Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080291789 | Apparatus For Focusing Plasmon Waves - An apparatus comprises a thin film metallic layer, a first dielectric layer arranged on a first side of said thin film metallic layer and having a first index of refraction, a second dielectric layer arranged on the opposite side of said thin film metallic layer from said first dielectric layer, a third dielectric layer arranged on the first side of the thin film metallic layer adjacent to the first dielectric layer and having a second index of refraction that is lower than the first index of refraction, and wherein the thin film metallic layer, the first dielectric layer and the third dielectric layer are arranged to focus plasmon waves induced at an interface between the thin film metallic layer and the third dielectric layer. | 11-27-2008 |
20090161499 | NEAR-FIELD OPTICAL HEAD, NEAR-FIELD OPTICAL HEAD DEVICE, NEAR-FIELD OPTICAL INFORMATION DEVICE AND NEAR-FIELD OPTICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM - A conventional near-field optical head cannot be miniaturized because a scattering body generating a near field and an optical head exist individually. A near-field optical head capable of being significantly miniaturized is constituted by a near-field optical probe slider formed by holding, on a slider, a semiconductor laser, a heat dissipation member, a prism for guiding light from the semiconductor laser to a scattering body and a photodetector element. | 06-25-2009 |
20090207703 | Optical near-field generator and recording apparatus using the optical near-field generator - A near-field optical probe and optical near-field generator are provided. A problem of a probe having a scatterer in which optical near-field noises are generated at the parts other than for a point at which an intense optical near-field is generated, is solved. In one example of the probe, a surface of the parts except for a vertex of the scatterer at which the intense optical near-field is generated is etched so that an etching depth becomes not less than a penetration depth of the optical near-field. The probe facilitates control of noises when a sample is observed or recording marks are reproduced. | 08-20-2009 |
20090262608 | Head slider and disk drive - Embodiments of the present invention provide a technique for projecting both a write element portion in writing and a read element portion in reading, and controlling a projecting distance of each write element and read element. According to one embodiment, a light absorbing member and a thermally expanding member are formed near a read element, and light is irradiated to the light absorbing member, thereby a read element is projected. Alternatively, light absorbing members, which absorb light having different wavelengths from each other, and thermally expanding members are formed near a write element and near the read element respectively, and a wavelength or intensity of light to be irradiated is changed, thereby a projecting distance of each of the write element and the read element is individually optionally controlled. | 10-22-2009 |
20100046331 | PLANER PLASMON ANTENNA, THERMALLY ASSISTED MAGNETIC HEAD AND HARD DISK DRIVE - A planar plasmon antenna is formed on a YZ plane including a Z-axis, the Z-axis being a propagation direction of excitation light for near-field light generation. The longitudinal direction of the planar plasmon antenna is oblique relative to the Y-axis, and the angle of a corner of the planar plasmon antenna in the YZ plane is an acute angle. The corner, which forms an acute angle, generates intense near-field light in response to excitation light irradiation. | 02-25-2010 |
20100061200 | NEAR-FIELD LIGHT GENERATING ELEMENT AND HEAT-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD UTILIZING SURFACE PLASMON MODE - Provided is a near-field light generating element capable of avoiding excessive temperature rise, which comprises a waveguide and a near-field light generating layer. The layer comprises: a propagation surface on which surface plasmon excited by the light propagates; and a near-field light generating end at which near-field light is generated. The end is one end of the propagation surface. And a portion of the side surface of the waveguide is opposed to a portion of the propagation surface of the near-field light generating layer with a predetermined spacing so that the light propagating through the waveguide is coupled with the near-field light generating layer in a surface plasmon mode. The near-field light generating layer is preferably tapered toward the near-field light generating end. | 03-11-2010 |
20100118664 | NEAR FIELD LIGHT GENERATING DEVICE, OPTICALLY ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD, OPTICALLY ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING DEVICE, NEAR FIELD OPTICAL MICROSCOPE AND NEAR FIELD LIGHT EXPOSURE APPARATUS - Disclosed is a near field light generating device comprising a first medium layer which transmits light from a light source. This near field light generating device generates near field light by using light irradiating a plasmon probe through the first medium. This near field light generating device is characterized in that a second medium layer having a refractive index lower than that of the first medium layer is formed between the first medium layer and the plasmon probe. | 05-13-2010 |
