Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes: a disk; a head including a main magnetic pole, a write shield that faces the main magnetic pole in a first direction and is separated from the main magnetic pole by a gap, a first assist element that is disposed in the gap and a second assist element that is disposed in the gap and is positioned relative to the first assist element in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and a controller configured to: cause a first assist energy from the first assist element to be applied to the disk and affect a coercive force of the disk; and cause a second assist energy from the second assist element to be applied to the disk and affect a coercive force of the disk, wherein the first assist energy is different from the second assist energy.

Abstract: System and method for optical alignment of a near-field system, employing reiterative analysis of amplitude (irradiance) and phase maps of irradiated field obtained in back-scattered light while adjusting the system to arrive at field pattern indicative of and sensitive to a near-field optical wave produced by diffraction-limited irradiation of a tip of the near-field system. Demodulation of optical data representing such maps is carried out at different harmonics of probe-vibration frequency. Embodiments are operationally compatible with methodology of chemical nano-identification of sample utilizing normalized near-field spectroscopy, and may utilize suppression of background contribution to collected data based on judicious coordination of data acquisition with motion of the tip. Such coordination may be defined without knowledge of separation between the tip and sample. Computer program product with instructions effectuating the method and operation of the system.

Abstract: System and method for optical alignment of a near-field system, employing reiterative analysis of amplitude (irradiance) and phase maps of irradiated field obtained in back-scattered light while adjusting the system to arrive at field pattern indicative of and sensitive to a near-field optical wave produced by diffraction-limited irradiation of a tip of the near-field system. Demodulation of optical data representing such maps is carried out at different harmonics of probe-vibration frequency. Embodiments are operationally compatible with methodology of chemical nano-identification of sample utilizing normalized near-field spectroscopy, and may utilize suppression of background contribution to collected data based on judicious coordination of data acquisition with motion of the tip. Such coordination may be defined without knowledge of separation between the tip and sample. Computer program product with instructions effectuating the method and operation of the system.

Abstract: A device may be configured at least with a controller connected to a transducer or transducing assembly that is positioned proximal a data storage medium having at least one thermal asperity or other similar defect. The controller may be configured to select a clearance height above the data storage medium in response to a measured severity of the at least one thermal asperity.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a microprobe includes a base and a lever. The base includes a first electrode provided on a surface thereof. The lever is supported by the base and includes a second electrode and a third electrode. The second electrode is connected between the first electrode and the third electrode. The third electrode is formed to project from the second electrode in a first direction in a main surface of the lever. A width of the third electrode in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction in the main surface defines a width of an electrical contact area when a scanning operation is performed by use of the third electrode in a third direction perpendicular to the main surface.

Abstract: A system for providing energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) heads using a substrate is described. The substrate has front and back sides and apertures therein. The apertures are through-holes between the front and back sides of the substrate. The system includes providing a transmission medium in the apertures and fabricating EAMR transducers on the front side of the substrate. The EAMR transducers correspond to the apertures and the EAMR heads. The system also includes electrically insulating the back side of the substrate. The back side of the substrate is also prepared for mounting of the lasers. The lasers then are coupled the back side of the substrate. The lasers correspond to the EAMR heads and are configured to provide light through the apertures to the EAMR transducers. The system also includes separating the substrate into the EAMR heads.

Abstract: A near-field optical head which can be manufactured using a silicon process and illuminate and detect sufficient light from a very small aperture at all times in a state of stably proximate to a media. The near-field optical head (3000) is structured by a very small aperture (3008) formed at an apex of a taper, a light introducing part (3002) for propagating light in a direction generally parallel with a media, and a light reflection layer (3001) for reflecting the light propagated through the light introducing part (3002) toward the very small aperture (3008). Furthermore, a focusing function is structurally provided for illuminating the light focused on the very small aperture (3008).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes: providing a light source unit including a laser diode; providing a slider having a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head section thereon, the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head section including a magnetic pole, an optical waveguide, and a plasmon generator, the magnetic pole and the optical waveguide both extending toward an air bearing surface, the plasmon generator being located between the magnetic pole and the optical waveguide; driving the laser diode to allow a light beam to be emitted therefrom, the light beam including both a TE polarization component and a TM polarization component; performing an alignment between the light source unit and the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head section, based on a light intensity distribution of the TE polarization component in the light beam which has been emitted from the laser diode and then passed through the optical waveguide; and bonding the light source unit

