# US 10,373,637 B2 · Granularity in overlying magnetic and non-magnetic layers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,373,637 B2 - Document ID: US10373637B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/448,514 - Filed: 2017-03-02 - Published: 2018-09-06 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-02 - Assignees: Seagate Technology LLC - Applicants: Seagate Technology LLC - Inventors: Bin Lu; Jan-Ulrich Thiele; Ganping Ju; Xiaoding Ma; YingGuo Peng; YinFeng Ding - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10373637B2 ## CPC - G11B 5/657: {containing inorganic, non-oxide compound of Si, N, P, B, H or C, e.g. in metal alloy or compound (containing oxygen G11B5/658)} - B32B 15/04: comprising metal as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/08; next to a water-setting substance layer B32B13/06; next to a glass layer B32B17/061; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/042)} - G11B 2005/0021: {Thermally assisted recording using an auxiliary energy source for heating the recording layer locally to assist the magnetization reversal} - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM ## Abstract Provided herein is an apparatus including a layer stack. A first granular metal layer overlies the layer stack, wherein the first granular metal layer includes first metal grains separated by voids. A first granular non-metal layer overlies the first granular metal layer, wherein the first granular non-metal layer includes first non-metal grains separated by a first segregant. A second granular non-metal layer overlies the first granular non-metal layer, wherein the second granular non-metal layer includes second non-metal grains separated by a second segregant. A second granular metal layer overlies the second granular non-metal layer, wherein the second granular metal layer includes second metal grains separated by a third segregant. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a layer stack; a first granular metal layer overlying the layer stack, wherein the first granular metal layer includes first metal grains separated by voids; a first granular non-metal layer overlying the first granular metal layer, wherein the first granular non-metal layer includes first non-metal grains separated by a first segregant; a second granular non-metal layer overlying the first granular non-metal layer, wherein the second granular non-metal layer includes second non-metal grains separated by a second segregant; and a second granular metal layer overlying the second granular non-metal layer, wherein the second granular metal layer includes second metal grains separated by a third segregant. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a center to center distance of the first metal grains is the same as the second metal grains. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first non-metal grains include a different crystal structure than the second non-metal grains. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first non-metal grains include a hexagonal structure, and the second non-metal grains include a NaCl-structure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first metal grains include a hexagonal close-packed structure, and the second metal grains include a L10 structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first non-metal grains include zinc oxide (ZnO), and the second non-metal grains include magnesium oxide (MgO) or a mixture of oxides or nitrites with NaCl-structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first segregant, the second segregant, and the third segregant include carbon. ### Claim 8 An apparatus comprising: a first granular layer overlying a granular layer stack, wherein the first granular layer includes hexagonal close-packed grains separated by voids; a second granular layer overlying the first granular layer, wherein the second granular layer includes hexagonal non-metal grains separated by a first segregant; a third granular layer overlying the second granular layer, wherein the third granular layer includes NaCl-structured grains separated by a second segregant; and a fourth granular layer overlying the third granular layer, wherein the fourth granular layer includes L10 grains separated by a third segregant. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the hexagonal close-packed grains, the hexagonal non-metal grains, the NaCl-structured grains, and the L10 grains include a same center to center distance. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the hexagonal close-packed grains include ruthenium. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the third segregant is over the second segregant, the second segregant is over the first segregant, and the first segregant is over the voids. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second granular layer includes zinc oxide (ZnO), and the third granular layer includes magnesium oxide (MgO). ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first segregant and the second segregant include different volumes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first segregant and the second segregant include different segregant materials. ### Claim 15 An apparatus comprising: first metal grains separated by voids, wherein the first metal grains include a center to center distance; first non-metal grains separated by a first segregant, wherein the first non-metal grains are over the first metal grains and the first segregant is over the voids; a second non-metal grains separated by a second segregant, wherein the second non-metal grains are over the first non-metal grains and the second segregant is over the first segregant; and second metal grains separated by a third segregant, wherein the second metal grains are over the second non-metal grains, the third segregant is over the second segregant, and the second metal grains include the center to center distance. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising additional metal grains separated by additional segregant, wherein the additional metal grains are between the first metal grains and the first non-metal grains, and the additional segregant is between the voids and the first segregant. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second metal grains include iron-platinum (FePt). ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first non-metal grains include zinc oxide (ZnO), and the second non-metal grains include magnesium oxide (MgO). ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein two of the first segregant, the second segregant, and the third segregant include different grain boundary thicknesses. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein two of the first segregant, the second segregant, and the third segregant include different segregant materials.