Abstract: A method for manufacturing a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head is provided, in which a light source unit including a light source and a slider including an optical system are bonded. A unit substrate is made of a material transmitting light having a predetermined wavelength, and a unit adhesion material layer that contains Sn, Sn alloy, Pb alloy or Bi alloy is formed on the light source unit and/or the slider. The manufacturing method includes: aligning the light source unit and the slider in such a way that a light from the light source can enter the optical system and the unit adhesion material layer is sandwiched therebetween; and causing a light including the predetermined wavelength to enter the unit substrate to melt the unit adhesion material layer. The unit adhesion material layer melted by the light including the predetermined wavelength can ensure high alignment accuracy as well as higher bonding strength and less change with time.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a light source, a slider including a sensor having a resistance or voltage that varies with the temperature of the sensor, the sensor being mounted to be heated by a portion of light emitted by the light source, and a controller controlling the light source power in response to the resistance or voltage of the sensor.

Abstract: Provided is a light source unit that is to be joined to a slider to form a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head. The light source unit comprises: a unit substrate having a source-installation surface; a light source provided in the source-installation surface and emitting thermal-assist light; and a photodetector bonded to a rear joining surface of the unit substrate in such a manner that a rear light-emission center of the light source is covered with a light-receiving surface of the photodetector. The photodetector can be sufficiently close to the light source; thus, constant feedback adjustment with high efficiency for the light output of the light source can be performed. This adjustment enables light output from the light source to be controlled in response to changes in light output due to surroundings and to changes with time to stabilize the intensity of light with which a magnetic recording medium is irradiated.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head is provided, in which a light source unit including a light source and a slider including an optical system are bonded. A unit substrate is made of a material transmitting light having a predetermined wavelength, and an adhesion material layer is formed on the light source unit and/or the slider. The manufacturing method includes: aligning the light source unit and the slider in such a way that a light from the light source can enter the optical system and the adhesion material layer is sandwiched therebetween; irradiating the adhesion material layer with a light including the predetermined wavelength through the unit substrate; and bonding them. The adhesion material layer melted by the light including the predetermined wavelength and transmitted through the unit substrate can ensure high alignment accuracy as well as higher bonding strength and less change with time.

Abstract: A data-overwriting technique that facilitates determining whether data is new or old, when reading thereof. A tape recording apparatus includes: a receiving unit for receiving information on overwrite starting position and an overwrite request; a trying unit for trying to determine a beginning position of a data unit based on the information on an overwrite starting position, wherein the data unit is a unit of writing data recorded on a tape medium; an overwrite executing unit for executing overwriting from the determined overwrite starting position in response to a success of the determination by the trying unit; and a type judging unit for judging whether the data unit that is recorded at the overwrite starting position is a null data unit or not in response to a failure of the determination by the trying unit. The trying unit responds to judgment that the data unit is the null data unit by trying to determine a beginning of a data unit following the data unit as the overwrite starting position.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for writing repeating patterns of features to a substrate, such as a data storage medium. In accordance with some embodiments, a multi-dimensional pattern of discrete features of different sizes to be written to a substrate is divided into a plurality of contiguous regions. A unique set of compensation values is assigned to each region. A write beam of a write system is used to write the features to the substrate responsive to said unique sets of compensation values so that all of the features having a common size in at least one region are written using the same compensation values from the associated set.

Abstract: A plasmon generator has a near-field light generating part located in a medium facing surface. The plasmon generator has an outer surface including a plasmon exciting surface and a plasmon propagating surface that face toward opposite directions. The plasmon exciting surface is substantially in contact with an evanescent light generating surface of a waveguide's core. The plasmon propagating surface is in contact with a dielectric layer that has a refractive index lower than that of the core. The plasmon exciting surface includes a first width changing portion. The plasmon propagating surface includes a second width changing portion. Each of the first and second width changing portions has a width that decreases with decreasing distance to the medium facing surface, the width being in a direction parallel to the medium facing surface and the evanescent light generating surface.

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 plasmon generator has an outer surface including a surface plasmon exciting surface, and has a near-field light generating part located in a medium facing surface. The surface plasmon exciting surface is a flat surface that faces an evanescent light generating surface of a waveguide with a predetermined distance therebetween. The surface plasmon exciting surface includes a width changing portion. The width of the width changing portion in a direction parallel to the medium facing surface and the evanescent light generating surface decreases with decreasing distance to the medium facing surface. A magnetic pole is located at such a position that the plasmon generator is interposed between the magnetic pole and the waveguide. The outer surface of the plasmon generator includes a pole contact surface that is in contact with the magnetic pole.

