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EP0217067A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Self biasing thermal magneto-optic medium

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1986-08-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-08-05
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Abstract

Abstract A layer (34) in a magnetic storage medium (30) provides a biasing magnetic field for writing data. The layer (34) exhibits a net magnetization with an orientation in a first direction when the layer (34) is at a temperature below its compensation temperature and a net magnetization with an orientation in a second direction different from the first direction when heated as by a laser to a temperature above its compensation temperature, but below its Curie point temperature.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shu Shen Sun
  • 👤 Curt William Laumann

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 10:47
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B11/00; G11B11/10; G11B11/105; G03; G03G; G03G19/00; G03G19/005; G03G5/00; G03G5/16; G11B11/10582; G11B11/10586; G11B11/10589; G11B11/10591

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim 72 words
A thermally written magnetic data storage medium for retaining domains of desired magnetic field orientations representative of the data characterized in that it comprises: data layer means for retaining the domains having desired magnetic field orientations: and bias layer means coupled to the data layer means for providing a biasing field as a function of temperature of the medium for obtaining the domains of desired magnetic field orientations in the data layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 72 words
A thermally written magnetic data storage medium for retaining domains of desired magnetic field orientations representative of the data characterized in that it comprises: data layer means for retaining the domains having desired magnetic field orientations: and bias layer means coupled to the data layer means for providing a biasing field as a function of temperature of the medium for obtaining the domains of desired magnetic field orientations in the data layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 32 words
The data storage medium of Claim 1 wherein the desired magnetic field orientations of the data layer means are changeable as a function of the biasing field from the bias layer means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
The data storage medium of Claim 1 wherein the bias layer means comprises a ferrimagnetic material having a first and a second component with magnetizations of substantially opposite orientation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 35 words
The data storage medium of Claim 5 wherein the first component comprises at least one magnetic layer and the second component comprises at least one magnetic layer physically distinct from the first component magnetic layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 23 words
The data storage medium of Claim 5 wherein the first component magnetization decreases with increasing temperature faster than the second component magnetization decreases.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 59 words
The data storage medium of Claim 7 wherein the first component magnetization is greater than the second component magnetization below a compensation temperature and the second component magnetization is greater than the first component magnetization above the compensation temperature such that the net magnetization orientation below the compensation temperature is opposite to the net magnetization above the compensation temperature.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 53 words
The data storage medium of Claim 8 wherein the Curie temperature of the bias layer means is above the Curie temperature of the data layer means and the magnetization of the data layer means decreases faster with increasing temperature above the compensation temperature than below the compensation temperature of the bias layer means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 60 words
The data storage medium of claim 9 wherein the coercivityf the bias layer means is low at a second temperature below the compensation temperature and the magnitude of the magnetic field at the bias layer means projected from the data layer means is large compared to the magnitude of the coercivity of the bias layer means at the second temperature.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 31 words
The data storage medium of Claim 10 wherein the net magnetization of the bias layer means conforms to the direction of magnetization of the data layer means at the second temperature.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 60 words
The data storage medium of Claim 11 wherein heating a portion of the medium from an ambient temperature to a third temperature above the Curie temperature of the data layer means, but below the Curie temperature of the bias layer means and cooling the medium back to ambient temperature causes the magnetization of the data layer means to change orientation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 50 words
The data storage medium of Claim 12 wherein the bias layer means changes orientation consistent with the change in orientation of the magnetization of the data layer when the medium cools from a fourth temperature which is less than the compensation temperature of the bias layer means to ambient temperature.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 31 words
The data storage medium according to any one of Claims 1, 3 or 4 and further comprising a third magnetic layer means for providing a biasing field having a known orientation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 81 words
The data storage medium of Claim 14 wherein the third layer means has a Curie temperature above the Curie temperatures of the data and bias layer means such that when the medium is heated to above the Curie temperatures of the data and bias layer means, but below the Curie temperature of the third layer, the third layer retains its known orientation of magnetization and projects a greater magnetic field onto the data and bias layers than in an unheated state.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 82 words
The data storage medium of Claim 14 wherein heating of the medium such that the temperature of the data layer means is greater than its Curie temperature, the temperature of the bias layer means is greater than its Curie temperature and the temperature of the third layer is less than its Curie temperature forces the magnetizations of the data and bias layer means to the same direction as the known direction of magnetization of the third layer upon cooling of the medium.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 113 words
The data storage medium of Claim 14 wherein the bias layer means has a compensation temperature at which the orientation of the net magnetic field changes and wherein heating of the medium such that the temperature of the data layer means is greater than its Curie temperature and the temperature of the bias layer means is less than its Curie. temperature but greater than its compensation temperature forces the magnetization of the data layer means to orient in the same direction as the orientation of the net magnetization of the bias layer means between the bias layer means' compensation and Curie temperature upon cooling of the data layer means below its Curie temperature.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 67 words
