Abstract: An apparatus includes a slider mounted on an arm, a first waveguide including a first core guiding layer, a second waveguide mounted on the slider and including a second core guiding layer having a thickness smaller than the thickness of the first core guiding layer, and a coupler for coupling light from the first core guiding layer to the second core guiding layer.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a storage medium, a recording head, a source of electromagnetic radiation, and a control circuit for modulating the source of electromagnetic radiation in response to a static deviation of a spacing between the recording head and the storage medium. A method of compensating a static deviation of a spacing between a recording head and a storage medium performed by the apparatus, and a method of precompensating for nonlinear transition shifts in a heat assisted magnetic recording system, are also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a distance such as, for example, a fly height distance. An apparatus includes a slider having an air bearing surface and an optical condenser assembly spaced apart from the air bearing surface of the slider. The optical condenser assembly includes an optical cap and an optical substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is spaced apart from the optical cap and the second surface is spaced apart from the air bearing surface of the slider.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a storage medium, a recording head, a source of electromagnetic radiation, and a control circuit for modulating the source of electromagnetic radiation in response to a static deviation of a spacing between the recording head and the storage medium. A method of compensating a static deviation of a spacing between a recording head and a storage medium performed by the apparatus, and a method of precompensating for nonlinear transition shifts in a heat assisted magnetic recording system, are also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a bit patterned magnetic storage media, a write transducer positioned adjacent to the bit patterned magnetic storage media, a write driver coupled to the write transducer to deliver write pulses to the write transducer, an optical sensor for producing a bit pattern signal, and a timing recovery circuit for producing a synchronization signal in response to the bit pattern signal, wherein the timing of the write pulses is adjusted in response to the synchronization signal.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first waveguide configured to focus an electromagnetic wave to a focal region, and a second waveguide defining an opening having an end positioned adjacent to the focal region, the second waveguide including a first metallic layer, and second and third layers positioned on opposite sides of the first metallic layer, wherein the first metallic layer has a first propagation constant larger than propagation constants of the second and third layers.

Abstract: A transducer comprises a conductive pin and a waveguide for directing electromagnetic radiation onto the pin, wherein the pin is configured to create a rectangular flat top field distribution at a surface of a storage medium positioned adjacent to an end of the pin, leading to a flat top thermal profile within the storage medium. A second pin can be included in the transducer. Recording heads that include the transducer, disc drives that include the recording head, and a method of heating a portion of a storage medium that is performed by the recording head, are also included.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium comprises a magnetically soft underlayer having a plurality of cavities in a surface thereof, and a magnetic recording material in the cavities, wherein a surface of the magnetic recording material in the cavities is substantially coplanar with the surface of the soft underlayer. A recording system that includes the recording medium is also included.

Abstract: A sensing contact probe includes a beam support and a probe. The probe has a bent beam body that extends from the beam support to a probe tip face that has a position and faces in an angular direction. The bent beam body has first and second beam layers bonded together and have differing residual stresses that bend the beam body. A stress relief region is formed in the bent beam body. The stress relief region has an adjusted stress property that adjusts the bending to control the probe tip face position and angular direction.

Abstract: A sensing contact probe includes a beam support and a probe. The probe has a bent beam body that extends from the beam support to a probe tip face that has a position and faces in an angular direction. The bent beam body has first and second beam layers bonded together and have differing residual stresses that bend the beam body. A stress relief region is formed in the bent beam body. The stress relief region has an adjusted stress property that adjusts the bending to control the probe tip face position and angular direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hard disk drive laser assisted magnetic recording system including a semiconductor laser and magnetic write coil integrally formed into a slider. The slider preferably includes a perpendicular magnetic recording section adjacent a laser section. The laser section may form an air bearing surface of the slider. During recording operations, laser radiation from the laser section heats a region of the magnetic recording media in order to reduce its coercivity.

Abstract: A slider assembly for an optical disc drive comprises a slider body having an aerodynamic surface arranged to fly a design distance from a recording surface of a recording medium when the recording medium is rotated at its operating velocity. An objective lens is supported by the slider and defines a focal point at a fixed position relative to the lens. A microactuator is mounted to the slider body to selectively alter the position of the objective lens relative to the slider body. When the slider is flown the design distance from the recording surface, the objective lens may be selectively moved by the microactuator to selectively alter the position of the focal point relative to the recording surface.

Abstract: An optical drive apparatus for use with a multilayer optical data storage device, includes: at least two spaced apart storage layers, each of such layers being adapted to store information; a spacer layer positioned between alternating storage layers; at least one of the storage layers including tracking and/or format information, while another storage layer does not include tracking and/or format information; and writing apparatus including a plurality of radiation beams arranged such that at least one beam is focused on a layer with tracking and/or format information and provides tracking and/or format information to at least one other beam that is focused on a layer to be written that does not have substantial tracking and/or format information.

Abstract: A multilayer optical data storage device is disclosed which has at least two spaced apart storage layers, each of such layers being adapted to store information; a spacer layer positioned between alternating storage layers; and at least one of the layers including tracking and/or format information, and at least one storage layer that does not include substantial tracking and/or format information.