Abstract: Provided is a near field light generator to be utilized, effectively generating near field light with respect to a recording medium. Thus, disclosed is a near field light generator possessing a waveguide comprising a core and a cladding brought into contact with the core, to guide light having an electric field component perpendicular to an interface between the core and the cladding, and a metallic structure body provided on an outputting end face onto which light of the waveguide is output, to generate near field light by receiving light guided by the waveguide, wherein the metallic structure body is placed straddling the core and the cladding on the outputting end face in such a way that the metallic structure body receives the electric field component protruding from the interface to the cladding.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording system uses bit-patterned media (BPM) and circularly polarized light to switch the magnetization of the discrete magnetic bits by the inverse Faraday effect. Circularly polarized light generates an external rotating electric field in a plane orthogonal to the light propagation direction, which induces a magnetic field parallel to the light propagation direction in a magnetic material exposed to the electric field. The BPM is a generally planar substrate with discrete spaced-apart metal or metal alloy magnetic islands that are magnetizable in a perpendicular direction and are separated by nonmagnetic spaces of non-metallic material on the substrate. A near-field metal transducer is patterned into at least three tips, with the tips surrounding and defining a transducer active region. The circularly polarized light is incident on the tips, which produce a strong in-plane rotating electric field.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a magnetic pole, a waveguide that allows light to propagate therethrough, a near-field light generating element that generates near-field light based on the light propagating through the waveguide, a convergent lens, and a laser diode disposed above the waveguide. The convergent lens transmits light that is emitted from the laser diode, so that the light transmitted through the convergent lens is incident on the waveguide.

Abstract: Irradiation of an electron beam onto a base plate having resist coated thereon is controlled by ON/OFF signals output to a blanking element. Beam deflecting operations are controlled by deflecting signals output to a deflecting element. Patterns of servo areas and data areas are scanned and drawn on the base plate over a plurality of rotations. The electron beam is scanned in two directions so as to fill the shapes of patterns in the servo areas during a specific rotation, patterns in the data area are drawn as a continuous line or broken line with a single electron beam emission. The patterns of the data area are not drawn during other rotations, by shielding irradiation of the electron beam.

Abstract: A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes a waveguide through which a light for exciting surface plasmon propagates, a near-field optical device configured to be coupled with the light in a surface plasmon mode and to emit near-field light from a near-field-light-generating end surface that forms a portion of an opposed-to-medium surface, and a magnetic pole for generating write field from its end on the opposed-to-medium surface side. The near-field optical device includes a contact-to-waveguide surface having a contact to the waveguide, and a propagation edge provided on a side opposite to the contact-to-waveguide surface, extending to the near-field-light-generating end surface, and configured to propagate there on the surface plasmon excited by the light.

Abstract: An optical near-field generating efficiency of an optical near-field generating element is improved and a temperature rise of the element is suppressed. An optical near-field is generated using a conductive structure having a cross-sectional shape whose width in a direction perpendicular to a polarization direction of incident light transmitted through a waveguide gradually becomes shorter toward a vertex where an optical near-field is generated and having a shape whose width gradually, or in stages, becomes smaller in a traveling direction of the incident light toward the vertex where an optical near-field is generated. The waveguide is arranged beside the conductive structure and an optical near-field is generated via a surface plasmon generated on a lateral face of the conductive structure.

Abstract: Provided is a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head comprising a near-field-light-generating (NFL-generating) optical system with an improved light use efficiency. The head comprises a magnetic pole, a waveguide propagating a light for exciting surface plasmon, and a NF-optical device configured to emit NF-light from its end surface located adjacent to the magnetic pole end surface. The waveguide cross-section, taken by a plane perpendicular to a waveguide edge along elongated direction, has substantially a trapezoidal shape in which a longer side of opposed parallel sides is an edge of the cross-section on the NF-optical device side. This configuration enables a coupled portion of the NF-optical device which is coupled with the light to be placed in the effective distribution range of the light seeping from the waveguide. Consequently, there can be realized a sufficiently strong coupling between the light seeping from the waveguide and the NF-optical device.

