magnetic layer interposed therebetween, and consists of a plurality of patterns which are magnetically separated from each other, and the coercive force Hc of the second magnetic layer is larger than that of the first magnetic layer, and the coercive force Hc of the second magnetic layer is smaller than that of the first magnetic layer temporarily when the second magnetic layer is heated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
    Inventors: Akira SAKAWAKI, Akira YAMANE
  • Patent number: 8908480
    Abstract: A method and system provide an energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) disk drive. The EAMR disk drive includes a media, at least one laser coupled with the slider, at least one EAMR head on the slider, and at least one electro-optical modulator (EAM) The EAM(s) are optically coupled with the laser(s) and coupled with the slider. The combination of the laser(s) and EAM(s) provide a pulsed energy output. The EAMR head(s) include at least one waveguide, a write pole, and at least one coil for energizing the write pole. The waveguide(s) receive the pulsed energy output and direct the pulsed energy output toward the media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander Krichevsky
  • Patent number: 8891340
    Abstract: An apparatus and associated method is presently disclosed for a control circuitry capable of managing a heat source used in data storage applications. Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to a heat source directed at a data storage medium with a synchronization signal and a serial interface that are each selectively activated via a demultiplexed write gate signal. The selective activation allows for pulsed operation of the heat source resulting in reduced duty cycle and temperature during a write operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Michael H. Lennard, Robert Matousek
  • Publication number: 20140334274
    Abstract: Controlling a laser diode involves activating a first current source in preparation for writing to a magnetic recording medium. The first current source applies a threshold current to a laser diode that brings the laser diode close to an operating point. Responsive to a write signal, a second current source is activated that applies a write current to the laser diode. A combination of the write current and the threshold current fully energizes the laser diode and is less than a target recording current. Coincident with the activation of the second current source, a photodiode is activated that is optically coupled to the laser diode. The activated photodiode causes a feedback current to be applied to the laser diode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventor: Housan Dakroub
  • Publication number: 20140334276
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention relates to glass for a magnetic recording medium substrate, which includes essential components in the form of SiO2, Li2O, Na2O, and one or more alkaline earth metal oxides selected from the group consisting of MgO, CaO, SrO, and BaO, wherein a molar ratio of a content of MgO to a combined content of MgO, CaO, SrO, and BaO (MgO/(MgO+CaO+SrO+BaO)) is equal to or greater than 0.80, and which has a Young's modulus of equal to or greater than 80 GPa, and a glass transition temperature of equal to or greater than 620° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naomi MATSUMOTO, Kazuaki Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20140334275
    Abstract: Changes in the thermal boundary condition near a close point of an ABS to a media indicate proximity of the ABS with the media. Before contact, heat conduction from the ABS is primarily through convective and/or ballistic heat transfer to air between the ABS and the media. After contact, heat flux primarily flows from the ABS to the media through solid-solid conductive contact. Further, a light source within a HAMR transducer head may create additional thermal variations within the transducer head. These thermal variations create temperature variations within the transducer head. Two resistance temperature sensors on the transducer head at varying distances from the close point and/or light source measure these temperature variations. A temperature difference between the two resistance temperature sensors indicates proximity of the close point to the media and/or light output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Xuan Zheng, Timothy William Stoebe, Jorge Hanchi, Kaizhong Gao
  • Patent number: 8877358
    Abstract: A method for providing a capping layer configured for an energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) head including at least one slider. The method comprises etching a substrate having a top surface using an etch to form a trench in the substrate, the trench having a first surface at a first angle from the top surface and a second surface having a second angle from the top surface. The method further comprises providing a protective coating exposing the second surface and covering the first surface, removing a portion of the substrate including the second surface to form a laser cavity within the substrate configured to fit a laser therein, and providing a reflective layer on the first surface to form a mirror, the cavity and mirror being configured for alignment of the laser to the laser cavity and to the mirror and for bonding the laser to the laser cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Lei Wang, Pezhman Monadgemi
  • Patent number: 8854928
    Abstract: Apparatus and systems create differential drive signals suitable for HAMR data recording. A laser diode differential driver provides heating current pulses at a time ?1. The pulses energize a laser diode to pre-heat the magnetic medium to be written. Some embodiments duplicate portions of the laser diode circuit architecture to create a magnetic write head differential driver. The write head driver provides write current pulses to a magnetic write head in one direction with ?1 timing and in the opposite direction with ?2 timing. Both drivers utilize sets of reference voltages capable of being switched to one terminal or the other of the element to be driven. In the laser diode case, the common mode is split between the anode and cathode sections of the driver. A feedback element is added between the cathode and anode sections to provide current accuracy independent of the electrical characteristics of the selected laser diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Jeremy Robert Kuehlwein
  • Publication number: 20140269235
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive data writer and reader may be generally configured at least with a magnetoresistive (MR) element contacting a magnetic shield that is contrasted of (Ni78Fe22)99.8O0.2 material. The magnetic shield may be formed with an electrodeposition process that uses ?-diketones derivatives to form nano-crystalline grain structure after a subsequent annealing at temperatures above 400° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Jie Gong, Ibro Tabakovic, Steve Riemer, Michael Christopher Kautzky
