Inventor

Robert E. Fontana, Jr.

Inventor

San Jose, CA, US

Overview

1979–2021

Patent span

Physics

Primary field (CPC G)

Patents· 146 as inventor

Public. Assignee & technology derived from the patent record. Each patent links to its LexDana page.

G11Bprimary

G11BInformation storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer40%

B82YSpecific uses or applications of nanostructures16%

Y10TTechnical subjects covered by former us classification12%

G01RMeasuring electric variables10%

H01FMagnets6%

H10NElectric solid-state devices not otherwise provided for4%

G11CStatic stores4%

G03FPhotomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. for printing, for processing of semiconductor devices2%

H10DInorganic electric semiconductor devices2%

C25DProcesses for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings1%

PatentTitleYear

10,984,823Write transducers having high moment layer2021 10,796,718Magnetic recording apparatus having circuits with differing tunnel valve sensors and about the same resistance2020 10,657,992Tunnel valve magnetic tape head for multichannel tape recording2020 10,650,848Write transducers having high moment layer2020 10,395,676Magnetic recording apparatus having circuits with differing tunnel valve sensors and about the same resistance2019 10,388,308Tunnel magnetoresistive sensor having leads supporting three dimensional current flow2019 10,354,679Magnetic recording module having tunnel valve sensors with dissimilar tunnel barrier resistivities2019 10,332,550Tunnel magnetoresistive sensor having stabilized magnetic shield and dielectric gap sensor2019 10,297,275Magnetic recording module having differing tunnel valve sensors2019 10,283,147Write transducers having high moment layer2019 10,170,138Tape apparatus having an array of write transducers each having at least three layers of coils2019 10,121,502Magnetic read head having a CPP MR sensor electrically isolated from a top shield2018 10,014,014Magnetic recording apparatus having circuits with differing tunnel valve sensors and about the same resistance2018 10,014,015Current perpendicular-to-plane sensors having hard spacers2018 9,990,944Tunnel valve magnetic tape head for multichannel tape recording2018 9,947,344Stabilizing layered structure for magnetic tape heads2018 9,947,348Tunnel magnetoresistive sensor having leads supporting three-dimensional current flow2018 9,892,747'Current perpendicular-to-plane sensors having hard spacers'2018 9,818,435'Tunnel magnetoresistive sensor having stabilized magnetic shield and dielectric gap sensor'2017 9,779,767'Magnetic read head having a CPP MR sensor electrically isolated from a top shield'2017 9,747,931'Tunnel magnetoresistive sensor having stabilized magnetic shield and dielectric gap sensor'2017 9,721,597'TMR head design with insulative layers for shorting mitigation'2017 9,697,943'Laminating magnetic cores for on-chip magnetic devices'2017 9,691,425'Laminating magnetic cores for on-chip magnetic devices'2017 9,607,635'Current perpendicular-to-plane sensors having hard spacers'2017 9,564,165'Laminating magnetic cores for on-chip magnetic devices'2017 9,495,989'Laminating magnetic cores for on-chip magnetic devices'2016 9,355,656'Dual purpose tape write transducer'2016 9,324,495'Planar inductors with closed magnetic loops'2016 9,324,489'Thin film inductor with extended yokes'2016 9,280,991'TMR head design with insulative layers for shorting mitigation'2016 9,263,068'Magnetic read head having a CPP MR sensor electrically isolated from a top shield'2016 9,093,087'Apparatus with a lapping guide within a span of the transducer array'2015 9,064,628'Inductor with stacked conductors'2015 8,717,136'Inductor with laminated yoke'2014 8,634,168'Magnetoresistive sensor having a structure for activating and deactivating electrostatic discharge prevention circuitry'2014 8,335,056'CPP sensors with hard bias structures that shunt sense current towards a shield'2012 8,169,751'Magnetoresistive sensor having a structure for activating and deactivating electrostatic discharge prevention circuitry'2012 8,107,197'Slider with integrated writer and semiconductor heterostucture read sensor'2012 8,102,236'Thin film inductor with integrated gaps'2012 8,070,554'Distributed shunt structure for lapping of current perpendicular plane (CPP) heads'2011 8,059,373'EMR sensor and transistor formed on the same substrate'2011 8,045,298'Three terminal magnetic sensing device having a track width defined in a localized region by a patterned insulator and methods of making the same'2011 8,045,299'Method and apparatus for oxidizing conductive redeposition in TMR sensors'2011 8,035,927'EMR magnetic sensor having its active quantum well layer extending beyond an over-lying semiconductor layer end with tab and lead structure for improved electrical contact'2011 8,035,988'Method and device for repeatable shorting and unshorting of micro-electrical circuits'2011 8,018,765'Three-dimensional magnetic memory'2011 7,839,607'Method to reduce corner shunting during fabrication of CPP read heads'2010 7,821,822'Read/write elements for a three-dimensional magnetic memory'2010 7,698,807'Method of manufacturing a magnetic sensor