Abstract: A sensing device including a base, a pillar, an arm, a sensing element and a driving module is provided. The base has a supporting surface suitable for supporting the object. The pillar is disposed on the supporting surface. The arm has two ends and a pivot portion between the two ends. The pivot position is pivoted to the pillar along an axis substantially parallel to the supporting surface. The sensing element is disposed on the arm and located between an end and the pivot portion. The sensing element is located between the base and the object. The driving module is disposed between the arm and the base. The driving module drives the arm to pivot relatively to the pillar along the axis, and the sensing element moves toward or away from the object as the arm is pivoted.

Abstract: In a thermally assisted magnetic recording head having a light source and a waveguide to lead a laser beam radiated from the light source to a front end of the magnetic head, while blocking an adverse effect of heat generated in the light source and securing a good floating characteristic, the light source and the magnetic head are optically coupled with high efficiency and the magnetic head itself is reduced in size. This invention provides a reflection mirror that is formed of a part or whole of one inclined end surface of the semiconductor laser mounted on the first submount. Near one end surface of the slider is provided the optical waveguide that pierces through the slider in a direction of the thickness thereof.

Abstract: In a particular embodiment, a recording head includes a tapered waveguide adapted to propagate light from a light source a slider adjacent to a surface of a storage medium. The tapered waveguide is adapted to output an elliptical beam to a grating coupler on a slider. The recording head further includes a slider waveguide extending substantially normal to a surface of the storage medium and a grating adapted to couple the elliptical beam into the slider waveguide.

Abstract: A recording head includes a magnetic write pole having an end positioned adjacent to an air bearing surface, a first waveguide having an end positioned adjacent to the air bearing surface, a laser, and a coupler for coupling light from the laser to the waveguide. The coupler can include a grating positioned in or adjacent to a lasing cavity of the laser.

Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a first main body and a disc drive. The disc drive is received in the first main body. The disc drive includes a second main body, a driving element, and a laser assembly. The second main body is rotatably received in the first main body. The driving element is arranged on the second main body for driving a disc. The laser assembly includes a laser slidably received in the first main body. The disc drive is in a use state when the second main body is rotated to cause the driving element to face the laser.

Abstract: Disclosed is a light spot forming element which is capable of forming a minute stabilized light spot efficiently and is easy to handle. For this purpose, there is provided a light spot forming element wherein a laser oscillation unit which has a periodic refractive index distribution and is employed as a laser resonator, and a focusing unit that receives the light emitted by this laser oscillation unit and forms a light spot by focusing this received light are formed on the same substrate.

Abstract: A recorder has a recording medium for information recording, a light source, an optical system, a slider, and an optical waveguide. To the optical system, light from the light source enters, and the slider moves relative to the recording medium while not in contact therewith. The optical waveguide is arranged at position facing the recording medium in the slider so that light entering from the optical system is irradiated on the recording medium. Where the mode field diameter of the optical waveguide on the light output side is d and the mode field diameter thereof on the light input side is D, the mode field diameter is converted by smoothly changing the diameter of the optical waveguide to satisfy D>d.

