Abstract: In a recording apparatus for reproducing information recorded on a recording medium by utilizing near-field light, the recording apparatus realizes reliable information reproduction with a simple structure. Illumination light 20 is illuminated to the recording medium 10 to create near-field light on a surface of the recording medium 10. The created near-field light is scattered by a microscopic aperture 12 formed in the aperture element 11 so that scattering light (propagation light) thereof is detected to create a reproduced signal. Derived from the created reproduced light a distance control signal representative of a distance between the microscopic aperture 12 and the recording medium 10. Based on the distance control signal, the aperture element 11 is controlled in position. Due to this, the microscopic aperture 12 is brought into proximity to the recording medium 10.

Abstract: A recording medium for recording and reproducing information utilizing near field light has a transparent substrate and a data mark arrangement layer disposed over a surface of the transparent substrate. A metal particulate is dispersed only in the data mark arrangement layer so that a surface plasma is generated upon interaction of the data mark arrangement layer with near field light generated by incident light or irradiating light to thereby amplify the intensity of scattered light generated as a result of the interaction between the data mark arrangement layer and the near field light.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a near-field light-generating element having a minute scattering body inside an aperture, the scattering body producing plasmons by being illuminated with light, includes a step of forming minute scattering bodies periodically arranged on a substrate, a step of selecting the periodically arranged minute scattering bodies except for only one minute scattering body, and a step of forming the aperture such that the single minute scattering body is placed inside the aperture.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing optical aperture is disclosed. A pressing body has a plane covering a tip and at least a part of stoppers. An opaque film formed on the tip. The pressing body is displaced toward the tip for forming an aperture on a point of the tip. According to the apparatus, the amount of displacement of the plate can be controlled excellently by the stopper and can be made very small. Thus, the aperture having a uniform and small size can be produced on the point of the tip easily.

Abstract: An information recording and reproducing apparatus for at least one of recording and reproducing information on a recording medium utilizing near-field light has a suspension arm and a near-field light head mounted on the suspension arm. The near-field light head has a minute aperture, an optical waveguide for propagating light from a light source, and a reflection film for reflecting the light propagated by the optical waveguide and for irradiating the reflected light to the minute aperture to generate near-field light at the minute aperture for interaction with a recording medium. A light guiding structure guides light from the light source to the optical waveguide of the near-field light head.

Abstract: A near-field optical head comprises a slider body and a cantilever arm extending from the slider body and having a contact pad at an end portion thereof for contacting a surface of a recording medium. The slider body has an air bearing surface which interacts with a film of air moving in a direction adjacent to the surface of the record medium to generate a lift force to fly the slider body over the surface of the record medium and urge the contact pad of the cantilever arm into contact with the surface of the record medium.

Abstract: A recording medium and near-field optical probe utilizing near-field light to achieve high density of information recording and hence enhance resolution in reproducing.

Abstract: The present invention has an object, in a near-field optical probe having a microscopic aperture to generate and/or scatter a near field, to obtain a near-field optical probe easy to be made in an array which increases the intensity of a near field to be generated and/or scattered and is adapted for use as an optical memory head.

Abstract: A recording medium and near-field optical probe utilizing near-field light to achieve high density of information recording and hence enhance resolution in reproducing. A phase shift arrangement layer is formed arranged alternately with a phase shifter region to cause shift by 180 degrees in incident light and a transmission region transparent for a wavelength of the incident light. Furthermore, a row of data marks are arranged in a position above the phase shifter regions and transmission region. Due to this, cancellation is made between spread of near-field light due to incident light transmitted through the phase shifter region and spread of near-field light due to incident light transmitted through the transmission region, providing sharpness in an intensity distribution of near-field light over the data mark. Also, a phase shifter is provided at a through-hole of the near-field optical probe, enabling to produce more localized near-field light.

Abstract: There is provided an information recording medium and an information reproducing apparatus capable of carrying out information reproduction and tracking control by utilizing near-field light. A data bit 12 of a convex having a section orthogonal to a tracking direction in a triangular shape is formed on an information recording medium 3 as an information unit, by scattering near-field light formed at a reproducing probe 1 at inclined faces of the data bit 12 with directionalities, fluxes of reflected and scattered light thereby are detected by reproduced light detectors 6 and 7 arranged symmetrically in a left and right direction relative to a central axis of the reproducing probe 1 along the tracking direction, a differential signal between the detected signals is outputted by a difference circuit 20 and an actuator 22 is driven by the differential signal via a tracking signal forming circuit 21 and a position of the reproducing probe 1 is controlled to carry out the tracking control.

