Abstract: A plasmon generator has a near-field light generating part located between an end face of a main pole located in a medium facing surface and an end face of a shield located in the medium facing surface. A waveguide has a core having a front end face facing toward the medium facing surface. The front end face has first and second end portions located at opposite ends in the direction of travel of a recording medium. The first end portion is located closer to the near-field light generating part than is the second end portion. Either a main pole or a shield overlaps only a region of the front end face of the core when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface, the region extending from a midpoint position between the first and second end portions to the first end portion.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thermally-assisted magnetic write head is provided. The method includes steps of: forming a laminate structure including the waveguide; the plasmon generator, and the magnetic pole in order; performing a first polishing process to planarize an end surface of the laminate structure; performing a first etching process to remove impurity attached on the end surface of the laminate structure, and to allow the plasmon generator to be recessed from the waveguide and the magnetic pole, thereby forming a recessed region on the end surface of the laminate structure; forming a protection layer on the end surface of the laminate structure such that at least the recessed region is filled; and performing a second polishing process on the end surface of the laminate structure formed with the protection layer until the plasmon generator is exposed, thereby completing the air bearing surface.

Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a near-field transducer positioned towards an air bearing surface side of the apparatus; and at least one conductor or circuit for causing heating of the near-field transducer. A method according to one embodiment includes heating the near-field transducer by passing a current through the at least one conductor or circuit; and illuminating the near-field transducer during a write operation, wherein the current does not pass through the at least one conductor or circuit for at least a majority of a time of illumination. Additional embodiments are also presented.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording head including an optical waveguide for guiding a laser beam to a surface of a magnetic recording medium, a shield is provided in the vicinity of at least one portion changing discontinuously in structure of the optical waveguide to absorb or reflect non-propagating light leaking from the discontinuous portion to the outside of the optical waveguide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermally assisted magnetic head with improved recording performance. The thermally assisted magnetic head includes a recording element and a near-field light generating element. The recording element includes a main pole appearing on a medium-facing surface, and a bit inversion starting region intended to be a maximum recording magnetic field generating position is formed at a leading edge of the main pole. The near-field light generating element is located on a leading side of the main pole and capable of creating a heating spot due to a near-field light on a near-field light generating end face appearing on the medium-facing surface. The bit inversion starting region is located within one-half of a diameter of the heating spot from a center of the heating spot.

Abstract: A metallic ring is made of two metals, wherein one metal forms a major arcuate portion and the other a minor arcuate portion of the ring, thereby forming a thermocouple-type structure as a result of the two inter-metallic junctions. The metallic ring supports a surface plasmon whose energy is matched to the energy, i.e. wavelength, of an incident light beam so that the oscillating electromagnetic field of the light resonates with the plasmon. The resonating plasmon causes a temperature difference to arise between the two inter-metallic junctions in the ring. The different Seebeck coefficients of the two metals results in the temperature difference causing a net current to flow around the ring, which in turn generates a magnetic field. Such a thermoelectric metamaterial ring transforms high frequency optical energy into long duration magnetic radiation pulses in the terahertz range.

Abstract: A slider including a magnetic head part, an optical waveguide, and a near field element is fixed by first and second adhesives to a submount on which a semiconductor laser and a mirror are mounted, the mirror being placed at one end of the semiconductor laser in a resonance direction thereof and reflecting a laser in a direction intersecting with the resonance direction. At this time, at least parts of the first and second adhesives are applied to a position opposed to the semiconductor laser with an intermediation of the submount. The first adhesive having a higher Young's modulus than that of the second adhesive is applied onto an inflow end side of the slider including a solder connection portion, the second adhesive being applied onto an outflow end side of the slider.

Abstract: In a method of forming a main pole, an initial accommodation layer is etched by RIE using a first etching mask having a first opening, whereby a groove is formed in the initial accommodation layer. Next, a part of the initial accommodation layer including the groove is etched by RIE using a second etching mask having a second opening, so that the groove becomes an accommodation part. The main pole is then formed in the accommodation part. The first etching mask has first and second sidewalls that face the first opening and are opposed to each other at a first distance in a track width direction. The second etching mask has third and fourth sidewalls that face the second opening and are opposed to each other at a second distance greater than the first distance.

