Back to results
US 7,362,549 B2Granted
Storage device having first and second magnetic elements that interact magnetically to indicate a storage state
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorsCorbin L. Champion, Sarah M. Brandenberger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A storage device includes a storage medium and a probe having a tip and a first magnetic element. The tip of the probe is adapted to form a dent in the storage medium. The storage device further has a second magnetic element, where the first and second magnetic elements are adapted to interact magnetically to indicate a storage state.
Claims21
A storage device comprising:
- a probe having a tip and a first magnetic element;
- a storage medium, wherein the tip of the probe is adapted to form a dent in the storage medium;
- a second magnetic element, wherein the first and second magnetic elements are separated by a first distance in response to the tip being engaged in the dent, and wherein the first and second magnetic elements are separated by a second distance in response to the tip being engaged on a surface of the storage medium but not in the dent;
- and
- a dielectric layer between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element, wherein the first magnetic element, second magnetic element, and the dielectric layer form a tunneling junction that exhibits tunneling magnetoresistance,
- wherein the first and second magnetic elements are adapted to interact magnetically to indicate a storage state.
3 more elements
A system comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device comprising:
- a probe having a tip and a first magnetic element;
- a storage medium, wherein the tip of the probe is adapted to form a dent in the storage medium;
- and
- a second magnetic element,
- wherein the first and second magnetic elements interact to exhibit a first magnetoresistance in response to the tip of the probe being engaged in the dent, and wherein the first and second magnetic elements interact to provide a second, different magnetoresistance in response to the tip of the probe not being engaged in the dent.
5 more elements
A storage device comprising:
- a probe having a tip and a first magnetic element;
- a storage medium;
- a second magnetic element, wherein the first and second magnetic elements are separated by a first distance in response to the tip being engaged in a dent in the storage medium, and wherein the first and second magnetic elements are separated by a second distance in response to the tip being engaged on a surface of the storage medium but not in the dent;
- and
- a dielectric layer between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element, wherein said first magnetic element, said second magnetic element, and said dielectric layer form a tunneling junction that exhibits a first magnetoresistance in response to the first and second magnetic elements being separated by the first distance, and the tunneling junction exhibits a second, larger magnetoresistance in response to the first and second magnetic elements being separated by the second distance,
- wherein the first and second magnetic elements interact magnetically to indicate a storage state.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.