Abstract: An optical disc playback device is capable of being transitioned to a sleep mode in consideration of an optical disc status or an optical disc drive device status. An optical disc playback apparatus includes a main controller to transmit a sleep mode transition command to an optical disc drive device, and an optical disc drive device controller to check either a status of an optical disc or a status of the optical disc drive device when the sleep mode transition command is transmitted to the optical disc drive device, and to determine whether to perform transition to the sleep mode in response to the optical disc status or the optical disc drive device status.

Abstract: Provided is a light source unit the weight of which can be reduced while ensuring power supply to the light source. The light source is configured to form a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head by being joined with a slider including an optical system that propagates light for thermal assist. The light source unit comprises: a unit substrate including a joining surface that faces an power-supply electrode of the slider; a first electrode provided on the joining surface; a second electrode provided on a source-installation surface and electrically connected to the first electrode; and a light source that includes two electrode layers and a light-emission center located in a light-emitting surface. The first and second electrodes eliminate the provision of a terminal electrode for light source on the source-integration surface. As a result, the weight of the light source unit can be reduced.

Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic head-slider includes an air-bearing slider, a metal film, and a semiconductor laser unit. The metal film having an aperture in a part through which light from the semiconductor laser unit passes is disposed between a surface opposite to an air-bearing surface of the air-bearing slider and the semiconductor laser unit, and a material to adjust refractive index is provided in the aperture. A bottom surface of the metal film including the material to adjust refractive index is disposed to be in close contact with a surface opposite to the air-bearing surface side of the air-bearing slider, and the semiconductor laser unit is disposed to be in close contact with a top surface of the metal film including the material to adjust refractive index.

Abstract: A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head is provided, in which the light-source output can be adjusted according to its variation by environmental influences and over time. The head comprises: a light source; a write head element provided in a element-integration surface; an optical system provided in the element-integration surface and configured to guide a light emitted from the light source to the vicinity of one end of the write head element; and a light detector for monitoring the light-source output, provided in the element-integration surface and comprising a light-receiving surface covering an area directly above at least a portion of the optical system. This light detector with such a light-receiving surface can detect a leakage light emitted from the optical system as a monitoring light. Therefore, feedback adjustment of the light-source output can be realized to stabilize the intensity of light for thermal-assist applied to a magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: There is provided a near-field-light (NFL) generating optical system in which the point where near-field (NF) light is generated can be provided sufficiently close to the end surface of a magnetic pole that generates write field. The optical system comprises: a waveguide through which a light for exciting surface plasmon propagates; and a NF-optical device configured to be coupled with the light in a surface plasmon mode. The NF-optical device comprises: a contact-to-waveguide surface having a contact to the waveguide; and a propagation edge provided on the side opposite to the contact-to-waveguide surface, extending to the NFL-generating end surface of the device, and configured to propagate thereon the surface plasmon excited by the light. In this optical system, the point, where NF-light is generated, of the NFL-generating end surface is reliably located on the side opposite to the waveguide.

Abstract: There is provided a near-field-light (NFL) generating optical system in which the point where near-field (NF) light is generated can be provided sufficiently close to the end surface of a magnetic pole that generates write field. The optical system comprises: a waveguide through which a light for exciting surface plasmon propagates; and a NF-optical device configured to be coupled with the light in a surface plasmon mode. The NF-optical device comprises: an opposed-to-waveguide surface opposed to the waveguide with a predetermined distance; and a propagation edge provided on the side opposite to the opposed-to-waveguide surface, extending to the NFL-generating end surface of the device, and configured to propagate thereon the surface plasmon excited by the light. In this optical system, the point, where NF-light is generated, of the NFL-generating end surface can be located on the side opposite to the waveguide.

Abstract: A light source and a waveguide are mounted on a recording head slider. Light rays are emitted from the light source into the waveguide. The waveguide may include two core layers for light ray transmission. The first core layer enhances light coupling efficiency from the light source to the second core layer. The second core layer transforms a profile of the light. The waveguide may include a tapered portion with a narrow opening near the light source and a wider opening near the tapered portion exit. The light rays passing through the waveguide may be directed toward a collimating mirror. The collimating mirror makes the light rays parallel or nearly parallel and re-directs the light rays to a focusing mirror. The focusing mirror focuses the collimated light rays to a spot on a magnetic media disc.