Abstract: A TAMR (Thermal Assisted Magnetic Recording) write head uses the energy of optical-laser excited surface plasmons in a scalable planar plasmon generator to locally heat a magnetic recording medium and reduce its coercivity and magnetic anisotropy. The planar plasmon generator is formed as a multi-layered structure in which one planar layer supports a propagating surface plasmon mode that is excited by evanescent coupling to an optical mode in an adjacent waveguide. A peg, which can be a free-standing element or an integral projection from one of the layers, is positioned between the ABS end of the generator and the surface of the recording medium, confines and concentrates the near field of the plasmon mode immediately around and beneath it.

Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic recording head with highly efficient optical coupling, while guiding a laser beam from a semiconductor laser element, i.e., a light source, to a leading end thereof, eliminating an influence due to heat generated by the element, and having excellent floating characteristics. The thermally assisted magnetic recording head includes a substrate 2 having a first optical waveguide 1, a semiconductor laser element 100, and a slider 4 having a second optical waveguide 3 formed on an end surface. The semiconductor laser element 100 is fixed on the substrate 2 so that light emitted from the element 100 propagates through the first optical waveguide 1 and a slider 4 is fixed on the substrate 2 so that light emitted from the first optical waveguide 1 propagates through the second optical waveguide 3. High optical coupling efficiency is then achieved, while ensuring both heat-dissipating and floating characteristics.

Abstract: A near field transducer (NFT) that includes a disk, the disk having a top surface, a side surface, and a center; a peg, the peg positioned adjacent the side surface of the disk; and a heat sink, the heat sink positioned on the top surface of the disk, and the heat sink having an effective center, wherein the NFT has a peg axis, which is defined by the location of the peg adjacent the side surface of the disk, and a non-peg axis, which is perpendicular to the peg axis, and wherein the effective center of the heat sink is positioned at about the center of the disk.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a near field transducer positioned adjacent to an air bearing surface, a first magnetic pole, a heat sink positioned between the first magnetic pole and the near field transducer, and a diffusion barrier positioned between the near field transducer and the first magnetic pole. The diffusion barrier can be positioned adjacent to the magnetic pole or the near field transducer.

Abstract: A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes: a pole that generates a writing magnetic field from an end surface that forms a part of an air bearing surface that opposes a magnetic recording medium; a waveguide that propagates light to excite surface plasmon; and a plasmon generator that is provided between the pole and the waveguide and that generates near-field light from a near-field light generating end surface that forms a part of the air bearing surface by coupling with the light in a surface plasmon mode. The plasmon generator includes a flat plate part and a projection part that projects from the flat plate part to the waveguide side and is provided closer to a trailing side than the pole is.

Abstract: A thermally-assisted recording (TAR) disk drive uses “shingled” recording and a rectangular waveguide as a “wide-area” heat source. The waveguide generates a generally elliptically-shaped optical spot that heats an area of the recording layer extending across multiple data tracks. The waveguide core has an aspect ratio (cross-track width to along-the track thickness) that achieves the desired size of the heated area while locating the peak optical intensity close to the trailing edge of the write pole tip where writing occurs. The large cross-track width of the waveguide core increases the volume of recording layer heated by the optical spot, which reduces the rate of cooling. This moves the peak temperature point of the heated area closer to the write pole tip and reduces the temperature drop between the peak temperature and the temperature at the trailing edge of the write pole tip where writing occurs.

Abstract: A near-field optical head includes: a near-field light generating element, formed on a counter surface of a slider facing the surface of a magnetic recording medium and having two or more side surfaces each of which are in contact with the counter surface at a certain angle with the counter surface, for generating the near-field light; at least one lower wiring formed on at least one of the side surfaces of the near-field light generating element; a thin-film-like magnetic pole disposed to a position covering the lower wiring; at least one upper wiring disposed on one of the two sides of the magnetic pole, opposite to the side on which the lower wiring is disposed; at least one side surface wiring connecting the lower wiring and the upper wiring; insulating layers insulating each of the lower wiring, the magnetic pole, and the upper wiring from the others; and a coil wound around the magnetic pole by connecting the lower wiring and the upper wiring alternately and serially using the side surface wiring.

Abstract: A near-field light generator includes: a waveguide; a clad layer having a penetrating opening and disposed on the waveguide; a plasmon generator accommodated in the opening; and a dielectric film interposed between the plasmon generator and each of the waveguide and the clad layer. In a method of manufacturing the near-field light generator, an initial clad layer is initially formed on the waveguide, and then the initial clad layer is taper-etched by RIE to form a recess that does not reach the top surface of the waveguide. Subsequently, the recess is etched by wet etching until the top surface of the waveguide is exposed in part. Next, the dielectric film is formed in the opening, and the plasmon generator is formed on the dielectric film.

Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic head includes a main magnetic pole layer, a near-field light generating layer having a generating end part generating near-field light arranged within a medium-opposing surface, and an optical waveguide guiding light to the near-field light generating layer. The thermally assisted magnetic head includes a base layer which a base groove part having a width gradually getting smaller along a depth direction and extending in an intersecting direction intersecting with the medium-opposing surface is formed. The near-field light generating layer has an in-groove generating layer formed inside of the base groove part. The in-groove generating layer is formed along an inner wall surface of the base groove part and has a thin-film like structure.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a waveguide shaped to direct light to a focal point, and a near-field transducer positioned adjacent to the focal point, wherein the near-field transducer includes a dielectric component and a metallic component positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the dielectric component. An apparatus includes a waveguide shaped to direct light to a focal point, and a near-field transducer positioned adjacent to the focal point, wherein the near-field transducer includes a first metallic component, a first dielectric layer positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the first metallic component, and a second metallic component positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the first dielectric component.

Abstract: Provided is a thermal-assisted-magnetic-recording head capable of irradiating a magnetic recording medium with light with a spot size reduced on the submicron order with high utilization efficiency. A spot size converter 13 for guiding light emitted from an optical source 4 into a magnetic head is provided at a position adjacent to a magnetic main pole 19 in the magnetic head. In the spot size converter 13, a cover layer 15 having a lower refractive index than those of a core 14 and a clad material 24 is formed between the core 14 and the clad 15 and has a shape composed of a shape substantially rectangular in a light traveling direction and a taper shape having a width increasing toward the bottom surface of the magnetic head.

Abstract: Provided is an optical recording head in which a light beam from a light source is collected by an optical element and reflected on a reflecting surface to be formed into a spot light. Since a support portion for supporting the light source of the optical element at a predetermined position and the reflection surface for reflecting the light beam are formed integrally with each other, it is not required to perform the positioning thereof, and light can be collected to a very small spot with high efficiency, and an optical recording head and an optical recording apparatus having low heights can be provided.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording head including an optical waveguide for guiding a laser beam to a surface of a magnetic recording medium, a shield is provided in the vicinity of at least one portion changing discontinuously in structure of the optical waveguide to absorb or reflect non-propagating light leaking from the discontinuous portion to the outside of the optical waveguide.

Abstract: A near-field light generating device (10) which converts incident light into near-field light, includes: a metallic member (11) made of a metallic material; and a dielectric member (12) made of a dielectric material, the metallic member (11) having a first interface (16) and a second interface (18) that sandwich the dielectric member (12), the first interface (16) and the second interface (18) having flections (P16 and P18), respectively, an inner-interface distance, which is a distance between the first interface (16) and the second interface (18), being minimum at location of the flections (P16 and P18), and a rate of change of the inner-interface distance between the first interface (16) and the second interface (18) being asymmetrical with respect to the flections (P16 and P18). With the arrangement, it is possible to provide a minute near-field light generating device which can be easily fabricated and which can obtain high-intensity near-field light whose temporal change in intensity is small.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a metallic transducer and a condenser for directing electromagnetic radiation onto the transducer. The transducer includes a first section and a second section, wherein the first section is wider than the second section and has a width to length aspect ratio greater than or equal to a width to length aspect ratio of the second section, the first section having a dimple formed on a surface thereof.

Abstract: A portable card adapted to interact with a data processing station when the portable card and the data processing station are moved relative to each other is disclosed. The portable card includes a substrate having a predetermined shape, e.g. rectangular. An accessible embedded storage member is enclosed within said substrate. The storage member includes at least one layer of storage material for storing information in a predetermined format for processing by the data processing station. The storage member and the substrate are adapted to be transported relative to each other to expose at least a portion of the storage member to the data processing station to facilitate processing of stored information and for embedment of the storage member within the substrate. The storage member may be in the form of an elongated strip member, or a circular member.