  • Publication number: 20140269236
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to energy-assisted magnetic recording (EAMR), an EAMR assembly, and methods for fabricating the same. In several embodiments, an EAMR head includes a sub-mount on a slider that has a waveguide configured to receive light from a light source attached to a surface of the sub-mount. The waveguide receives the light at a top surface of the slider and routes the light to be near an air bearing surface (ABS) of the slider where energy of the light can be used to heat up a spot on a recording media disk that is proximate the ABS. The waveguide also routes a portion of the light back to the top surface of the slider where the light exits the waveguide and is detected by a light detector located along the surface of the sub-mount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
    Inventor: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
  • Publication number: 20140269237
    Abstract: A plasmon generator has a front end face, a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and an intermediate layer. The front end face generates near-field light based on a surface plasmon. The intermediate layer is interposed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. Each of the first metal layer, the second metal layer and the intermediate layer has an end located in the front end face. Each of the first and second metal layers is formed of a metal material. The intermediate layer is formed of a material higher in Vickers hardness than the metal material used to form the first metal layer and the metal material used to form the second metal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicants: SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd., Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka SASAKI, Hiroyuki ITO, Shigeki TANEMURA, Hironori ARAKI, Seiichiro TOMITA, Ryuji FUJII
  • Patent number: 8824248
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention relates to glass for a magnetic recording medium substrate, which includes essential components in the form of SiO2, Li2O, Na2O, and one or more alkaline earth metal oxides selected from the group consisting of MgO, CaO, SrO, and BaO, wherein a molar ratio of a content of MgO to a combined content of MgO, CaO, SrO, and BaO (MgO/(MgO+CaO+SrO+BaO)) is equal to or greater than 0.80, and which has a Young's modulus of equal to or greater than 80 GPa, and a glass transition temperature of equal to or greater than 620° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Naomi Matsumoto, Kazuaki Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20140211598
    Abstract: A light coupling structure, a method of manufacturing a memory cell, and a magnetic recording head are provided. The light coupling structure includes a light coupling layer having a cavity; a waveguide having a cladding layer and a core layer; wherein the cladding layer of the waveguide is disposed in the cavity of the light coupling layer and the core layer of the waveguide is disposed over the light coupling layer and the cladding layer of the waveguide; wherein the light coupling layer is configured to receive light from a light source and couple the received light into the core layer of the waveguide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Inventors: Qian Wang, Seng-Tiong Ho
  • Patent number: 8787126
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a write pole, a waveguide adjacent to the write pole, the waveguide having a truncated end, and a blocking layer positioned adjacent the truncated end and extending from one side of the waveguide across a portion of an aperture at the truncated end. The waveguide can be a solid immersion mirror or a channel waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Nils Jan Gokemeijer, William Albert Challener
  • Patent number: 8787124
    Abstract: Systems and methods for extracting a Curie temperature distribution in a heat assisted magnetic recording medium are provided. One such method involves saturating a magnetic recording medium by causing a laser to direct light on the medium and causing a magnet adjacent to the medium to generate a magnetic field on the medium, causing the magnet to remove the magnetic field on the medium, writing to the medium by causing the laser to direct light on the medium, recording measurements of light reflected from the medium made by a light detector, converting the measurements of reflected light into measurements of remanent thermal magnetization, and extracting the Curie temperature distribution from the measurements of remanent thermal magnetization. One such system involves a processor coupled to a spindle, a magnet, a laser, and a light detector, where the processor is configured to perform this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: WD Media, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander S. Chernyshov, Thanh V. Le, David Treves, Antony Ajan, B. Ramamurthy Acharya
  • Patent number: 8787127
    Abstract: A near-field light generating element has a core that propagates light flux from a light incident side to a light emission side while focusing the propagating light flux. A near-field light generating portion in the form of a metal film generates near-field light from the light flux. The core includes a first core, and a second core covering a side surface of the first core, and the core is formed in a polygonal shape when viewed from a Z direction. The metal film is placed on a side surface in the core, and is formed so that a width of an interface between the metal film and the core is narrower than a width of the side surface of the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Masakazu Hirata, Norio Chiba, Manabu Oumi, Yoko Shinohara, Sachiko Tanabe, Yoshikazu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8760977
    Abstract: Systems and methods related to writing data to a storage medium. In some cases, a heat assisted loopback circuit is used that includes: a read circuit, a magnetic write circuit, a heat write circuit, and a loopback circuit. The loopback circuit is operable to selectively couple a derivative of a heat output to a read output and to selectively couple a derivative of a write output to the read output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventor: Ross S. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20140169145
    Abstract: A drive carrier includes a first computing device with light source control capacity and a light source proximate to a front plate of the drive carrier. The first computing device receives a signal from a second computing device (external to the drive carrier) and controls the light source proximate to the front plate of the drive carrier based on the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Inventors: M. Scott Bunker, Michael White, Timothy A. Mccree, Keith J. Kuehn, Andrew James Phelan, John P. Franz