20100118665 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR RECORDING AND/OR REPRODUCING DATA ONTO/FROM INFORMATION RECORDING MEDIUM BY USING NEAR-FIELD LIGHT AND INFORMATION RECORDING MEDIUM - An apparatus | 05-13-2010 |
20100118666 | NEAR-FIELD LIGHT DETECTION ELEMENT AND INFORMATION RECORDING MEDIUM REPRODUCING METHOD - A near-field light detection element is provided with a light source ( | 05-13-2010 |
20100149930 | NEAR-FIELD LIGHT GENERATING ELEMENT COMPRISING SURFACE PLASMON ANTENNA WITH SURFACE OR EDGE OPPOSED TO WAVEGUIDE - Provided is a near-field light generating element in which reduced is the propagation loss of excited surface plasmon that propagates to the near-field light generating end. The element comprises: a waveguide through which light for exciting surface plasmon propagates; and a plasmon antenna comprising a near-field light generating end and a propagation surface or edge. The propagation surface or edge extends to the near-field light generating end, and causes surface plasmon excited by the light to propagate thereon. Further, a portion of the side surface on the near-field light generating end side is opposed to the propagation surface or edge with a predetermined distance so as for the light to be coupled with the plasmon antenna in a surface plasmon mode. In this configuration, surface plasmon can propagates without significantly changing its wavenumber, which leads to a less propagation loss, and to an improved light use efficiency. | 06-17-2010 |
20100172220 | Near-Field Light Generating Element Comprising Surface Plasmon Antenna And Waveguide With Groove - Provided is a near-field light generating element in which as much amount as possible of waveguide light can be coupled with a plasmon antenna. The element comprises a light waveguide and a plasmon antenna comprising a surface or edge for propagating surface plasmon excited by waveguide light, extending to a near-field light generating end. A groove is formed in a waveguide side surface. And at least a portion of the surface or edge is embedded in the groove or located directly above the groove, being opposed to a wall or bottom surface of the groove with a predetermined distance, so as for waveguide light to be coupled with the plasmon antenna in surface plasmon mode. This configuration enables the surface or edge to be located at the position in which the surface or edge can be coupled with more amount of light, thereby to improve the light use efficiency. | 07-08-2010 |
20100202256 | Near-field light generating device including surface plasmon generating element - A near-field light generating device includes: a base having a top surface; a waveguide that allows laser light to propagate therethrough and is disposed above the top surface of the base; and a surface plasmon generating element that is disposed above the top surface of the base so as to adjoin the waveguide in a direction parallel to the top surface of the base. The waveguide has a side surface that faces the surface plasmon generating element. The surface plasmon generating element includes: a coupling part that is opposed to a part of the side surface of the waveguide with spacing therebetween and causes excitation of a surface plasmon by coupling with evanescent light occurring from the part of the side surface; and a near-field light generating part that generates near-field light based on the surface plasmon excited at the coupling part. | 08-12-2010 |
20100271910 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR NEAR FIELD PHOTOPATTERNING AND IMPROVED OPTICAL COUPLING EFFICIENCY - This invention relates to near field assemblies with improved optical coupling efficiency suitable for near field photolithography and heat assisted magnetic recording with fluid bearing structures. Masters for photolithography are fabricated using a fluid bearing suspended at a near field distance using hydrostatic bearings. Near field features fabricated on a fluidized slider emit a radiated laser to develop a photo-resist layer deposited on the master replicator. A plurality of near field assemblies is etched on a wafer. Each of the near field assemblies includes a planar solid immersion mirror, at least one grating, and a near field transducer. The features created during the etching step are used to guide at least one milling tool to machine at least one surface on one or more of the planar solid immersion mirror, the at least one grating, and the near field transducer. The features created during the machining step are used to guide at least one polishing tool to polish at least one surface on one or more of the planar solid immersion mirror, the at least one grating, and the near field transducer. The wafer is cut to create a plurality of discrete near field assemblies. | 10-28-2010 |
20100284252 | NEAR FIELD OPTICAL HEAD AND INFORMATION RECORDING AND REPRODUCING DEVICE - A near field optical head includes a slider | 11-11-2010 |
