Abstract: The laser diode includes an electrode pad layer, being connected to an electrode, and an outer surface in which the electrode pad layer is formed. The electrode pad layer includes a solder-bonding pad part and a solder-contact preventing part. The solder-contact preventing part is formed with small wettability material having solder wettability which is smaller than solder wettability of the solder-bonding pad part. The solder-bonding pad part and the solder-contact preventing part are formed so that a pad height, being a height from the outer surface to a surface of the solder-bonding pad part, is larger than a preventing height, being a height from the outer surface to a surface of the solder-contact preventing part.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser includes an active layer which emits laser light and cladding layers being formed so as to sandwich the active layer. The active layer includes a quantum dot layer including a plurality of quantum dots, which respectively confine movements of carriers in the three-dimensional directions. The laser radar device includes a light projection part which projects laser light and a light receiving part which receives reflected light of the laser light. The light projection part includes the semiconductor laser and a scanner which reflects the laser light, emitted from the semiconductor laser, to form a scanning laser light.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a head gimbal assembly includes a head connecting step which a thermally assisted magnetic head is connected to a suspension. The head connecting step includes a solder ball arrangement step which only one solder ball is arranged so that a laser diode of the thermally assisted magnetic head is connected to a flexure of the suspension, in an assembly structure which a slider of the thermally assisted magnetic head is adhered to the suspension. The solder ball arrangement step is performed using a connecting ball, as the solder ball, having a size larger than a wiring gap between an electrode surface of the laser diode and the flexure, and being in unmelted-solid condition.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a head gimbal assembly includes a head connecting step which a thermally assisted magnetic head is connected to a suspension. The head connecting step includes a solder ball arrangement step which only one solder ball is arranged so that a laser diode of the thermally assisted magnetic head is connected with a flexure of the suspension, in an assembly structure which a slider of the thermally assisted magnetic head is adhered to the suspension. The solder ball arrangement step is performed using a connecting ball, as the solder ball, having a size larger than a wiring gap and being in unmelted-solid condition. The head connecting step includes a heat step which an electrode surface of the laser diode is heated.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a head gimbal assembly includes a head connecting step which a thermally assisted magnetic head is connected to a suspension. The head connecting step includes a solder ball arrangement step which a solder ball is arranged so that a laser diode of the thermally assisted magnetic head is connected to a flexure of the suspension, in an assembly structure which a slider of the thermally assisted magnetic head is adhered to the suspension. The solder ball arrangement step is performed using a connecting ball, as the solder ball, having a size smaller than a wiring gap between an electrode surface of the laser diode and the flexure, and being in melted-particle condition.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser includes an active layer which emits laser light and cladding layers being formed so as to sandwich the active layer. The active layer includes a quantum dot layer including a plurality of quantum dots, which respectively confine movements of carriers in the three-dimensional directions. The laser radar device includes a light projection part which projects laser light and a light receiving part which receives reflected light of the laser light. The light projection part includes the semiconductor laser and a scanner which reflects the laser light, emitted from the semiconductor laser, to form a scanning laser light.

Abstract: A light source-unit includes a laser diode, a sub-mount which the laser diode is joined. The laser diode includes an optical generating layer including an active layer which emits laser-light and cladding layers being formed so as to sandwich the active layer. The active layer includes a quantum dot layer including a plurality of quantum dots, which respectively confine movements of carriers in the three-dimensional directions.

Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic head including a slider and a light source-unit. The slider includes a slider substrate and a magnetic head part. The light source-unit includes a laser diode and a sub-mount. The magnetic head part includes a medium-opposing surface, a light source-opposing surface and a waveguide which guides laser light from the light source-opposing surface to the medium-opposing surface. The slider substrate includes a light source-cavity formed in a light source-placing surface on which the light source-unit is placed. The light source-cavity includes an opening concave part being formed larger than a mount bottom surface of the sub-mount. The mount bottom surface of the sub-mount is inserted into the opening concave part to be joined to the light source-cavity.

Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic head including a slider and a light source-unit. The slider includes a slider substrate and a magnetic head part. The light source-unit includes a laser diode and a sub-mount. The magnetic head part includes a medium-opposing surface, a light source-opposing surface and a waveguide which guides laser light from the light source-opposing surface to the medium-opposing surface. The thermally assisted magnetic head includes an optimal-structure which the following optimizing conditional expression, concerning an inlet-optical path length L1 of an inlet-interval of the waveguide, and an outlet-optical path length L2 of an outlet-interval, is satisfied, m1×L1=L2 (m1 is a natural number).

Abstract: A light source-unit which is used for a thermally assisted magnetic head, comprises a laser diode and a sub-mount which the laser diode is joined. The sub-mount comprises a joint-surface which the laser diode is joined and a convex part protruding from the joint-surface. The light source-unit comprises an alloy layer, made of alloy, which is formed between the surface of the convex part and an opposing-surface, of the laser diode, opposing to the joint-surface.

Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic head includes a slider, the slider includes a slider substrate and a magnetic head part. The magnetic head part includes a medium-opposing surface opposing a magnetic recording medium, a light source-opposing surface arranged rear side of the medium-opposing surface, an anti-reflection film formed on the light source-opposing surface, a core layer and a cladding layer. The anti-reflection film includes a stacked structure which a first layer and a second layer are stacked. The second layer is formed with high refractive index dielectric having the refractive index higher than the first layer.