Apparatus for providing a biasing magnetic field for a magnetic storage device, comprising: a ferrimagnetic layer having a net magnetization with an orientation in a first direction when such layer is at a temperature below its compensation temperature and a net magnetization with an orientation in a second direction different from the first direction at a temperature above its compensation temperature, but below its Curie point temperature.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 67 words
Apparatus for providing a biasing magnetic field for a magnetic storage device, comprising: a ferrimagnetic layer having a net magnetization with an orientation in a first direction when such layer is at a temperature below its compensation temperature and a net magnetization with an orientation in a second direction different from the first direction at a temperature above its compensation temperature, but below its Curie point temperature.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 30 words
The data storage medium of Claim 18 wherein the second magnetic layer means comprises a ferrimagnetic material having a first and a second component with magnetizations of substantially opposite orientation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 23 words
The data storage medium of Claim 19 wherein the first component magnetization decreases with increasing temperature faster than the second component magnetization decreases.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 53 words
The data storage medium of Claim 20 wherein the first component magnetization is greater than the second component magnetization below a compensation temperature and the second component magnetization is greater than the first component magnetization above the compensation temperature such that the net magnetization orientation changes on either side of the compensation temperature.
Claim 22
Independent Claim 125 words
A method of writing data on an opto-magnetic storage medium having a first layer for retaining domains of magnetization having orientations representative of data and a second biasing layer having a compensation temperature less than, and a Curie temperature greater than the Curie temperature of the first layer, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: heating a selected portion of the medium to a temperature greater than the Curie temperature of the first layer, but less than the Curie temperature of the second layer; and cooling the selected portion of the medium to a temperature substantially less than the compensation temperature of the second layer such that the orientation of magnetization of the portion of the first layer is changed in a desired manner.
Claim 23
Independent Claim 125 words
A method of writing data on an opto-magnetic storage medium having a first layer for retaining domains of magnetization having orientations representative of data and a second biasing layer having a compensation temperature less than, and a Curie temperature greater than the Curie temperature of the first layer, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: heating a selected portion of the medium to a temperature greater than the Curie temperature of the first layer, but less than the Curie temperature of the second layer; and cooling the selected portion of the medium to a temperature substantially less than the compensation temperature of the second layer such that the orientation of magnetization of the portion of the first layer is changed in a desired manner.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of Claim 22 wherein repeating the steps of heating and cooling returns the orientation of magnetization of the portion of the first layer to its original orientation.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 42 words
The method of Claim 22 wherein the second layer has domains of magnetization corresponding to respective domains of magnetization of the first layer and being oriented in the same direction as the domains of the first layer before heating and after cooling.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 42 words
The method of Claim 24 wherein the orientation of net magnetization of the second layer flips to an orientation substantially opposite the orientation of magnetization of the first layer as the medium is heated through the compensation temperature of the second layer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 36 words
The method of Claim 25 wherein the orientation of magnetization of the first layer assumes the flipped orientation of the second layer magnetization during cooling of the medium from the Curie temperature of the first layer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 49 words
The method of Claim 26 wherein upon further cooling of the medium past the compensation temperature of the second layer, the coercivity of the second layer becomes low enough such that the net magnetization of the second layer assumes the same orientation as the magnetization of the first layer.
Claim 29
Independent Claim 148 words
A method of returning magnetization of a self biasing magnetic medium to a predetermined direction, the medium having a first layer for retaining domains of magnetization representative of data, a second ferrimagnetic layer for providing a biasing magnetic field for obtaining the domains of magnetization in the first layer, and a third layer for providing a magnetic biasing field of predetermined direction, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: heating the first and second layers to a temperature above both the Curie temperature of the first layer and the Curie temperature of the second layer to reduce their magnetizations to substantially zero; and cooling the first and second layers to a temperature below the compensation temperature of the second layer and the Curie temperatures of the first and second layers such that the orientation of magnetization of the first and second layers is in the predetermined direction.
Claim 30
Independent Claim 148 words
A method of returning magnetization of a self biasing magnetic medium to a predetermined direction, the medium having a first layer for retaining domains of magnetization representative of data, a second ferrimagnetic layer for providing a biasing magnetic field for obtaining the domains of magnetization in the first layer, and a third layer for providing a magnetic biasing field of predetermined direction, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: heating the first and second layers to a temperature above both the Curie temperature of the first layer and the Curie temperature of the second layer to reduce their magnetizations to substantially zero; and cooling the first and second layers to a temperature below the compensation temperature of the second layer and the Curie temperatures of the first and second layers such that the orientation of magnetization of the first and second layers is in the predetermined direction.

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