Abstract: The present invention relates to a bit detection method for detecting the bit values of bits of a channel data stream stored on a record carrier, wherein the channel data stream resides on an N-dimensional lattice of bits and comprises a plurality of contiguous bit units, each bit unit comprising at least one bit, wherein bit detection for the channel data stream is performed by an iterative procedure, each iteration being carried out on the basis of said bit units, wherein the bit values of the bits of a bit unit are detected by said iterative procedure based on the received HF signal values of the bits of said bit unit. The proposed method comprises an initialisation step, an updating step and an iteration such the method the bits are detected in an iterative but non-recursive way which allow for a high level of parallel processing in the implementation.

Abstract: An actuator (6) for a magneto optical recording apparatus (1) comprises an actuator base (20); a platform (30) movably coupled to said actuator base (20); at least one actuator coil (31) supported by said platform (30); at least one writing coil (43) supported by said platform (30). One common conductor (22a; 22b) conducts actuator coil drive signals as well as writing coil drive signals from said actuator base (20) to said platform (30).

Abstract: Method and apparatus for reading a magneto-optical domain expansion recording medium (10), wherein the size of a spatial copy window of a domain copying process is controlled by varying a predetermined reading parameter in response to a control information derived from a readout pulse. A predetermined additional pattern of change is applied to said predetermined parameter and the control information is then derived from a deviation of a clock signal. The size of the copy window can thus be controlled dynamically to obtain a robust and reliable readout process.

Abstract: A record head (3) for the thermally assisted magnetic recording on a storage medium (5). The head has an inductive section, which includes a magnetic circuit having a record flux guide (7) ending in a record pole (7a), and an optical section, which includes an optical guide ending in an optical outlet (11a). The optical guide is arranged beside the magnetic circuit and is an optical layer (11) transparent to a selected wavelength. The optical layer is interposed between two cladding layers, of which one is formed by the record flux guide of the magnetic circuit and the other is formed by a layer having an index of refraction smaller than the index of refraction of the optical layer. The record head makes it possible to minimize the time that elapse between the moment of maximal energy absorption in the medium and the moment of recording on the medium in a thermally assisted recording process.