Abstract: Provided is an optical recording head in which a light beam from a light source is collected by an optical element and reflected on a reflecting surface to be formed into a spot light. Since a support portion for supporting the light source of the optical element at a predetermined position and the reflection surface for reflecting the light beam are formed integrally with each other, it is not required to perform the positioning thereof, and light can be collected to a very small spot with high efficiency, and an optical recording head and an optical recording apparatus having low heights can be provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a suspension arm comprising a suspension arm designed as a two-arm lever, said suspension arm mounted to a support such that it can be pivoted between the lever arms about an axis extending perpendicularly to said suspension arm. One of the lever arms supports on its end side an optical head having a focal lens and comprises an elastic region for initiating a motion of the optical head in focusing direction perpendicularly to the pivot plane of the suspension arm. The other lever arm is provided with a coil of a magnetic drive for initiating a swivel motion about the axis. In addition, the suspension arm actuator comprises a magnetic drive for initiating the motion of the optical head in the focusing direction. It solves the problem of designing such a suspension arm actuator such that the sensitivity of said suspension arm actuator is increased.

Abstract: The invention is a near-field optical head that generates near-field light to heat a predetermined area of a medium and applies a magnetic field to the predetermined area to record information, the head including an optical waveguide 103 having a path for propagating a pencil of light, and a tip 117 having an optical minute opening 118 at the position facing against the predetermined area and collecting the pencil of light emitted from the optical waveguide 103 and simultaneously propagating the collected pencil of light to the optical minute opening 118 to generate the near-field light. The optical minute opening 118 is formed by a magnetic pole that applies a magnetic field to the predetermined area.

Abstract: A method and system for providing an energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) disk drive are described. The EAMR disk drive includes a slider, at least one EAMR transducer on the slider, and at least one laser coupled with the slider. The slider has a slider back side, a trailing face, and an intersection. The trailing face and the slider back side meet at the intersection. The trailing face makes an angle different from ninety degrees with the slider back side at the intersection. The laser(s) have an optical axis and are optically coupled with the trailing face of the slider. The optical axis is substantially perpendicular to the intersection and parallel to the slider back side.

Abstract: A recording apparatus is provided with: a recording device for recording record data onto a recording medium, the record data including real-time data which is continuously recorded by a certain amount and management data which is to manage at least one of recording and reproduction of the real-time data; a verifying device for verifying whether or not the recorded record data is accurately recorded; and a first controlling device for controlling the verifying device so as to selectively verify whether or not the management data is accurately recorded, out of the recorded record data.

Abstract: A solid immersion lens (SIL) is provided. The SIL includes a spherical part, a cone-shaped part, a tip part, and an edge part between the cone-shaped part and the tip part. The edge part includes a curved surface.

Abstract: There is provided a head gimbal mechanism 2 including a slider 10 placed between a recording medium D and a beam 11 and having a device generating near-field light, gimbal means 12 for fixing the slider to the tip of the beam 11 at a state that it can rotate about two axes which are parallel to the surface of the recording medium and are orthogonal to each other, and a flexible optical waveguide 13 composed of a basic waveguide section 21 placed along the beam and a bent waveguide section 21 that is bent in the Z-direction substantially orthogonal to the surface of the recording medium from the tip of the basic waveguide and connecting to the slider in non-contact with the beam and the gimbal means, the optical waveguide 13 guiding the luminous flux to the slider, wherein the basic waveguide section is placed at a state that at least a predetermined length on the bent waveguide section side relative to the beam is not fixed to the beam.

Abstract: An optical device integrated head having high light utilizing efficiency by decreasing the propagation loss caused from an optical source to a recording medium, conducting by mounting according to compact active alignment method for efficiently guiding a light generated from a laser device to the top end of a head, in which a light source device mounted on a submount has a mirror portion having an inclinated surface to at least a portion of one edge thereof for reflecting an output light from the optical source device at the inclinated surface, a structural member including a lens structure for further allowing a light to pass through the submount, and an optical waveguide disposed passing through a slider for mounting the submount, and the optical source and the slider are positioned by using active alignment of light in a chip-on carrier structure having the optical source device mounted on the submount.

