Abstract: Optical storage system including a disc drive and an optical media having a low radial total indicated runout and method of manufacturing such media. The optical media includes a disc substrate having a formatted surface and a center hole. A disc alignment mechanism is provided, wherein the concentric registration of the formatted surface is specified relative to the disc alignment mechanism. A hub having a center hole is positioned at the disc center hole, wherein the hub center hole is centered relative to the disc alignment mechanism. The disc drive includes a drive spindle and a center pin extending from the drive spindle for centering the drive spindle to the optical media.

Abstract: A system for generating a magnetic field for magneto-optic recording that includes a near-field lens, a coil etched or plated into the bottom surface of the lens forming a coil layer, an insulating layer coupled to the coil layer, and a transparent conducting layer coupled to the insulating layer. The inner turn end of the coil is connected to a selected contact point on the transparent conducting layer through an opening in the insulating layer. The insulating layer insulates the coil layer from the transparent conducting layer.

Abstract: An electro-optical storage system based on a near-field configuration having phase-distortion reducing mechanism. The system comprises a read/write head and a head positioning system, an optics module including beam relay optics and signal detectors, an optical medium and a corresponding medium driving unit, and an electronic control system. The optical head includes a near-field lens positioned over the optical medium by a fraction of the wavelength. The phase-distortion reducing mechanism imposes a phase-compensating profile on the optical wavefront and/or rotates the beam polarization to reduce a phase distortion caused by the lens aberrations and an extra phase profile induced by the near-field configuration.

Abstract: A device for retrieving data from or writing data to a storage medium that includes a heating element to reduce signal distortion in a data storage system. The device includes a head having an interfacing surface that faces a medium surface of the storage medium and interacts with the storage medium. The heating element is disposed on or near the interfacing surface to supply thermal energy to the interfacing surface maintain said interfacing surface at a temperature higher than a temperature of the medium surface.

Abstract: A system for reading or writing data from or to a bilevel optical recording medium with a flying head. The system includes a head having a slider and a solid immersion lens mounted at least partially within the slider. The solid immersion lens has a partial spherical surface and a substantially flat surface. The head also has an objective lens mounted to the slider. The system also includes a multilevel recording medium. The medium has a first media layer and a first substrate layer adjacent to the first media layer. The medium also has at least one second media layer adjacent the side of the first substrate layer opposite from the first media layer, and a second substrate layer adjacent the side of the second media layer opposite from the first substrate layer. The total effective numerical aperture of the system is greater than one for all layers.

Abstract: A head for a disk drive for reading data from and/or writing data to an optical recording medium, having a slider with a channel surface and an air-bearing surface, an optical clear path through the slider, a solid immersion lens mounted at least partially within the slider, and an objective lens mounted to the slider, such that the distances between the air-bearing surface, the objective, and the solid immersion lens are substantially constant.

Abstract: An electro-optical storage system based on an air-bearing-suspended optical head and operated in a near-field configuration. The system comprises a read/write head and a head positioning system, an optics module including beam relay optics and signal detectors, an optical medium and a corresponding medium driving unit, and an electronic control system. The optical head includes a near-field lens positioned over the optical medium by a fraction of the wavelength. A transition dielectric layer is formed on the near-field lens to improve the optical and mechanical coupling between the head and the optical medium.

Abstract: An electro-optical storage system based on a near-field configuration having phase-distortion reducing mechanism. The system comprises a read/write head and a head positioning system, an optics module including beam relay optics and signal detectors, an optical medium and a corresponding medium driving unit, and an electronic control system. The optical head includes a near-field lens positioned over the optical medium by a fraction of the wavelength. The phase-distortion reducing mechanism imposes a phase-compensating profile on the optical wavefront and/or rotates the beam polarization to reduce a phase distortion caused by the lens aberrations and an extra phase profile induced by the near-field configuration.

Abstract: A system for reading or writing data from or to a bilevel optical recording medium with a flying head. The system includes a head having a slider and a solid immersion lens mounted at least partially within the slider. The solid immersion lens has a partial spherical surface and a substantially flat surface. The head also has an objective lens mounted to the slider. The system also includes a multilevel recording medium. The medium has a first media layer and a first substrate layer adjacent to the first media layer. The medium also has at least one second media layer adjacent the side of the first substrate layer opposite from the first media layer, and a second substrate layer adjacent the side of the second media layer opposite from the first substrate layer. The total effective numerical aperture of the system is greater than one for all layers.

Abstract: A head for a disk drive for reading data from and/or writing data to an optical recording medium, having a slider with a channel surface and an air-bearing surface, an optical clear path through the slider, a solid immersion lens mounted at least partially within the slider, and an objective lens mounted to the slider, such that the distances between the air-bearing surface, the objective, and the solid immersion lens are substantially constant.

Abstract: An apparatus is used with an optical disk drive for directing a beam of light to a surface of an optical disk. The apparatus has a beam shifter configured to direct the beam from a first path (along which the beam is generated) to a second path which is substantially parallel to the first path. An imaging lens is configured to direct the beam from the second path along a third path which passes near the front focal point of an objective lens (located near the surface of the disk). The third path and the first path diverge at an angle based on the distance separating the first and second paths.

Abstract: A disk cartridge assembly includes an enclosure, a recording disk mounted for rotation in the enclosure, and an electrostatic cleaning element positioned on an interior surface of the enclosure. The cleaning element engages one side of the disk at least when the disk is at rest and when the disk is rotated at a low speed, and the cleaning element is charged to a high voltage.