Abstract: An electromagnetic wave sensor includes a substrate having transmittance of electromagnetic waves having a specific wavelength, an insulator layer provided on one surface side of the substrate, a thermistor film disposed to have a space between the thermistor film and one surface of the substrate, and a wiring part provided inside or on a surface of the insulator layer and electrically connected to the thermistor film, wherein a transmittance of the electromagnetic waves at a portion facing the thermistor film is relatively higher than a transmittance of the electromagnetic waves at a portion where the wiring part is provided in a layer in which the insulator layer is provided.

Abstract: An electromagnetic wave sensor that limits the influence on bolometer membranes that is caused by heat from a local heat source is provided. Electromagnetic wave sensor has first substrate, second substrate that faces first substrate so as to form inner space between first substrate and second substrate, wherein second substrate transmits infrared rays; a plurality of bolometer membranes that is provided in inner space and that is supported by second substrate; local heat source that is formed in first substrate; first electric connection member that connects first substrate to second substrate; and lead that extends on or in second substrate and that connects first electric connection member to bolometer membrane.

Abstract: A heat utilizing device is provided in which the thermal resistance of the wiring layer is increased while an increase in electric resistance of the wiring layer is limited. Heat utilizing device has thermistor whose electric resistance changes depending on temperature; and wiring layer that is connected to thermistor. A mean free path of phonons in wiring layer is smaller than a mean free path of phonons in an infinite medium that consists of a material of wiring layer.

Abstract: An electromagnetic wave sensor that limits the influence on bolometer membranes that is caused by heat from a local heat source is provided. Eelectromagnetic wave sensor has first substrate, second substrate that faces first substrate so as to form inner space between first substrate and second substrate, wherein second substrate transmits infrared rays; a plurality of bolometer membranes that is provided in inner space and that is supported by second substrate; local heat source that is formed in first substrate; first electric connection member that connects first substrate to second substrate; and lead that extends on or in second substrate and that connects first electric connection member to bolometer membrane.

Abstract: A resistive element array circuit includes word lines, bit lines, resistive elements, a selector, a differential amplifier, and a ground terminal. The word lines are coupled to a power supply. The resistive elements are each disposed at an intersection of corresponding one of the word lines and corresponding one of the bit lines. The selector is configured to select one word line and one bit line. The differential amplifier includes a positive input terminal configured to be coupled to the selected one of the bit lines which is selected by the selector, a negative input terminal configured to be coupled to non-selected one of the bit lines which is not selected by the selector and to non-selected one of the word lines which is not selected by the selector, an output terminal being coupled to the negative input terminal. The ground terminal is coupled to the positive input terminal.

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: Thermally-assisted magnetic recording head, includes: a magnetic pole having an end exposed on an air-bearing surface; a waveguide; a plasmon generator having a first and second region, first region extending backward from the air-bearing surface to a first position, second region being coupled with the first region at the first position, extending backward from first position, and having a width in a track-width direction, and width in the track-width direction of second region being larger than a width in the track-width direction of first region; an adhesion layer having an end exposed on the air-bearing surface and a first adhesion region, the first adhesion region being in close contact with an end face in the track-width direction of first region; and a cladding layer located around plasmon generator and adhesion layer. Adhesion force between adhesion layer and plasmon generator is greater than adhesion force between cladding layer and plasmon generator.

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

Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic recording head has a generator end surface facing an air bearing surface (ABS), and includes: a near-field light (NF light) generator that generates an NF light on the generator end surface and irradiates a magnetic recording medium with the NF light, and a main magnetic pole end surface positioned in the vicinity of the generator end surface; a main magnetic pole that emits a magnetic flux from the main magnetic pole end surface to the magnetic recording medium and a shield end surface positioned in the vicinity of the generator end surface; and a return shield that is magnetically linked to the main magnetic pole, and that absorbs the magnetic flux returning from the magnetic recording medium at 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 drive device in which the frequency of a drive waveform applied to a piezoelectric element is easily settable with less obligation to consider resonance in a stationary member. The device includes a piezo element that expands and contracts according to a drive voltage, a transmission shaft that receives vibration produced by the piezo element, a stationary member that holds the transmission shaft in a slidable state along the longitudinal direction of the transmission shaft, and a lens holder that is displaced together with the piezo element and transmission shaft relative to the stationary member according to drive of the piezo element. The piezo element and the transmission shaft move in the moving direction of the lens holder in synchronization with the lens holder according to drive of the piezo element in the state where the piezo element is spaced from the stationary member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a plasmon generator, in which a surface plasmon is excited by application of light. The plasmon generator extends along one direction. The plasmon generator includes a first end surface that is positioned on one end in the one direction and at which near-field light is generated along with the excitation of the plasmon; and a second cross section that is substantially parallel to the first end surface and is away from the first end surface. The first end surface has a polygonal shape that does not have a substantially acute inner angle. The second cross section has an upper part that has a shape substantially the same as or similar to that of the first end surface and a flare shaped lower part that is connected to the upper part and has a width that increases as it is far from the upper part.