by multiple depositions of varying geometry'2010 7,652,954'Thermally assisted recording head with magnetic pole integrated into optical aperture for dual gradient recording'2010 7,639,459'Three terminal magnetic sensor having an in-stack longitudinal biasing layer structure'2009 7,635,599'Three terminal magnetic sensing devices having base lead layers in-plane with collector substrate materials and methods of making the same'2009 7,633,718'Lead contact structure for EMR elements'2009 7,615,771'Memory array having memory cells formed from metallic material'2009 7,606,065'Three-dimensional magnetic memory having bits transferrable between storage layers'2009 7,463,459'Self-pinned read sensor design with enhanced lead stabilizing mechanism'2008 7,414,816'Planar magnetic thin film head'2008 7,388,776'Three-dimensional magnetic memory'2008 7,367,111'Method for producing a spin valve transistor with stabilization'2008 7,324,313'Read sensor having an in-stack biasing structure and an AP coupled free layer structure for increased magnetic stability'2008 7,317,596'Magnetic recording disk drive having read head with high cross-track resolution and disk with low bit-aspect-ratio'2008 7,295,406'Narrow track extraordinary magneto resistive [EMR] device'2007 7,290,324'Method for fabricating a magnetic head including a media heating element'2007 7,253,991'Planar perpendicular recording head'2007 7,230,805'Semiconductor slider with an integral spin valve transistor structure and method for making same without a bonding step'2007 7,203,036'Planar extraordinary magnetoresistance sensor'2007 7,161,773'High linear density tunnel junction flux guide read head with in-stack longitudinal bias stack (LBS)'2007 7,148,072'Method and apparatus for oxidizing conductive redeposition in TMR sensors'2006 7,116,516'Magnetic head having write head with helical coil and method for fabrication thereof'2006 7,079,354'Planar magnetic head'2006 7,043,823'Method of manufacturing a current-perpendicular-to-plane magnetoresistive device with oxidized free layer side regions'2006 7,016,167'Spin valve transistor with stabilization and method for producing the same'2006 6,999,277'Magnetic head having thermally assisted write head with heater element, and protective sacrificial layer'2006 6,972,935'Current-in-plane magnetoresistive sensor with longitudinal biasing layer having a nonmagnetic oxide central region and method for fabrication of the sensor'2005 6,949,200'Planar magnetic head and fabrication method therefor'2005 6,950,260'Thermally assisted magnetic recording system and method of writing using magnetic and thermal gradients'2005 6,888,705'High linear density tunnel junction flux guide read head with in-stack longitudinal bias stack (LBS)'2005 6,870,717'Semiconductor slider with an integral spin valve transistor structure and method for making same without a bonding step'2005 6,847,510'Magnetic tunnel junction device with bottom free layer and improved underlayer'2005 6,821,715'Fully undercut resist systems using E-beam lithography for the fabrication of high resolution MR sensors'2004 6,819,527'Magnetic head with lower coil traces connected to integrally formed vertical interconnects and upper coil traces through plural insulating layer arrangement'2004 6,778,364'Current-in-plane magnetoresistive sensor with longitudinal biasing layer having a nonmagnetic oxide central region and method for fabrication of the sensor'2004 6,757,144'Flux guide read head with in stack biased current perpendicular to the planes (CPP) sensor'2004 6,680,832'CPP magnetoresistive sensors with in-stack longitudinal biasing and overlapping magnetic shield'2004 6,671,139'In-stack longitudinal bias structure for CIP spin valve sensors with bias layer electrically insulated from free layer'2003 6,631,055'Tunnel valve flux guide structure formed by oxidation of pinned layer'2003 6,609,948'Method of making an electronic lapping guide (ELG) for lapping a read sensor'2003 6,603,623'Inductive magnetic recording head with impedance matching elements'2003 6,577,476'Flux guide structure for a spin valve transistor which includes a slider body semiconductor layer'2003 6,466,257'Method and tool for measurement of roll static attitude of sliders in a magnetic recording head stack assembly'2002 6,452,761'Magneto-resistive and spin-valve sensor gap with reduced thickness and high thermal conductivity'2002 6,440,639'High-aspect ratio resist development using safe-solvent mixtures of alcohol and water'2002 6,377,423'Planar stitched write head having write coil insulated with inorganic insulation'2002 6,344,949'Flying height adjustment for air bearing sliders'2002 6,338,939'Embedded dual coil fabrication process'2002 6,324,036'Combination inductive write head and magnetoresistive (MR) read head with improved topography'2001 6,271,995'Magnetic head for recording with ultra low force'2001 6,266,218'Magnetic sensors having antiferromagnetically exchange-coupled layers for longitudinal biasing'2001 6,259,583'Laminated yoke head with a domain control element'2001 6,239,955'Stabilized MR sensor and heat guide joined by contiguous junction'2001 6,226,149'Planar stitched write head having write coil insulated