Abstract: A thermal-assisted magnetic recording head which heats a magnetic bit of a magnetic disk by light radiation in recording magnetic data into the magnetic disk with a magnetic writing element. The magnetic recording head has a reflecting converging element with a surface emitting laser incorporated therein, and a transparent plate serving as a slider. A laser beam emitted from the surface emitting laser is reflected by a mirror surface of the reflecting converging element and is converged on a plasmon probe formed on a bottom surface of the transparent plate. Thereby, near-field light effuses from the plasmon probe into a very small area and heats the magnetic bit of the magnetic disk.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a phase compensator and an optical condenser in communication with the phase compensator. The phase compensator provides for phase shifting a portion of an electromagnetic wave. The optical condenser is shaped to direct the electromagnetic wave to a focal region of the optical condenser.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a load beam, a slider coupled to the load beam by a gimbal assembly and including an optical transducer, an optical fiber for transmitting light directly toward the transducer, and a mounting structure for adjusting the position of an end of the optical fiber. Data storage devices that include the apparatus are also included.

Abstract: In order to prevent deterioration of floating characteristics of a slider due to deformation of a slider floating surface by thermal expansion of a coil, the followings are performed. A recessed portion is formed in a part of the slider, and a device for generating an optical near-field and the coil for generating a magnetic field are formed in the recessed portion. The optical near-field generation device is formed on a surface facing a recording medium, and the magnetic field application coil is formed on an upper surface of the recessed portion. The optical near-field generation device and the magnetic field application coil are respectively exposed to the surface.

Abstract: A near-field light generating method for irradiating light from a light source to a metal film having a fine opening that has a size of not more than a wavelength of the light emitted from the light source, and forming a fine light spot adjacent to the fine opening on a light outgoing side of the fine opening. The method includes providing the metal film with a rectangular fine opening whose length to width ratio is between 1.1 times and 2 times that of a standard square opening, obtained by increasing the length of the standard square opening, and irradiating the metal film with light from the light source to form the fine light spot, which has a length and a width that are substantially equal to those of the standard square opening, and where the fine light spot has a light intensity, which is not less than two times that of the standard square opening.

Abstract: A solid immersion lens has an inclined portion formed on at least a part thereof from the tip end portion of the objective side to a spherical portion and an inclination angle ? is expressed as ???i where ?i represents the angle of incidence of light incident on the solid immersion lens. There are provided a solid immersion lens capable of increasing a tilt margin between a lens and an optical recording medium and so on and which can decrease a diameter of a lens and a method for forming a solid immersion lens.

Abstract: A solid immersion lens (SIL) is provided. The SIL includes a spherical part, a cone-shaped part, a tip part, and an edge part between the cone-shaped part and the tip part. The edge part includes a curved surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a head for recording/reading optical data and method of manufacturing the same. The present invention completely buries an aperture with a material a third non-linear coefficient of which is great in order to induce self-focusing. Thus, the present invention can reduce the amount of beam by about one half wavelength and focus the beam in a parabolic shape having almost no optical loss. Therefore, the present invention can improve the transmissivity of the probe by several hundreds times compared to a conventional optical fiver probe, by effectively exciting a near-field scanning optical microscopy for the aperture at an end portion of the probe.

Abstract: A suspension arm for an optical transducer comprises a load beam, a slider coupled to the load beam by a gimbal assembly and including an optical transducer positioned adjacent to an end of the slider facing a pivot point of the suspension arm, and an optical fiber for transmitting light toward the transducer, wherein an end of the optical fiber is positioned adjacent to the transducer such that light emitted from the fiber passes directly to the transducer. Disc drives that include the suspension arm, and a method of transmitting light to an optical transducer, are also included.

Abstract: A single monolithic semiconductor substrate comprises a first side and a second side. The first side includes an air bearing surface. A laser integrates with the first side. The laser has an emission facet substantially co-planer with the air bearing surface. A contact pad on the second side electronically bridges to the laser.

Abstract: A device includes an optical gain medium through which optical radiation is amplified. The device includes first and second reflectors disposed around the gain medium. One of the reflectors includes an emission region though which optical output is emitted and a metallic structure that has an array of features that couple the radiation to at least one surface plasmon mode of the structure, thereby enhancing the device's output. The device may be a laser, e.g., a diode laser. The emission region may have a width of, for example, between 10 and 100 nanometers, and this emission region may be in the shape of a rectangular slit. The optical radiation in the gain medium may be advantageously polarized perpendicularly to an axis along which a longer dimension of the emission region is oriented. The device is useful for data recording, e.g., thermally assisted data recording.