Abstract: A portable card adapted to interact with a data processing station when the portable card and the data processing station are moved relative to each other is disclosed. The portable card includes a substrate having a predetermined shape, e.g. rectangular. An accessible embedded storage member is enclosed within said substrate. The storage member includes at least one layer of storage material for storing information in a predetermined format for processing by the data processing station. The storage member and the substrate are adapted to be transported relative to each other to expose at least a portion of the storage member to the data processing station to facilitate processing of stored information and for embedment of the storage member within the substrate. The storage member may be in the form of an elongated strip member, or a circular member.

Abstract: Components for, and assembly of, a thermally assisted recording device involve a laser mounted to a recording head slider. The output from the laser is directed into an optical waveguide, which delivers the laser light to the media to be written. Several challenges with thermally assisted recording are enabled by the use of a laser carrier, which holds and protects the small, relatively fragile laser and serves as a partial heat sink for the power generated by the laser. The laser, carrier and slider are bonded and can be interconnected as a unit to a suspension constituent to a hard disk drive (HDD) device.

Abstract: A detection method and apparatus for reading magnetization information recorded in high density. A metal probe is brought close to the surface of a magnetic recording medium, in which information is recorded as magnetization, with the distance on the order of nanometers. The region is irradiated with an incident light as its polarization direction is modulated, and polarization dependency of a tunnel current or reflected polarization intensity is measured.

Abstract: A near-field optical head includes: a near-field light generating element, formed on a counter surface of a slider facing the surface of a magnetic recording medium and having two or more side surfaces each of which are in contact with the counter surface at a certain angle with the counter surface, for generating the near-field light; at least one lower wiring formed on at least one of the side surfaces of the near-field light generating element; a thin-film-like magnetic pole disposed to a position covering the lower wiring; at least one upper wiring disposed on one of the two sides of the magnetic pole, opposite to the side on which the lower wiring is disposed; at least one side surface wiring connecting the lower wiring and the upper wiring; insulating layers insulating each of the lower wiring, the magnetic pole, and the upper wiring from the others; and a coil wound around the magnetic pole by connecting the lower wiring and the upper wiring alternately and serially using the side surface wiring.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetooptic device, a magnetooptic head, and a magnetic disk drive each capable of performing optically assisted magnetic recording and each having a small size, improved recording density, and a higher transfer rate. In a magnetooptic device, a magnetic circuit including a magnetic gap and a thin film magnetic transducer having a coil portion are stacked on the surface of a semiconductor laser. By the arrangement, optically assisted magnetic recording can be performed, small size and light weight are achieved, and higher transfer rate can be implemented.

Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic recording head includes a flying slider, a magnetic field generation device mounted on the flying slider, a first waveguide disposed near the magnetic field generation device for guiding incident light from a top surface of the flying slider on a side of the flying slider toward an air bearing bottom surface of the flying slider, an optical near-field generator disposed at an emission end of the first waveguide, a second waveguide which is separate from the first waveguide and which is spaced from and coupled to the first waveguide at a distance of no greater than a light wavelength, and a first optical detector for detecting the intensity of light propagating in the second waveguide. The first waveguide and the second waveguide are disposed so as to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the air bearing bottom surface of the flying slider.

Abstract: A method is used in powering disk drive spinup. A disk drive is powered with a primary power source and is temporarily powered with a secondary power source in addition to the primary power source. The secondary power source powers the disk drive when the disk drive is spinning up.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a waveguide, an optical transducer for coupling electromagnetic radiation from the waveguide to a point adjacent to an air bearing surface to heat a portion of a storage medium, and a first wire positioned adjacent to the air bearing surface, wherein current in the wire produces a magnetic field in the heated portion of the storage medium.

Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic head has a slider having a medium-facing surface, and a light source unit having a light source support substrate, and a light source disposed on the light source support substrate. The slider has a slider substrate and a magnetic head portion disposed on a side of the medium-facing surface in the slider substrate; the magnetic head portion includes a magnetic recording element for generating a magnetic field, and a waveguide for receiving light through an end face opposite to the medium-facing surface, and guiding the light to the medium-facing surface; the light source support substrate is fixed to a surface opposite to the medium-facing surface in the slider substrate so that light emitted from the light source can enter the end face of the waveguide.

Abstract: In order to prevent deterioration of floating characteristics of a slider due to deformation of a slider floating surface by thermal expansion of a coil, the followings are performed. A recessed portion is formed in a part of the slider, and a device for generating an optical near-field and the coil for generating a magnetic field are formed in the recessed portion. The optical near-field generation device is formed on a surface facing a recording medium, and the magnetic field application coil is formed on an upper surface of the recessed portion. The optical near-field generation device and the magnetic field application coil are respectively exposed to the surface.

