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: 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: 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 medium with excellent signal characteristics is provided in which the stability of recorded information is ensured even when recording is performed in high density or even when magnetic recording and reproduction are performed while the temperature of a recording film is increased by irradiation with light. The present invention provides a magneto-optical recording medium comprising at least a memory layer on a disk substrate, in which the memory layer is separated into magnetic grains to form magnetically isolated recorded domains, or in which a fine structure is formed by an aggregate of mutually isolated magnetic grains in the memory layer, and the memory layer has a large specific resistance. A production method thereof is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electromagnetic field generating element, an information recording/reproducing head, and an information recording/reproducing apparatus. The electromagnetic field generating element makes it possible to restrain magnetic field attenuation or magnetic field delay in a high frequency recording/reproducing head for use in thermally assisted magnetic field recording/reproduction using a near field. The information recording/reproducing head and the information recording/reproducing apparatus can carry out high frequency magnetic recording/reproducing. The electromagnetic field generating element of the present invention includes: (i) a substrate, (ii) conductors each provided on the substrate and each serving as a supporting section, (iii) a plate-like-shaped conductor provided on the conductors and (iv) a semiconductor laser element provided on the substrate.

Abstract: An optical disc includes an electromagnetic coupling module mounted therein. The electromagnetic coupling module includes a wireless IC chip and a feeder circuit substrate in which a feeder circuit including a resonant circuit having a predetermined resonant frequency is disposed. The electromagnetic coupling module is electromagnetically coupled to a reflective film defining a metal thin film of the optical disc, and the reflective film defines an antenna or radiation pattern of the electromagnetic coupling module.

Abstract: A writing current circuit (42) supplies a controlled electrical current to a laser diode (34) for recording data swiftly onto a DVD (16). A plurality of thermometer code registers (52) respectively store numerical values. A current control register (58) receives a numerical value from one of the thermometer code registers (52). Serial data specifies a sequence in which individual thermometer code registers (52) supply values to the current control register (58) thereby causing the writing current circuit (42) to supply a particular electrical current waveform to the laser diode (34). A plurality of current sources (62) respectively receive a single output signal from the current control register (52) which activates or deactivates individual current sources (62) for supplying a particular quantity of current to the laser diode (34).