Abstract: This application describes structures of storage media for optical storage systems, including systems in the near-field configuration to couple radiation between the optical head and the media at least in part by evanescent fields. Disk cartridges for various optical disk drives are also described.

Abstract: Structures of storage media for optical storage systems, especially for systems in the near-field configuration to couple radiation between the optical head and the media at least in part by evanescent fields.

Abstract: Several embodiments of a method for manufacturing an optical assembly for use in an optical flying head are provided. The optical assembly may include a solid immersion lens and a magnetic coil. Techniques are provided for fabricating the solid immersion lens and the magnetic coil. Techniques are also provided for installing the optical assembly into a slider for the optical flying head. Other embodiments are described in which a solid immersion lens is installed in or is integral with a transparent slider. A magnetic coil may also be installed in these embodiments.

Abstract: Structures of storage media for optical storage systems, especially for systems in the near-field configuration to couple radiation between the optical head and the media at least in part by evanescent fields. Manufacturing methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: Magneto-optical storage media designed for optical storage systems such as disk drives with optical flying heads. Dielectric layers are designed and implemented to maximize optical coupling between the flying optical head and the media and to reduce variations of signals with flight height of the flying optical head.

Abstract: Several embodiments of a method for manufacturing an optical assembly for use in an optical flying head are provided. The optical assembly may include a solid immersion lens and a magnetic coil. Techniques are provided for fabricating the solid immersion lens and the magnetic coil. Techniques are also provided for installing the optical assembly into a slider for the optical flying head. Other embodiments are described in which a solid immersion lens is installed in or is integral with a transparent slider. A magnetic coil may also be installed in these embodiments.

Abstract: Several embodiments of a method for manufacturing an optical assembly for use in an optical flying head are provided. The optical assembly may include a solid immersion lens and a magnetic coil. Techniques are provided for fabricating the solid immersion lens and the magnetic coil. Techniques are also provided for installing the optical assembly into a slider for the optical flying head. Other embodiments are described in which a solid immersion lens is installed in or is integral with a transparent slider. A magnetic coil may also be installed in these embodiments.

Abstract: Optical storage systems based on air-bearing-suspended optical heads in a near-field configuration. Such a system comprises an optical head for reading and writing data and a head positioning system, an optics module including beam relay optics and signal detectors, and a medium holding and loading module to hold an optical medium. An electronic control system is also provided to control the system operation. The optical head includes a near-field lens with a high index of refraction and in a near-field configuration in which the near-field lens has a numerical aperture greater than unity when the spacing between an exit facet of the optical head and a recording layer in the optical medium is a fraction of one wavelength of optical beam.

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: 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: 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.

Abstract: Periodic clock pulses are pre-recorded on each servo track of an optical disk to provide a local self-synchronizing source of clock frequency information for read only or direct read after write optical digital disk memories. In keeping with accepted practices, the servo track or tracks additionally function as references for controlling the radial positioning of a read head or a read/write head of such a memory.

Abstract: The output beam of a read laser for an optical memory is diffracted to provide a plurality of read beams of substantially equal intensity for simultaneously scanning all of the data tracks of a selected data channel with a different one of the read beams, whereby each of the read beams is optically modulated in accordance with the data recorded on a respective one of the data tracks. The optically modulated read beams are applied to respective detectors, whereby the data recorded on the different data tracks is simultaneously converted into corresponding video electrical signals. Those signals are, in turn, output selectively or in parallel.