20110007612 | Head gimbal assembly and information recording and reproducing apparatus - There are provided a head gimbal assembly and an information recording and reproducing apparatus capable of easily positioning a light guiding portion and a slider on a tongue portion and performing a stable recording and reproducing operation. A head gimbal assembly recording information on a recording medium using a near-field light includes: a suspension that extends along a surface of the recording medium so as to be deflectable in a thickness direction; a support portion that is provided at a tip end side of the suspension so as to be more deflectable in the thickness direction than the suspension; a light guiding portion that has a support-facing portion provided to the support portion so as to face the support portion and introduces a light flux used for generating the near-field light; and a 3-dimensional structure that is provided to the support portion and used for positioning the support-facing portion on a desired portion of the support portion, wherein the support-facing portion has a portion in which a width of a sectional surface thereof perpendicular in a longitudinal direction of the suspension is larger than a width of a contact surface that makes contact with the support portion. | 01-13-2011 |
20110026378 | Heat-assisted magnetic recording head with laser diode - A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a slider, and an edge-emitting laser diode fixed to the slider. The slider includes: a substrate; and an MR element, two reproduction wiring layers, a coil, two recording wiring layers, a magnetic pole, a near-field light generating element, and a waveguide that are stacked above the top surface of the substrate. The two reproduction wiring layers supply a sense current to the MR element. The two recording wiring layers supply a coil current to the coil. The laser diode has an emitting end face including an emission part for emitting laser light, and a bottom surface. The laser diode is arranged so that the bottom surface faces the top surface of the slider. As viewed from above, the laser diode does not overlap the two reproduction wiring layers but overlaps at least one of the two recording wiring layers. | 02-03-2011 |
20110026379 | Heat-assisted magnetic recording head with laser diode - A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a slider, and an edge-emitting laser diode fixed to the slider. The slider has a waveguide and an overcoat layer that covers the waveguide. The laser diode has an emitting end face including an emission part for emitting laser light, and a bottom surface. The laser diode is arranged so that the bottom surface faces the top surface of the slider. The waveguide has an incident end face opposed to the emission part of the laser diode. The overcoat layer has an end face that faces the emitting end face of the laser diode. As viewed from above, the end face of the overcoat layer has a convex shape protruding toward the emitting end face of the laser diode so that a part of the end face of the overcoat layer lying over the incident end face of the waveguide comes closest to the emitting end face of the laser diode. | 02-03-2011 |
20110075527 | Head gimbal assembly using near-field light and information recording and reproducing apparatus including the same - Of side surfaces of a flexible substrate provided on a flexure, one surface opposing an optical fiber forms a mirror surface inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber. Owing to this configuration, the optical fiber is optically coupled to a near-field light element inside a slider. | 03-31-2011 |
20110096638 | HEAD-SLIDER INCLUDING A MAGNETIC-RECORDING ASSISTANCE ELEMENT, HEAD-ARM ASSEMBLY INCLUDING THE HEAD-SLIDER, AND HARD-DISK DRIVE INCLUDING THE HEAD-ARM ASSEMBLY - A head-slider configured to fly in proximity to a recording surface of a magnetic-recording disk. The head-slider includes a write element including a main pole configured to generate a magnetic-recording field from a pole tip of the main pole in a first localized portion of the magnetic-recording disk. The head-slider also includes a magnetic-recording assistance element configured to provide energy to a second localized portion of the magnetic-recording disk in order to increase reversibility of a magnetization in a first localized portion of the magnetic-recording disk. A width of the pole tip of the main pole on a leading-edge side is wider than a width of the pole tip of the main pole on a trailing-edge side. | 04-28-2011 |
20110096639 | HEAD FOR THERMAL ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING DEVICE, AND THERMAL ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING DEVICE - The present invention suppresses temperature rise of an optical near-field generator while increasing optical near-field intensity in a thermally assisted magnetic recording head using a conductive scatterer as the optical near-field generator. The present invention uses a conductive scatterer having a cross-sectional shape in which its width is gradually reduced toward an apex where an optical near-field is generated, and also has a shape in which its width is reduced gradually or in a stepwise fashion toward the apex where the optical near-field is generated in a traveling direction of incident light. | 04-28-2011 |