with inorganic insulation'2001 6,191,918'Embedded dual coil planar structure'2001 6,188,550'Self-longitudinally biased magnetoresistive read transducer'2001 6,181,532'Stabilized MR sensor and flux/heat guide joined by contiguous junction'2001 6,168,845'Patterned magnetic media and method of making the same using selective oxidation'2001 6,131,271'Method of planarizing first pole piece layer of write head by lapping without delamination of first pole piece layer from wafer substrate'2000 6,114,719'Magnetic tunnel junction memory cell with in-stack biasing of the free ferromagnetic layer and memory array using the cell'2000 6,023,395'Magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive sensor with in-stack biasing'2000 6,005,753'Magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive read head with longitudinal and transverse bias'1999 5,935,453'MR sensor having end regions with planar sides'1999 5,930,084'Stabilized MR sensor and flux guide joined by contiguous junction'1999 5,901,018'Magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive read head with sensing layer as rear flux guide'1999 5,898,547'Magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive read head with sensing layer as flux guide'1999 5,898,548'Shielded magnetic tunnel junction magnetoresistive read head'1999 5,896,249'Disk drive with identical top and bottom heads having three side-by-side elements and a common terminal pad'1999 5,893,981'Method of making stabilized MR sensor and flux guide joined by contiguous junction'1999 5,867,889'Double self-aligned insulated contiguous junction for flux-guided-MR or yoke-MR head applications'1999 5,805,375'Wobble motor microactuator for fine positioning and disk drive incorporating the microactuator'1998 5,802,701'Method of making an integrated suspension, actuator arm and coil assembly'1998 5,798,890'Disk drive with identical three-element, side-by-side heads on opposite disk surfaces'1998 5,745,979'Magnetic head for recording with ultra low force'1998 5,734,519'Contact magnetic recording disk file with improved head assembly'1998 5,729,410'Magnetic tunnel junction device with longitudinal biasing'1998 5,701,223'Spin valve magnetoresistive sensor with antiparallel pinned layer and improved exchange bias layer, and magnetic recording system using the sensor'1997 5,664,316'Method of manufacturing magnetoresistive read transducer having a contiguous longitudinal bias layer'1997 5,582,860'Method for producing thin film magnetic structure'1996 5,568,335'Multi-layer gap structure for high resolution magnetoresistive read head'1996 5,560,097'Method of making a integrated transducer-suspension assembly for vertical recording'1996 5,561,368'Bridge circuit magnetic field sensor having spin valve magnetoresistive elements formed on common substrate'1996 5,539,267'Microfabricated rotary motion wobble motor and disk drive incorporating it'1996 5,539,596'Integrated suspension, actuator arm and coil assembly with common structural support layer'1996 5,528,440'Spin valve magnetoresistive element with longitudinal exchange biasing of end regions abutting the free layer, and magnetic recording system using the element'1996 5,503,870'Method for producing thin film magnetic structure'1996 5,493,467'Yoke spin valve MR read head'1996 5,454,158'Method of making integral transducer-suspension assemblies for longitudinal recording'1995 5,452,163'Multilayer magnetoresistive sensor'1995 5,408,373'Integrated transducer-suspension assembly for vertical recording'1995 5,301,079'Current biased magnetoresistive spin valve sensor'1994 5,240,166'Device for thermally enhanced ultrasonic bonding with localized heat pulses'1993 5,164,869'Magnetic recording head with integrated magnetoresistive element and open yoke'1992 4,940,511'Method for making a magnetoresistive read transducer'1990 4,879,619'Magnetoresistive read transducer'1989 4,299,680'Method of fabricating magnetic bubble memory device having planar overlay pattern of magnetically soft material'1981 4,156,935'Block replicate magnetic bubble memory circuit for high speed data readout'1979 4,152,776'Magnetic bubble memory circuit with input swap and output replicate gates'1979

Career & activity timeline

Assembled from patent assignee/location history and declaration credentials.

1979–1981Based in Dallas, TX, US· patent location history

1989–2021Patents assigned to IBM (99)· patent assignee history

1989–2021Based in San Jose, CA, US· patent location history

2004–2011Patents assigned to HITACHI GLOBAL STORAGE TECH (33)· patent assignee history

2011–2015Patents assigned to FONTANA JR ROBERT E (9)· patent assignee history

2011–2012Patents assigned to HITACHI GLOBAL STORAGE TECH NL (8)· patent assignee history

2012–2014Patents assigned to GURNEY BRUCE ALVIN (3)· patent assignee history

Inventor activity

Assignee and location history derived from the patent record.

Assignees

Assignee	Patents	Span
IBM	99	1989–2021
HITACHI GLOBAL STORAGE TECH	33	2004–2011
FONTANA JR ROBERT Eself	9	2011–2015
HITACHI GLOBAL STORAGE TECH NL	8	2011–2012
GURNEY BRUCE ALVIN	3	2012–2014

Locations

Location	Patents	Span
San Jose, California, US	143	1989–2021
Dallas, Texas, US	3	1979–1981