Abstract: In an optical pickup head of an optical recording reproducing apparatus, a fabrication method thereof, a lubricant-coated optical pickup head of an optical recording reproducing apparatus and a method for coating lubricant onto an optical pickup head, by using a MEMS (micro electro mechanical system) technique used for designing, fabricating and application of a microstructure, it is possible to miniaturize an optical pickup head of an optical recording reproducing apparatus and reduce a fabrication cost thereof.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a digital magneto-optical signal write/read head including a thin-film in-plane magnetic coil disposed on an outwardly directed surface of a coil substrate. Coil lead in and coil lead out sections of the coil are extended to an interconnection part of the side surface of the coil substrate and first and second spaced interconnecting conductors are deposited on the side surface of the coil substrate in electrical connection with the lead in and lead out sections of the magnetic coil for contacting the external lead in and lead out lines. Alternatively first and second contacting conductors may additionally be deposited on a top surface of the coil substrate in electrical connection with the first and second interconnecting conductors on the side surface of the coil substrate for contacting the said external lead in and lead out lines.

Abstract: Techniques and devices based on contact optical heads in optical storage devices and systems. In one implementation, a load actuator is provided in an optical storage device and is operable to apply a force to cause the optical head to contact the optical disk at a contact location of an optical interfacing surface when reading or writing data and the optical interfacing surface is a curved surface with a protruded apex at or near which the load actuator causes the optical head to contact the optical disk during reading or writing data.

Abstract: A near-field optical system having one or more solid state lasers and an aerodynamically shaped slider which comprise a single integrated, monolithic device fabricated from the same base semiconductor material. The monolithic optical head can be quickly and easily attached to the read arm of an optical read/write device without requiring attachment of separate laser elements, and without micropositioning or use of optical microscopy for positioning the lasers. The optical head comprising a single semiconductor substrate including a first region which defines a slider having an air bearing surface, and at least one second, laser region which defines a diode laser, with the diode laser having an emission face which is substantially co-planar with the air bearing surface.

Abstract: A near-field optical head applied for a head of an information recording/reading apparatus for realizing information recording and reading with high density recording medium at high speed and with reliability through interaction between a near-field light and a recording medium using a slider having a near-field optical probe. A slider (1) having a near-field optical probe is put into proximity to a recording medium (3). Further, a distance is reduced between a light emitting element (2) and a microscopic aperture (7). The microscopic aperture is controlled in protrusion amount from the recording medium (3) by a piezoelectric element. Due to this, the light intensity in the probe or light detecting section is increased to increase interaction with the recording medium (3). This realizes information recording and reading apparatus with high sensitivity and accuracy.

Abstract: A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head and a magnetic recording apparatus having the magnetic recording head built in are disclosed. The magnetic recording head is capable of recording magnetic information by heating a recording unit of a recording medium and raising its temperature to reduce magnetic coercive force and then applying recording magnetic field to the recording unit having the reduced coercive force. The magnetic recording head has a light absorbing film having an aperture, a laser device emitting and directing light through the aperture to the recording medium to head the recording unit and raise its temperature, and a recording magnetic pole for applying the recording magnetic field to the recording unit.

Abstract: Preceding to the reading out of the recording information of the optical disk by the pick-up, the height of the foreign material existing at the light converging position on the information reading surface is detected by the detector, and when the height of the foreign material is higher than the floating height h of the SIL, the magnetic field is generated by applying the control current corresponding to the height of the foreign material to the coil as the magnetic field generator at the timing before the foreign material is moved to the information reading position of the pick-up by the rotation of the optical disk. Then, when the magnetic field is provided to the magnetic substance fixedly holding the SIL which is floating, the movement operation to separate the SIL to the higher position than the height of the foreign material from the information reading surface together with the magnetic substance, is conducted.