Abstract: The present invention suppresses temperature rise of an optical near-field generator while increasing optical near-field intensity in a thermally assisted magnetic recording head using a conductive scatterer as the optical near-field generator. The present invention uses a conductive scatterer having a cross-sectional shape in which its width is gradually reduced toward an apex where an optical near-field is generated, and also has a shape in which its width is reduced gradually or in a stepwise fashion toward the apex where the optical near-field is generated in a traveling direction of incident light.

Abstract: Provided is a thermal-assisted-magnetic-recording head capable of directing, to a magnetic recording medium, light in which the spot size is reduced to submicron order with high total optical propagation efficiency. A light coupling unit that guides light emitted from the light source into a magnetic head and a high-refractive-index core that couples with the light guided by the light coupling unit to lead the light to an air bearing surface are arranged in the magnetic head. The light coupling unit includes a plurality of thin-film-like cores that are separated from each other by a clad material. An upper part of the high-refractive-index core is placed between two thin-film-like cores.

Abstract: Incident light can be efficiently converted into near-field light whose spot size is small. A waveguide 10 includes: a metallic member 11 made of a metallic material; and a dielectric member 12 made of a dielectric material. The metallic member 11 includes a first interface 16 and a second interface 18 so as to sandwich the dielectric member 12. The first interface and the second interface are provided so that an inter-interface distance therebetween may decrease from ends 16c and 18c to ends 16d and 18d. The first interface 16 and the second interface 18 have flections P16 and P18, respectively.

Abstract: Of side surfaces of a flexible substrate provided on a flexure, one surface opposing an optical fiber forms a mirror surface inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber. Owing to this configuration, the optical fiber is optically coupled to a near-field light element inside a slider.

Abstract: Proposed is a technique of guiding light to a waveguide, by which the light use efficiency is increased. In order to achieve the above object, adopted is an optical element comprising, at an outer edge portion thereof, an incident surface on which light from a light source is incident, a diffraction grating surface, and an internal reflection surface which guides light incident from the incident surface to the diffraction grating surface.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a hard disk apparatus, including: a magnetic recording medium; a recording head adapted to record information on the magnetic recording medium; a semiconductor laser adapted to be controlled for light emission in a cycle of a recording clock to irradiate a light spot upon the magnetic recording medium to carry out thermal assistance in magnetic recording by the recording head; a laser driving circuit adapted to drive the semiconductor laser at a timing and with optical power in accordance with a light emission timing signal and a laser power controlling signal; and a controller adapted to set laser power in accordance with at least one of characteristics of the magnetic recording medium, semiconductor laser and recording head and output the laser power controlling signal to the laser driving circuit so that the laser power is adaptively varied.

Abstract: An apparatus, a method and a recording medium for optical near-field recording are proposed. The apparatus includes a light source for generating a reading light beam, which is illuminated onto a near-field optical recording medium. The apparatus further includes a detector for generating a gap error signal from a light beam returning from the near-field optical recording medium. A data signal is derived from an output signal of the detector by a signal processor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a magneto-optical switching device for switching magnetization in a medium, comprising a magnetizable medium. According to the invention, a radiation system suited for imparting angular momentum to the magnetic spin system of said magnetizable medium, so as to selectively orient the magnetization of said medium. In addition, the invention relates to a method of switching a magnetizable medium, comprising providing a magnetizable medium; providing a radiation beam of a selectively chosen angular momentum; and targeting said radiation beam to said medium so as to transfer said angular momentum to a magnetic spin system of said magnetizable medium. Accordingly, spin states in magnetic materials can be manipulated using radiation of a suitable angular momentum. An effective magnetic field is generated for orienting the magnetization of the domains and can simultaneously be used to locally heat the material.

Abstract: Provided is a near-field light transducer with a propagation edge in which the generation of defects is suppressed. The transducer is formed of a Ag alloy and comprises an edge, the edge comprising a portion to be coupled with a light in a surface plasmon mode, the edge extending from the portion to a near-field light generating end surface, and the edge being configured to propagate surface plasmon excited by the light. Further, a curvature radius of the rounded edge is set in the range from 6.25 nm to 20 nm. In the edge and its vicinity, the generation of defects such as cracking and chipping is suppressed. Thereby improved are a propagation efficiency of surface plasmon and a light use efficiency of the transducer. The Ag alloy preferably contains at least one element selected from a group of Pd, Au, Cu, Ru, Rh and Ir.