Abstract: An optical head includes: a slider which moves relative to a recording medium while the slider is floating above the recording medium; an optical waveguide which is provided on a side surface of an end portion of the slider and which has the focusing function of forming a light spot on the recording medium; and a light guide optical system that guides a light pencil to the optical waveguide. A light pencil coupling portion which receives the light pencil from the light guide optical system is provided in a surface parallel to a direction in which the light pencil is guided by the optical waveguide; and a reflective surface which deflects the light pencil to the light pencil coupling portion is provided in the light guide optical system. The light pencil coupling portion has the function of correcting aberration resulting from oblique incidence of the light pencil obliquely incident from the light guide optical system.

Abstract: A light delivery module, a method of fabricating the same, a heat-assisted magnetic recording head using the light delivery module are provided. The light delivery module delivers light emitted from a light source. The light delivery module includes an optical waveguide having an inclined plane of an angle ? with respect to an incident light axis to deliver an incident light, and a nano aperture changing an energy distribution of the light delivered through the inclined plane to generate an enhanced near-field. The heat-assisted magnetic recording head is mounted on one end of a slider with an air bearing surface to perform a recording operation on a recording medium. The heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a magnetic path forming unit forming a magnetic field for recording, a light source emitting light for heating a predetermined region of a recording surface of the recording medium, and the light delivery module.

Abstract: A write head structure for perpendicular recording having a pole tip integrated into the metal film surrounding a C aperture near field light source is disclosed. The close proximity of the pole tip to the light source enables more precise location of data cells written into the magnetic media, through the use of dual gradient thermally assisted recording. In dual gradient recording, data is fixed by the effect of both a thermal gradient, which affects the coercivity of the magnetic media, combined with a magnetic field gradient imposed by the pole tip.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording head mounted on an end of a slider having an Air Bearing Surface (“ABS”) for recording data on a recording medium. The heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a magnetic path forming unit that generates a magnetic field for recording the data, a light source that emits light heating a local region of the recording medium, a waveguide located on a side of the magnet path forming unit to transmit the light emitted from the light source, an optical path conversion unit that changes a direction of the light transmitted from the waveguide to the local region of the recording medium, and a nano-aperture that generates an enhanced near-field effect by converting an energy distribution of the light transmitted via the optical path conversion unit.

Abstract: Provided is an optical recording head in which a light beam from a light source is collected by an optical element and reflected on a reflecting surface to be formed into a spot light. Since a support portion for supporting the light source of the optical element at a predetermined position and the reflection surface for reflecting the light beam are formed integrally with each other, it is not required to perform the positioning thereof, and light can be collected to a very small spot with high efficiency, and an optical recording head and an optical recording apparatus having low heights can be provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetooptic device, a magnetooptic head, and a magnetic disk drive each capable of performing optically assisted magnetic recording and each having a small size, improved recording density, and a higher transfer rate. In a magnetooptic device, a magnetic circuit including a magnetic gap and a thin film magnetic transducer having a coil portion are stacked on the surface of a semiconductor laser. By the arrangement, optically assisted magnetic recording can be performed, small size and light weight are achieved, and higher transfer rate can be implemented.

Abstract: A magnetic recording device comprising at least one unstructured recording support exhibiting at least one elementary magnetic layer, the recording support having a magnetization perpendicular to the plane of the support characterized in that it comprises magnetic elements having a magnetization perpendicular to the plane of the support and a greater inversion field than the inversion field of the recording support, and which are separated from the recording support by a decoupling layer made of a nonmagnetic material so that the magnetic elements produce a dipolar field in the recording support. The magnetic elements are spaced apart from one another by nonmagnetic regions, each magnetic element defining during a write operation a memory point in the recording support.

Abstract: A head slider is used for magnetic record by irradiating a recording medium with tiny spots of light. The head slider includes a slider main body having a bottom surface facing a recording medium and a top surface opposite to the bottom surface, an optical head provided in the slider main body to irradiate the recording medium with light and an optical layer to propagate light supplied from outside and lead the light to the optical head. The optical layer is curved along a curved surface formed in a portion of the slider main body to form a curved propagation path of light.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetooptic device, a magnetooptic head, and a magnetic disk drive each capable of performing optically assisted magnetic recording and each having a small size, improved recording density, and a higher transfer rate. In a magnetooptic device, a magnetic circuit including a magnetic gap and a thin film magnetic transducer having a coil portion are stacked on the surface of a semiconductor laser. By the arrangement, optically assisted magnetic recording can be performed, small size and light weight are achieved, and higher transfer rate can be implemented.