20110116349 | THERMALLY-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD COMPRISING NEAR-FIELD OPTICAL DEVICE WITH PROPAGATION EDGE - There is provided a near-field-light (NFL) generating optical system in which the point where near-field (NF) light is generated can be provided sufficiently close to the end surface of a magnetic pole that generates write field. The optical system comprises: a waveguide through which a light for exciting surface plasmon propagates; and a NF-optical device configured to be coupled with the light in a surface plasmon mode. The NF-optical device comprises: a contact-to-waveguide surface having a contact to the waveguide; and a propagation edge provided on the side opposite to the contact-to-waveguide surface, extending to the NFL-generating end surface of the device, and configured to propagate thereon the surface plasmon excited by the light. In this optical system, the point, where NF-light is generated, of the NFL-generating end surface is reliably located on the side opposite to the waveguide. | 05-19-2011 |
20110141861 | NEAR-FIELD LIGHT HEAD AND INFORMATION RECORDING/REPRODUCING DEVICE - A near-field light head of the present invention includes: a slider disposed opposite to a surface of the magnetic recording medium; a recording element that includes a main magnetic pole generating the recording magnetic field and a subsidiary magnetic pole, the recording element being fixed to an apical surface of the slider so that the main magnetic pole and the subsidiary magnetic pole line up in a longitudinal direction of the slider in the state where the subsidiary magnetic pole is located at the apical surface of the slider; a near-field light generating element, fixed adjacently to the main magnetic pole in a state where another end side thereof is directed to the magnetic recording medium, that propagates the light flux introduced from one end side thereof toward the other end side to generate the near-field light, and radiates the near-field light from the other end side to the outside; and a light flux introducing device, fixed to the slider, that introduces the light flux from the one end side into the near-field light generating element. The near-field light generating element includes an inclined surface, which is inclined with respect to an optical axis of the light flux propagated through the inside thereof and is opposite to the main magnetic pole, in the other end side. A metallic film that increases light intensity of the near-field light to be increased is formed in the inclined surface. | 06-16-2011 |
20110141862 | Thermally-Assisted Magnetic Recording Head - 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. The slider is mounted on the second submount and the positions of the first submount and the second submount are adjusted to practically align the light axis of the beam emitted from the mirror with the light axis of the optical waveguide, thereby realizing a novel thermally assisted magnetic recording head. | 06-16-2011 |
20110149698 | THERMALLY ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD AND HEAD ASSEMBLY - In a thermally assisted magnetic recording head ( | 06-23-2011 |
20110164479 | THERMALLY-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD COMPRISING WAVEGUIDE WITH INVERTED-TRAPEZOIDAL SHAPE - Provided is a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head comprising a near-field-light-generating (NFL-generating) optical system with an improved light use efficiency. The head comprises a magnetic pole, a waveguide propagating a light for exciting surface plasmon, and a NF-optical device configured to emit NF-light from its end surface located adjacent to the magnetic pole end surface. The waveguide cross-section, taken by a plane perpendicular to a waveguide edge along elongated direction, has substantially a trapezoidal shape in which a longer side of opposed parallel sides is an edge of the cross-section on the NF-optical device side. This configuration enables a coupled portion of the NF-optical device which is coupled with the light to be placed in the effective distribution range of the light seeping from the waveguide. Consequently, there can be realized a sufficiently strong coupling between the light seeping from the waveguide and the NF-optical device. | 07-07-2011 |
20110170381 | HEAD FOR THERMAL ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING DEVICE, AND THERMAL ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING DEVICE - An optical near-field generating efficiency of an optical near-field generating element is improved and a temperature rise of the element is suppressed. An optical near-field is generated using a conductive structure having a cross-sectional shape whose width in a direction perpendicular to a polarization direction of incident light transmitted through a waveguide gradually becomes shorter toward a vertex where an optical near-field is generated and having a shape whose width gradually, or in stages, becomes smaller in a traveling direction of the incident light toward the vertex where an optical near-field is generated. The waveguide is arranged beside the conductive structure and an optical near-field is generated via a surface plasmon generated on a lateral face of the conductive structure. | 07-14-2011 |