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 heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a slider, and an edge-emitting laser diode fixed to the slider. The slider includes: a substrate; and an MR element, two reproduction wiring layers, a coil, two recording wiring layers, a magnetic pole, a near-field light generating element, and a waveguide that are stacked above the top surface of the substrate. The two reproduction wiring layers supply a sense current to the MR element. The two recording wiring layers supply a coil current to the coil. The laser diode has an emitting end face including an emission part for emitting laser light, and a bottom surface. The laser diode is arranged so that the bottom surface faces the top surface of the slider. As viewed from above, the laser diode does not overlap the two reproduction wiring layers but overlaps at least one of the two recording wiring layers.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a slider, and an edge-emitting laser diode fixed to the slider. The slider has a waveguide and an overcoat layer that covers the waveguide. The laser diode has an emitting end face including an emission part for emitting laser light, and a bottom surface. The laser diode is arranged so that the bottom surface faces the top surface of the slider. The waveguide has an incident end face opposed to the emission part of the laser diode. The overcoat layer has an end face that faces the emitting end face of the laser diode. As viewed from above, the end face of the overcoat layer has a convex shape protruding toward the emitting end face of the laser diode so that a part of the end face of the overcoat layer lying over the incident end face of the waveguide comes closest to the emitting end face of the laser diode.

Abstract: A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head is provided, in which a light source having sufficiently high output power for performing thermal-assist is disposed in the element-integration surface of the substrate to achieve improved mass-productivity. The head includes: a light source having a multilayered structure including a photonic-band layer and having a light-emitting surface opposed to the element-integration surface; a diffraction optical element that converges the emitted light; a light-path changer that changes the direction of the converged light; a waveguide that propagates the direction-changed light toward the opposed-to-medium surface; and a magnetic pole that generates write field. The surface-emitting type light source includes a photonic-band layer having a periodic structure in which a light from an active region resonates, and thus emits laser light on a quite different principle from a VCSEL.

Abstract: The invention concerns a optical data memory, said memory comprising at least one layer of supporting material, said supporting material including molecules having, in a local zone, a collective state of molecules from at least one first collective state of molecules, and a second collective state of molecules. The invention is characterized in that only molecules having the first collective state of molecules in said local zone are capable of generating a second-harmonic signal when they are excited in said local zone by a reading electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a slider, an edge-emitting laser diode fixed to the slider, and an external mirror provided outside the slider. The slider includes a magnetic pole, a waveguide, a near-field light generating element, and a substrate. The substrate has a top surface facing toward the magnetic pole, the near-field light generating element and the waveguide. The slider has a top surface that lies above the top surface of the substrate, at an end of the slider farther from the top surface of the substrate. The laser diode includes: an active layer; an emitting end face that lies at an end in a direction parallel to the plane of the active layer and includes an emission part for emitting laser light; and a bottom surface that lies at an end in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the active layer. The laser diode is arranged so that the bottom surface faces the top surface of the slider.

Abstract: There are provided a head gimbal assembly and an information recording and reproducing apparatus capable of easily positioning a light guiding portion and a slider on a tongue portion and performing a stable recording and reproducing operation.

Abstract: Provided is a near-field light generator capable of avoiding a noise to the generated near-field light. The generator comprises a waveguide and a plasmon antenna comprising a propagation surface or edge, for propagating surface plasmon, extending to a near-field light generating end. A portion of one side surface of the waveguide is opposed to a portion of the propagation surface or edge, so as for the waveguide light to be coupled with the plasmon antenna. And an end surface of the waveguide is inclined in such a way as to become away from the plasmon antenna toward the near-field light generating end side. The light that propagates through the waveguide and is not transformed into surface plasmon is refracted or totally reflected in the inclined end surface, does not come close to the generated near-field light, thus does not become a noise for the generated near-field light.

Abstract: A near-field light generating device includes: a waveguide; a buffer layer disposed on the top surface of the waveguide; an adhesion layer that is formed by incompletely oxidizing a metal layer and disposed on the buffer layer; and a near-field light generating element disposed on the adhesion layer. The adhesion layer has a resistance-area product higher than that of the metal layer unoxidized and lower than that of a layer that is formed by completely oxidizing the metal layer. A layered structure consisting of the buffer layer, the adhesion layer and the near-field light generating element has a peel-test adhesive strength higher than that of a layered structure consisting of the buffer layer and the near-field light generating element.