Abstract: An optical head and a disk unit are provided, in which the height and the weight of the optical head are reduced to enable a disk unit of small size and high recording density. The optical head has 2-group lenses containing a first lens arranged on a side of a semiconductor laser and a second lens arranged to face a recording layer of an optical disk, and an optical axis of the objective lens is arranged in parallel to the recording layer. The optical head can be reduced in height and the weight according to the constitution.

Abstract: In an electrostatic actuator used to control fly height between a magnetic disc and a read/write head of a disc drive, a multi-layer electrode device is used. The multi-layer electrode device includes alternating insulating layers and conductive electrode layers. By controlling the material properties of each layer of the electrode device, problems associated with leakage current, field emission discharge, tunneling current, and slow actuator response time can be controlled.

Abstract: Electromagnetic radiation from an optical source is directed onto an optical aperture in a metallic structure. The metallic structure in turn emits optical output from an emission region in the structure and onto a recording medium (e.g., a magnetic recording disk), thereby heating the medium. The optical output is enhanced when the electromagnetic radiation from the optical source includes a frequency that matches a waveguide mode resonance in the metallic structure. Features (such as ridges or trenches) in the metallic structure may be used to further increase the emitted optical output beyond what the emitted optical output would be in the absence of these features. The apparatus and associated method are useful for data recording, e.g., thermally assisted data recording.

Abstract: In an optical recording/reproducing apparatus, the apparatus includes a moving unit moving above a recording medium by operation of a driving unit; a slider fixedly installed at a free end of the moving unit; a head lens unit including an objective lens installed at a top surface of the slider and a conversing lens installed below the objective lens in order to converge light passing the objective lens above the recording medium; a beam path conversion unit having a selection surface being arranged at the upper portion of the objective lens vertical to an optical axis of the objective lens and transmitting only light beam proceeding toward an optical axis direction of the objective lens; and an optical unit having a radiating unit installed at the moving unit, generating and transmitting light to be irradiated onto the recording medium through the beam path conversion unit and the head lens unit and a light receiving unit for sensing light reflected upon the recording medium.

Abstract: For high-resolution and low bit-error-rate MAMMOS readout, a magnetic head includes a flat magnetic coil (1) having a coil layer structure (3a, 3b) having an electrically conductive winding (5a, 5b), and includes a permanent-magnet layer structure (7) extending parallel to the coil layer structure and having an in-plane magnetic axis (m).

Abstract: A near field optical recording device for recording or reproducing information by making a near field light incident on a recording medium, in which an air induction channel is formed extended from an outside to a collective lens at a head slider where the collective lens is mounted facing near the surface of the recording medium. In an optical recording and reproducing, the temperature rise in the collective lens being close to the surface of the recording medium due to the heat energy generated by the light made incident on the surface of the recording medium can be restrained.

Abstract: A coil assembly includes a coil arranged around a vertical axis, and a supporting member for carrying the coil. The supporting member is formed with a through hole corresponding to the vertical axis. The coil includes a plurality of coil elements which are connected in parallel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetooptic device, a magnetooptic head, and a magnetic disk drive each capable of performing optically assisted magnetic recording and each having a small size, improved recording density, and a higher transfer rate. In a magnetooptic device, a magnetic circuit including a magnetic gap and a thin film magnetic transducer having a coil portion are stacked on the surface of a semiconductor laser. By the arrangement, optically assisted magnetic recording can be performed, small size and light weight are achieved, and higher transfer rate can be implemented.

Abstract: A magnetic head is provided with a substrate and a magnetic field generating coil formed on the substrate. The substrate has a principal surface facing a storage disk and divided into an inner area and an outer area surrounding the inner region. The magnetic head also includes a dielectric layer enclosing the coil and facing the storage disk. The dielectric layer is formed in the inner area of the principal surface of the substrate but not in the outer area. As tilting, the storage disk comes into contact with the dielectric layer, thereby being prevented from bumping into the outer area of the principal surface of the substrate.