Abstract: The thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes: a magnetic pole having an end exposed on an air-bearing surface; a waveguide; a plasmon generator formed essentially of a first metallic material, and having a first region and a second region, the first region extending backward from the air-bearing surface to a first position, and the second region being coupled with the first region at the first position and extending backward from the first position; and a metallic layer filling a part in the second region, and formed essentially of a second metallic material that has a higher melting temperature than a melting temperature of the first metallic material.

Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic recording head includes a plasmon-generator that generates near-field light (NF light) from a near-field light generating portion on a near field light generator end surface constituting a portion of the medium opposing surface. The plasmon-generator has a first PG part having the near field light generator end surface constituting a portion of the medium opposing surface, and a second PG part positioned at a back side compared to the medium opposing surface when viewed from the medium opposing surface side. When viewed from the medium opposing surface side, the first PG part extends toward the back side from the medium opposing surface, and the second PG part is placed to contact at least a portion of both side surfaces of the first PG part.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a plasmon generator, in which a surface plasmon is excited by application of light. The plasmon generator extends along one direction. The plasmon generator includes a first end surface that is positioned on one end in the one direction and at which near-field light is generated along with the excitation of the plasmon; and a second cross section that is substantially parallel to the first end surface and is away from the first end surface. The first end surface has a polygonal shape that does not have a substantially acute inner angle. The second cross section has an upper part that has a shape substantially the same as or similar to that of the first end surface and a flare shaped lower part that is connected to the upper part and has a width that increases as it is far from the upper part.

Abstract: The thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes: a magnetic pole having an end exposed on an air-bearing surface; a waveguide; a plasmon generator formed essentially of a first metallic material, and having a first region and a second region, the first region extending backward from the air-bearing surface to a first position, and the second region being coupled with the first region at the first position and extending backward from the first position; and a metallic layer filling a part in the second region, and formed essentially of a second metallic material that has a higher melting temperature than a melting temperature of the first metallic material.

Abstract: The thermally-assisted magnetic recording head of the invention includes: a waveguide; a magnetic pole; a cladding layer provided between the waveguide and the magnetic pole; and a plasmon generator embedded in the cladding layer. The cladding layer includes a first cladding section located on a side close to an air-bearing surface and a second cladding section located on a side far from the air-bearing surface, and a thermal expansion coefficient of the first cladding section is larger than a thermal expansion coefficient of the second cladding section.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermally assisted magnetic head with improved recording performance. The thermally assisted magnetic head includes a recording element and a near-field light generating element. The recording element includes a main pole appearing on a medium-facing surface, and a bit inversion starting region intended to be a maximum recording magnetic field generating position is formed at a leading edge of the main pole. The near-field light generating element is located on a leading side of the main pole and capable of creating a heating spot due to a near-field light on a near-field light generating end face appearing on the medium-facing surface. The bit inversion starting region is located within one-half of a diameter of the heating spot from a center of the heating spot.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermally assisted magnetic head with improved recording performance. The thermally assisted magnetic head includes a recording element and a near-field light generating element. The recording element includes a main pole appearing on a medium-facing surface, and a bit inversion starting region intended to be a maximum recording magnetic field generating position is formed at a leading edge of the main pole. The near-field light generating element is located on a leading side of the main pole and capable of creating a heating spot due to a near-field light on a near-field light generating end face appearing on the medium-facing surface. The bit inversion starting region is located within one-half of a diameter of the heating spot from a center of the heating spot.

Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic head includes a suspension mounting arrangement facilitating insertion and positioning of a suspension and hardly causes displacement after insertion. The head further includes a slider and a light source unit. The slider has a recording element, a plasmon generating element, a waveguide and a reproducing element at one of opposite ends in a length direction. The recording element and waveguide are disposed adjacent to the plasmon generating element. The light source unit has a laser diode chip and a holder and is disposed on a back surface of the slider opposite from a medium-facing surface. The chip is supported by the holder and optically connected to the waveguide in a height direction. Further, the slider has a groove in a surface of a trailing-side end face for insertion of a suspension. The groove extends linearly along a width direction with bent parts at opposite open ends.