Abstract: The present invention provides a cleaning disk and a magneto-optical disk drive apparatus being simple in structure, adaptable to cleaning disks having various specifications, low in power consumption, low in electromagnetic noise, and preventing damage to the magnetic head and the optical head; the cleaning disk comprises a magneto-optical disk having an information layer, and a head-cleaning member, provided on the magneto-optical disk, for cleaning the magnetic head of the magneto-optical disk drive apparatus, wherein information regarding a magnetic head cleaning condition for setting the operation condition of the magneto-optical disk drive apparatus during cleaning of the magnetic head has been recorded in advance on the information layer of the magneto-optical disk. The magneto-optical disk drive apparatus reads the information regarding the magnetic head cleaning condition so as to set the operation condition properly.

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: The present invention provides a cleaning disk and a magneto-optical disk drive apparatus being simple in structure, adaptable to cleaning disks having various specifications, low in power consumption, low in electromagnetic noise, and preventing damage to the magnetic head and the optical head; the cleaning disk comprises a magneto-optical disk having an information layer, and a head-cleaning member, provided on the magneto-optical disk, for cleaning the magnetic head of the magneto-optical disk drive apparatus, wherein information regarding a magnetic head cleaning condition for setting the operation condition of the magneto-optical disk drive apparatus during cleaning of the magnetic head has been recorded in advance on the information layer of the magneto-optical disk. The magneto-optical disk drive apparatus reads the information regarding the magnetic head cleaning condition so as to set the operation condition properly.

Abstract: A magneto-optical disc includes protective overcoats that significantly improve the durability of the disc. In particular, the protective overcoat involves a carbon layer over the magnetic, optical data storage layer. The magnetic, optical data storage layer includes a magnetic metal or alloy with a Curie temperature accessible by optical heating. In preferred embodiments, the carbon coating has a small absorption coefficient for selected optical frequencies.