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 TAMR (Thermal Assisted Magnetic Recording) write head uses the energy of optical-laser excited surface plasmons in a scalable planar plasmon generator to locally heat a magnetic recording medium and reduce its coercivity and magnetic anisotropy. The planar plasmon generator is formed as a multi-layered structure in which one planar layer supports a propagating surface plasmon mode that is excited by evanescent coupling to an optical mode in an adjacent waveguide. A peg, which can be a free-standing element or an integral projection from one of the layers, is positioned between the ABS end of the generator and the surface of the recording medium, confines and concentrates the near field of the plasmon mode immediately around and beneath it.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a waveguide having a core layer, a near field transducer having an end positioned adjacent to a first surface, a first magnetic pole having an end positioned adjacent to the first surface, and a side lobe blocker adjacent to the first surface and having portions on opposite sides of the first magnetic pole and the near field transducer, wherein the side lobe blocker forms an aperture at an end of the core layer adjacent to the first surface.

Abstract: A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head that includes a pole that generates a writing magnetic field, a waveguide through which light propagates, a plasmon generator that surface-evanescent-couples with the light propagating through the waveguide, wherein the plasmon generator includes a portion where a cross-sectional area gradually decreases as going toward a depth side from an air bearing surface when being observed from a cross section parallel to the air bearing surface. The volume of the plasmon generator can be decreased and an exposed area of a front surface on the air bearing surface can be increased. When a thermal expansion from the temperature increase occurs in the plasmon generator, a rate that the plasmon generator projects from the air bearing surface is suppressed to extremely low levels. Accordingly, a chronological degradation of output can be suppressed and thermally-assisted recording having a high and long-term reliability is achieved.

Abstract: High density-information storage is accomplished by the use of novel, near-field optical devices in combination with high-density storage media. The near-field optical devices are configured to focus light to nanoscale spot sizes and may employ negative index of refraction materials for focusing. The high-density storage media may include protein-based storage media, such as photochromic proteins, and high-coercivity magnetic storage media. Light energy provided the optical devices may enable exposed protein molecules to transition between stable molecular states that may be distinguished on the basis of their respective spectral maxima. Light energy provided by the optical device may also be used to heat localized regions of magnetic media to a selected temperature, effecting local changes in coercivity of the magnetic media.

Abstract: A recording/reproducing apparatus includes an optical source and a near-field light generating unit. The near-field light generating unit includes two conductors facing to each other at a predetermined distance and generating near-field light between the two conductors by irradiation of light from the optical source. These two conductors are arranged so that a direction along which the two conductors face to each other is substantially in parallel with the longitudinal direction of a recording mark region. Here, the recording mark region is prepared from a predetermined recording material and having shape anisotropy when information is recorded on a recording medium on which the recording mark is independently formed.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for reading from a near-field optical recording medium are described. The apparatus includes: an optical system for generating a signal beam and a reference beam; a near-field lens for illuminating the signal beam onto the near-field optical recording medium, for collimating a reflected signal beam, and for reflecting the reference beam; and at least a first detector and a second detector for obtaining a homodyne detection signal from the reflected signal beam and the reflected reference beam.

Abstract: A recording/reproducing apparatus includes an optical source and a near-field light generating unit. The near-field light generating unit includes two conductors facing to each other at a predetermined distance and generating near-field light between the two conductors by irradiation of light from the optical source. These two conductors are arranged so that a direction along which the two conductors face to each other is substantially in parallel with the longitudinal direction of a recording mark region. Here, the recording mark region is prepared from a predetermined recording material and having shape anisotropy when information is recorded on a recording medium on which the recording mark is independently formed.

Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a near field transducer comprising a conductive metal film; and an optical waveguide for illumination of the near field transducer, a light guiding core layer of the optical waveguide being spaced from the near field transducer by less than about 100 nanometers and greater than 0 nanometers, wherein a longitudinal axis of the optical waveguide is substantially perpendicular to an air bearing surface.

Abstract: In accordance with certain embodiments, a magnetic head has a coil, which has a lead coil turn positioned between a yoke and an air-bearing surface. In certain embodiments, a magnetic head has a coil, which has a lead coil turn minimally spaced from a main write pole.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a waveguide having a core layer and first and second cladding layers on opposite sides of the core layer, wherein the cladding layers comprise a binary oxide composition. In another example, the cladding layers include a ternary or quaternary combination of oxides and/or oxynitrides. In another example, the cladding layers include a silicon oxynitride.

Abstract: A core includes a first core, and a second core covering a side surface of the first core, and is formed in a polygonal shape when viewed from a Z direction. A metal film is placed on a side surface in the core, and is formed so that a width of an interface between the metal film and the core is narrower than a width of the side surface of the core.

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.