Abstract: A light source unit for thermally-assisted magnetic head includes a substrate member having a bonding surface, multiple layers formed on the bonding surface and comprising a base layer, a connection pad layer, an insulation layer and a bonding layer; a light source assembly attached on the bonding layer of the substrate member and having a laser diode embedded therein and connected to the connection pad layer on the bonding surface, so as to form a laser diode circuit; and a heater buried in the insulation layer and connected to the connection pad layer, so as to form a heater circuit. The light source unit can maintain stable heat power for facilitating performance of the thermally-assisted magnetic head, and further reduce the sizes of the light source unit and substrate member.

Abstract: A light source-unit comprises a laser diode, a sub-mount which the laser diode is joined, and a heater which is joined on a joint surface of the sub-mount. The sub-mount comprises a pair of barrier-members. The barrier-members are formed with lower thermal conductivity material which thermal conductivity is lower than joining metal which is used for joining the laser diode and the sub-mount. The barrier-members are formed on the joint surface so as to sandwich the heater.

Abstract: A method of testing dynamic performances for a slider body of a thermally-assisted magnetic head includes: providing a slider body which is disconnected with a light source unit; removably mounting the slider body to a test head suspension assembly; keeping to provide a flat top beam to the slider body, the flat top beam being aligned with the optical waveguide, and a projection of an incident end of the optical waveguide being located within a light spot of the flat top beam; and testing the dynamic performance of the slider body. It can save the material cost and labor cost, and eliminate a precise optical alignment between an input light and an optical waveguide in the slider body to improve testing efficiency.

Abstract: A method of testing dynamic performances for a slider body of a thermally-assisted magnetic head includes: providing a slider body which is disconnected with a light source unit; removably mounting the slider body to a test head suspension assembly; keeping to provide a flat top beam to the slider body, the flat top beam being aligned with the optical waveguide, and a projection of an incident end of the optical waveguide being located within a light spot of the flat top beam; and testing the dynamic performance of the slider body. It can save the material cost and labor cost, and eliminate a precise optical alignment between an input light and an optical waveguide in the slider body to improve testing efficiency.

Abstract: A light source unit for thermally-assisted magnetic head includes a support member and a light source attached on the support member via a solder, and the light source unit further includes a positioning structure formed between the support member and the light source for positioning the light source and the solder. The light source unit can maintain stable height control of the light source, prevent solder over flow and prevent the light source from shifting and moving during the bonding process.

Abstract: A thermal assisted magnetic recording head executing magnetic recording while locally heating a magnetic recording medium includes a plasmon generator generating surface plasmon and generating near-field light from the surface plasmon at an end surface situated on an air bearing surface facing the magnetic recording medium, a main pole being in contact with the plasmon generator and exposed on the air bearing surface, a metal protective layer situated on an opposite side to the plasmon generator when viewed from the main pole and positioned to overlap with a part of the main pole when viewed from one side in a down track direction, and an overcoat protective layer covering the metal protective layer. The overcoat protective layer is formed on a flat surface at least at a position where it overlaps with the main pole when viewed from one side in the down track direction, and the metal protective layer configures a part of the flat surface.

Abstract: A recording head has a near field light (NF light) generator generating NF light on a generator end surface that irradiates a magnetic recording (MR) medium; a main magnetic pole including a pole end surface facing an air bearing surface (ABS) that emits magnetic flux to the MR medium from the pole end surface; and a return shield having a shield end surface facing the ABS, that is magnetically linked with the main magnetic pole, and absorbs magnetic flux from the MR medium at the shield end surface. The pole end surface and the shield end surface are on the same side of the generator end surface in the down track direction, and are close to each other in the track crossing direction. A center line in the down track direction of the generator end surface extends between opposing sides of the pole end surface and the shield end surface.

Abstract: The thermally assisted recording head of the present invention has a near field light (NF light) generator that includes a generator end surface facing an air bearing surface (ABS), that generates an NF light on the generator end surface, and that irradiates a magnetic recording medium with the NF light; a main magnetic pole that includes a main magnetic pole end surface facing the ABS and positioned in the vicinity of the generator end surface, and that emits a magnetic flux to the magnetic recording medium from the main magnetic pole end surface; and a return shield that includes a shield end surface facing the ABS and positioned in the vicinity of the generator end surface, that is magnetically linked with the main magnetic pole, and that absorbs a magnetic flux returning from the magnetic recording medium at the shield end surface.

Abstract: A plasmon-generator of the invention is configured to include a first configuration member including a near-field light generating end surface; and a second configuration member joined and integrated with the first configuration member and not including the near-field light generating end surface. The first configuration member is configured to contain Au as a primary component and to contain any one or more elements selected from a group of Co, Fe, Sb, Nb, Zr, Ti, Hf, and Ta, and is configured so that a content percentage X1 of the contained element is within a range between 0.2 at % or more and 2.0 at % or less. Thereby, thermostability, optical characteristic, and the process stability are satisfied. Also, heat dissipation and heat generation suppression effect are extremely superior.