MSST 2013 Speaker
Robert E. Fontana, Jr., IBM
Dr. Robert E. Fontana, Jr. is a Senior Research Scientist within the tape head function of the IBM Systems and Technology Group. His technical activities have concentrated on developing thin film processing techniques for fabricating magnetic device structures—TI (1975-1981) with magnetic bubbles, IBM (1981-2002) with thin film magnetic recording heads, Hitachi (2003-2007) with novel flux detecting sensors and nano structure e-beam fabrication, and now, again, (2008-Present) with IBM with tape heads. At IBM, his process group fabricated the magnetic recording industry’s first magneto resistive thin film heads. He subsequently transferred research processing strategies for three generations of magneto resistive thin film heads to manufacturing applications.
Dr. Fontana's current interests are advanced thin film tape head structures, solid state memory devices, nano processing, and technology roadmaps for storage class memories. He has authored 52 papers on magnetic devices and processes and has 102 issued patents in thin film magnetic structures. Dr. Fontana is a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), a Fellow of the IEEE, a past president of the IEEE Magnetics Society, past chair of the IEEE Fellow Committee, and a past recipient of the IEEE Cledo Brunetti Technical Field Award for excellence in the field of electronic miniaturization.