Abstract: A flexible waveguide with an adjustable index of refraction. The core layer and/or the cladding layer of a flexible waveguide may include a plurality of nanoparticles having a different index of refraction than the core layer and/or cladding layer. The plurality of nanoparticles may have an index of refraction that is greater than or less than an index of refraction of either the core layer or the cladding layer in order that the overall effective index of refraction of either the core layer or the cladding layer can be adjusted.

Abstract: A near-field light generating device includes: a waveguide having a groove that opens in the top surface; a clad layer disposed on the top surface of the waveguide and having an opening that is contiguous to the groove; a near-field light generating element accommodated in the opening; and a buffer layer interposed between the near-field light generating element and each of the waveguide and the clad layer in the groove and the opening. The near-field light generating element includes: first and second side surfaces that decrease in distance from each other toward the groove; an edge part that connects the first and second side surfaces to each other and is opposed to the groove with the buffer layer therebetween; and a near-field light generating part that lies at one end of the edge part and generates near-field light.

Abstract: A near field optical head includes a slider 20, a main magnetic pole 32 and an auxiliary magnetic pole 30 and is provided with a recording element 21 fixed on a top end surface of the slider. The near field optical head is provided with a light flux transmission element 22. The light flux transmission element 22 is fixed adjacently to the main magnetic pole and formed from a flat surface 40a and a curved surface 40b into the shape of a half column. The light flux transmission element 22 includes a core 40 for transmitting a light flux L introduced from one end to the other end and a cladding 41 for confining therein the core.

Abstract: This invention relates to near field assemblies with improved optical coupling efficiency suitable for near field photolithography and heat assisted magnetic recording with fluid bearing structures. Masters for photolithography are fabricated using a fluid bearing suspended at a near field distance using hydrostatic bearings. Near field features fabricated on a fluidized slider emit a radiated laser to develop a photo-resist layer deposited on the master replicator. A plurality of near field assemblies is etched on a wafer. Each of the near field assemblies includes a planar solid immersion mirror, at least one grating, and a near field transducer. The features created during the etching step are used to guide at least one milling tool to machine at least one surface on one or more of the planar solid immersion mirror, the at least one grating, and the near field transducer.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a magnetic pole, a waveguide, a near-field light generating element, and a substrate on which they are stacked. The near-field light generating element and the waveguide are disposed farther from the top surface of the substrate than is the magnetic pole. The near-field light generating element has an outer surface including: a first end face located in the medium facing surface; a second end face farther from the medium facing surface; and a coupling portion coupling the first and second end faces to each other. The first end face includes a near-field light generating part. The waveguide has an outer surface including an opposed portion opposed to a part of the coupling portion. The head further includes a mirror that reflects light emitted from a light source disposed above the waveguide, so as to let the light travel through the waveguide toward the medium facing surface.

Abstract: A data storage device comprises: a light waveguide element; a protective element; and a plurality of data storage elements interposed between the light waveguide element and the protective element. The light waveguide element irradiates light at a critical angle or more on the data storage elements. Each of the data storage elements comprises a transparent ferromagnetic element, which has been magnetized, disposed therein, and the magnetized transparent ferromagnetic element is movable by a magnetic field. When the magnetized transparent ferromagnetic element is moved close to the light waveguide element to allow light from the light guiding element to pass the data storage element, a first data is recorded, and when the magnetized transparent ferromagnetic element is moved away from the light waveguide element to prohibit light from the light guiding element to pass the data storage element, a second data is recorded.

Abstract: This invention provides a surface plasmon polariton direction change device (1) for changing a propagation direction of a surface plasmon polariton (5). The surface plasmon polariton direction change device (1) includes a metal film support member (2), and a first metal film (3) and a second metal film (4) which are provided on a predetermined surface of the metal film support member (2), are provided adjacently to each other, and are different from each other in effective refractive index.

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 near-field light generating device includes: a base having a top surface; a waveguide that allows laser light to propagate therethrough and is disposed above the top surface of the base; and a surface plasmon generating element that is disposed above the top surface of the base so as to adjoin the waveguide in a direction parallel to the top surface of the base. The waveguide has a side surface that faces the surface plasmon generating element. The surface plasmon generating element includes: a coupling part that is opposed to a part of the side surface of the waveguide with spacing therebetween and causes excitation of a surface plasmon by coupling with evanescent light occurring from the part of the side surface; and a near-field light generating part that generates near-field light based on the surface plasmon excited at the coupling part.