Abstract: A process for forming a plurality of sliders for use in thermally-assisted recording (TAR) disk drives includes a wafer-level process for forming a plurality of aperture structures, and optionally abutting optical channels, on a wafer surface prior to cutting the wafer into individual sliders. The wafer has a generally planar surface arranged into a plurality of rectangularly-shaped regions. In each rectangular region a first metal layer is deposited on the wafer surface, followed by a layer of radiation-transmissive aperture material, which is then lithographically patterned to define the width of the aperture, the aperture width being parallel to the length of the rectangularly-shaped region. A second metal layer is deposited over the patterned layer of aperture material. The resulting structure is then lithographically patterned to define an aperture structure comprising aperture material surrounded by metal and having parallel radiation entrance and exit faces orthogonal to the wafer surface.

Abstract: An ohmic contact for a silicon slider body is disclosed. A scanned laser beam locally heats a metal film on the slider body to interdiffuse the metal and silicon while minimizing the total thermal load on the slider body. This localized heating avoids thermal damage to the sensitive magnetic head region on the slider. The native oxide layer on the slider is removed by a sputter etch, followed by deposition of a diffusion layer. A capping layer is then deposited to reduce oxidation during subsequent processing. The metal layer is then locally annealed by scanning the laser beam over the target area. Contact resistance of less than 100 ohms is achieved while minimizing the thermal load on the slider body.

Abstract: Methods and devices for generating multiple, closely spaced, independently controlled near-field light sources are disclosed. By providing an aperture having at least two, orthogonally oriented ridge structures, two or more closely spaced near-field light sources can be generated by controlling the polarization direction of the illuminating radiation. Control of the shape of the aperture, and relative dimensions of the ridge structures allows optimization of the relative intensities of the near-field sources.

Abstract: An optical recording head including a media heating device to write and read data to a heat sensitive optical media disk. The media heating device includes an optical energy resonant cavity that produces a high intensity near-field optical spot of subwavelength dimension. Optical energy is coupled into the resonant cavity through a waveguide that is placed proximate the cavity, and optical energy is coupled out of the cavity through an aperture that is placed proximate an antinode or post within the cavity. In reading data from the optical media, a photodetector is placed at the end of the waveguide. Optical energy emitted from the end of the waveguide is influenced by the reflectivity of the media data bit, and is interpreted as the data bit signal.

Abstract: A thermally-assisted perpendicular magnetic recording head and system has a head carrier that supports an optical channel for the transmission of radiation to the recording layer, a write pole for directing a magnetic field to the recording layer, and an electrical coil for inducing the magnetic field from the write pole. The optical channel has a radiation exit face with an aperture at the recording-layer-facing surface of the head carrier. The write pole has a pole tip with an end face that is recessed from the recording-layer-facing surface. The write pole tip is tapered down to the end faces. The pole tip taper and the recession of the end face concentrates the write field at the middle of the perpendicular magnetic recording layer where the radiation from the optical channel is incident. The characteristic dimension of the aperture and the spacing between the aperture and the recording layer are both less than the wavelength of the radiation.

Abstract: A magnetic head including a media heating device including an optical cavity resonator that produces a high intensity near-field optical beam adjacent to the write pole. Optical energy is coupled into the resonant cavity through a waveguide that is placed proximate the cavity, and optical energy is coupled out of the cavity through an aperture that is placed proximate an antinode or post within the cavity. The write pole tip may serve as the post in certain embodiments. The media heating device is preferably fabricated between the first and second magnetic pole layers of a perpendicular magnetic head and close to the ABS surface of the head. An alternative embodiment may include a near field aperture disposed between the resonant cavity and the ABS.

Abstract: An inspection system using laser light directed at an off-axis parabolic mirror which focuses the beam on the surface being inspected and also serves as the collector for scattered and specular light returned from the surface is described. Specular and scattered light returned from the surface onto the parabolic mirror is divided into appropriate fields and directed onto detectors. In the preferred embodiment a polarized laser is used in conjunction with a polarizing beam splitter and a quarter-wave plate to route the reflected beam to a detector while allowing the original beam to be directed through the same optics. The parabolic mirror and selected additional components may be commonly mounted on a translatable stage which is moved along a radius of the disk when the optical inspection is being performed. Other components of the system such as the laser can remain in a fixed position.

Abstract: A method for controlling the laser texturing of a magnetic disk by using a texturing laser system to create texturing bumps and an analyzing laser system to determine texture bump height and to provide feedback to the texturing laser system. From an angular distribution of an array of diffracted light intensities of the texturing bumps, the intensity of a first diffraction peak (Int1) and its array position (P1) are determined and utilized to calculate the average bump height h according to the equation: h=A/P1+B(Int1)+C where A, B and C are constants that are determined for a batch of disks by taking a representative sample of disks and texturing them with differing laser energies within the energy level range.

Abstract: An optical disk data storage system uses an optical disk that has a plurality of substrates, each of which has a data surface. The laser light beam from the system is maintained on the data tracks of a selected one of the spaced-apart data surfaces by the use of tracking marks contained on the data surfaces. The system has a controller that identifies the type of data tracking used on the data surfaces from recorded tracking type information.

Abstract: A multiple data layer optical medium, such as an optical disk, has a plurality of substrates, each of which has a data surface. The laser light beam from the optical data recording system is maintained on the data tracks of the two spaced-apart data surfaces by the use of tracking marks contained on the data surfaces. One of the data surfaces includes recorded information that identifies the type of tracking marks present.

Abstract: An optical data storage system comprises a multiple data surface medium and optical head. The medium comprises a plurality of substrates separated by a light transmissive medium. Data surfaces are located on the substrate surfaces. A layer of a semiconductor material is deposited onto each of the data surfaces. The thickness of the semiconductor layer determines the amount of reflectivity for each of the data surfaces.