Abstract: There is disclosed a magnetic recording medium in which a seed layer, under layer, intermediate layer, first magnetic layer, nonmagnetic layer, second magnetic layer, protective layer, and lubricant layer are successively laminated on a glass substrate, the nonmagnetic layer is constituted of an alloy containing Cr and C, and the magnetic layer is constituted of an alloy containing Co and Pt. The under layer includes at least the seed layer for finely dividing the crystal particles of the magnetic layer, the seed layer includes at least two or more layers of nonmagnetic films, and the intermediate layer formed of the material different from that of the nonmagnetic film is interposed between the nonmagnetic films. In measurement of the thermal stability of the magnetic recording medium, a head is used, the head includes a read/write element, and a write track width is twice or more as large as a read track width in the head.

Abstract: A method for writing information on a highly coercive recording medium stably with an electric field applied through a metal probe and with a magnetic field applied from external and an information recording system that employs the method. The recording medium includes a substrate, a first ferromagnetic layer formed on the substrate, a nonmagnetic layer formed on the first ferromagnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer formed on the nonmagnetic layer. The coercivity Hc2 of the second ferromagnetic layer is larger than that Hc1 of the first ferromagnetic layer. A magnetic field H is applied to the magnetic recording medium from a magnetic pole to change the magnetizing direction of the first ferromagnetic layer to a direction of the applied magnetic field, then a positive or negative voltage V is applied between the metal probe and the magnetic recording medium to change the quantum well level energy between the first and second ferromagnetic layers, thereby inducing an exchange magnetic field HE.

Abstract: A hybrid head to record and reproduce high density data. The hybrid head to record and reproduce data includes an element to record and reproduce data which is formed at the back side of a slider. The element to record and reproduce data includes an energy source to supply energy required to heat a predetermined region of a recording medium to be data-recorded, a magnetic field applier to apply a magnetic field to the predetermined region of the recording medium heated by the energy supplied from the energy source, a data reproducer to reproduce data from the recording medium, a channel to allow the magnetic field supplier to transmit the energy supplied from the energy source to the predetermined region of the recording medium, a heat shield element to prevent heat from being transmitted from the channel to other elements around the channel, a write pole covering the heat shield element, and a magnetic field generator to generate a magnetic field to the write pole.

Abstract: An image pick up unit includes an optical member, a holding member holding the optical member and movable in an axial direction of an optical axis of the optical member, a driving member rotatable about the optical axis, a cam mechanism configured to convert rotation of the driving member about the optical axis to movement of the holding member in the axial direction of the optical axis, a coil provided in the driving member and movable together with the driving member, and a magnetic field generation portion provided along a rotating direction of the coil and configured to generate a magnetic field to interact with a current flowing in the coil to drive the coil in the rotating direction.

Abstract: An optical head having: a graded index lens which receives incident light radiated from a linear optical guide at one end surface of the graded index lens and transmits the incident light from the other end surface of the graded index lens, the graded index lens is adapted to form a light spot at a position that is away from the other end surface from which the incident light is transmitted; a light path deflection section which deflects light transmitted from the graded index lens, the light path deflection section is arranged between the other end surface from which the incident light is transmitted and the position where the light spot is formed; and a slider which floats on a recording medium while moving relative to the recording medium, wherein at least the graded index lens and the light path deflection section are installed on the slider.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording or reproducing device having an information erasing means for erasing information or data recorded on a magneto-optical recording medium. According to the invention, the information erasing means comprises an erasing magnet having a field strength sufficient to initialize the magneto-optical recording medium without the assistance of a laser and/or an optical scanning device.

Abstract: An apparatus for concentrating electromagnetic energy comprises a metallic transducer including a first section and a second section, wherein the first section is wider than the second section and has a width to length aspect ratio greater than or equal to a width to length aspect ratio of the second section, and a condenser for directing electromagnetic radiation onto the transducer. A magnetic storage device that includes the apparatus is also provided.