Abstract: An optical head for optical recording/reading apparatus, which records and reads information with high reliability, by making use of an optical interaction with a medium in a minute area, on a high density medium revolving at high speed. It has a structure, in which an optical waveguide mechanism applies a loading force to a slider 6 receiving a buoyant force, and a system for introducing a light to the slider 6 and a system for applying the loading force are integrated into an identical body. As the result, a stable posture regulation of the slider 6 and an increase of the light intensity of irradiation on the medium can be achieved, and it becomes possible to record and read information with high reliability. Furthermore, by disposing a minute structure in the vicinity of an edge in the surface facing the medium of the slider 6, so that the minute structure can come closer to the medium, further improvement in high density can be made.

Abstract: An information recording medium comprises a double-layer structure comprised of a light transmitting layer for transmitting light and a light reflecting layer for reflecting light, The light transmitting layer has a data mark which comprises a unit of information to be reproduced.

Abstract: A near-field optical probe has a hole penetrating through a substrate and defining a microscopic aperture at an apex thereof for generating or scattering near field light. The probe is simple and inexpensive to produce and may be manufactured in an array form by forming plural holes in the substrate so that it may be used in an optical memory device. A lens is disposed above the microscopic aperture for focusing incident light and a light source is arranged thereover to introduce light to the lens. A focal point of the lens is positioned at the microscopic aperture, so that the light emitted by the light source can be efficiently collected at the microscopic aperture. The structure can be mass produced using known silicon processing techniques, thus being adapted for use as an optical memory head.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a near-field light-generating element having a minute scattering body inside an aperture, the scattering body producing plasmons by being illuminated with light, includes a step of forming minute scattering bodies periodically arranged on a substrate, a step of selecting the periodically arranged minute scattering bodies except for only one minute scattering body, and a step of forming the aperture such that the single minute scattering body is placed inside the aperture.

Abstract: It is an optical information recording and reading apparatus for recording and/or reading information at a high density by using a near-field light-generating device as a near-field optical head. The end surface of the core of a flexible optical waveguide is formed in an intermediate position in the optical waveguide and in a portion fixed to the near-field optical head. Light for recording and reading information is spread within the clad. The spread light flux is reflected toward the near-field optical head by a reflective surface formed on the side of one end of the optical waveguide. The reflected light flux is collected by light-collecting structures and then is made to enter an optical minute aperture formed in the near-field optical head. Near-field light is created near the minute aperture. Light scattered by the surface of the recording medium is received. Thus, information on the recording medium can be recorded and read.

Abstract: In a recording apparatus for reproducing information recorded on a recording medium by utilizing near-field light, the recording apparatus realizes reliable information reproduction with a simple structure. Illumination light 20 is illuminated to the recording medium 10 to create near-field light on a surface of the recording medium 10. The created near-field light is scattered by a microscopic aperture 12 formed in the aperture element 11 so that scattering light (propagation light) thereof is detected to create a reproduced signal. Derived from the created reproduced light a distance control signal representative of a distance between the microscopic aperture 12 and the recording medium 10. Based on the distance control signal, the aperture element 11 is controlled in position. Due to this, the microscopic aperture 12 is brought into proximity to the recording medium 10.

Abstract: The invention relates to structure and arrangement for causing incident light polarization to enter a minute aperture while controlling or preserving the incident light polarization. They are characterized in that one location of the contour of the minute aperture is substantially perpendicular to the direction of polarization of incident light. It can realize near-field optical-generating element, near-field optical recording device, and near-field optical microscope of the minute aperture type capable of improving both the intensity of near-field light and the resolution.

Abstract: A near-field optical probe with a resolving power exceeding a diffraction limit of light is provided utilizing near-near-field light. A near-field optical probe is formed by a core and a shading film. The core has a tip surface spotted with inwardly depressed points with respect to the surface. This provides within the tip surface a light intensity distribution in a distributed form instead of a conventional rectangle function. Its Fourier expansion is increased in short-wavelength lattice constant component. Utilizing this component, a near-field optical probe is realized having a resolving power exceeding a diffraction limit of light.

Abstract: An optical information device has a suspension arm, a moving mechanism for movably supporting the suspension arm relative to a recording medium, an optical head supported by the suspension arm proximate the recording medium and having a slider and a flexible structure for linking the slider to the suspension arm so that the slider undergoes relative sliding movement with respect to the recording medium for at least one of recording information to the recording medium and reading information from the recording medium, and an optical waveguide for guiding light between the suspension arm and the slider. The optical waveguide is integrally formed with the flexible structure and preferably comprises patterned films formed on the optical head.

Abstract: In a recording apparatus for reproducing information recorded on a recording medium by utilizing near-field light, the recording apparatus realizes reliable information reproduction with a simple structure. Illumination light 20 is illuminated to the recording medium 10 to create near-field light on a surface of the recording medium 10. The created near-field light is scattered by a microscopic aperture 12 formed in the aperture element 11 so that scattering light (propagation light) thereof is detected to create a reproduced signal. Derived from the created reproduced light a distance control signal representative of a distance between the microscopic aperture 12 and the recording medium 10. Based on the distance control signal, the aperture element 11 is controlled in position. Due to this, the microscopic aperture 12 is brought into proximity to the recording medium 10.