20110176398 | Thermally-Assisted Magnetic Recording Head Having Near-Field Optical Device with Propagation Edge - A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes a waveguide through which a light for exciting surface plasmon propagates, a near-field optical device configured to be coupled with the light in a surface plasmon mode and to emit near-field light from a near-field-light-generating end surface that forms a portion of an opposed-to-medium surface, and a magnetic pole for generating write field from its end on the opposed-to-medium surface side. The near-field optical device includes a contact-to-waveguide surface having a contact to the waveguide, and a propagation edge provided on a side opposite to the contact-to-waveguide surface, extending to the near-field-light-generating end surface, and configured to propagate there on the surface plasmon excited by the light. A gap between a near-field optical device-opposed surface of the magnetic pole and the propagation edge of the near-field optical device is larger at a section far from the end on the opposed-to-medium surface side than that at a section near the on the opposed-to-medium surface side. | 07-21-2011 |
20110188355 | INFORMATION RECORDING AND REPRODUCTION APPARATUS - The present invention relates to an information recording and reproduction apparatus which records the information on a disk by heating the disk with near-field light and causing magnetization reversal by applying a recording magnetic field to the disk. A photoelectric composite wiring line | 08-04-2011 |
20110188356 | HEAD GIMBAL ASSEMBLY AND DATA RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A head gimbal assembly includes: a suspension extending along a surface of a recording medium and being flexibly deformable in the thickness direction; a slider arranged so as to oppose the surface of the recording medium on a distal side of the suspension; a supporting portion configured to support the slider in a rotatable state with respect to two axes being parallel to the surface of the recording medium and orthogonal to each other on the opposite side of the slider from the recording medium; and a light waveguide connected to the slider and configured to introduce an optical flux emitted from a light source to the slider. The slider includes a spotlight generating element configured to generate a spotlight from the optical flux, and record data in the recording medium using the spotlight. A positioning portion having a flat surface and being used for positioning between the light waveguide and the slider is arranged between the supporting portion and the slider. | 08-04-2011 |
20110199868 | INFORMATION RECORDING AND REPRODUCTION APPARATUS - The present invention relates to an information recording and reproduction apparatus | 08-18-2011 |
20110205863 | HAMR NFT Materials With Improved Thermal Stability - A near field transducer includes gold and at least one dopant. The dopant can include at least one of: Cu, Rh, Ru, Ag, Ta, Cr, Al, Zr, V, Pd, Ir, Co, W, Ti, Mg, Fe, or Mo. The dopant concentration may be in a range from 0.5% and 30%. The dopant can be a nanoparticle oxide of V, Zr, Mg, Ca, Al, Ti, Si, Ce, Y, Ta, W, or Th, or a nitride of Ta, Al, Ti, Si, In, Fe, Zr, Cu, W or B. | 08-25-2011 |
20110205864 | Optical Waveguide Clad Material - 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. | 08-25-2011 |
20110205865 | Thermally-Assisted Magnetic Recording Head - A thermally assisted magnetic recording head with highly efficient optical coupling, while guiding a laser beam from a semiconductor laser element, i.e., a light source, to a leading end thereof, eliminating an influence due to heat generated by the element, and having excellent floating characteristics. The thermally assisted magnetic recording head includes a substrate | 08-25-2011 |
20110205866 | Near Field Light Generator, Optical Recording Head and Optical Recording Apparatus - Provided is a near field light generator to be utilized, effectively generating near field light with respect to a recording medium. Thus, disclosed is a near field light generator possessing a waveguide comprising a core and a cladding brought into contact with the core, to guide light having an electric field component perpendicular to an interface between the core and the cladding, and a metallic structure body provided on an outputting end face onto which light of the waveguide is output, to generate near field light by receiving light guided by the waveguide, wherein the metallic structure body is placed straddling the core and the cladding on the outputting end face in such a way that the metallic structure body receives the electric field component protruding from the interface to the cladding. | 08-25-2011 |
20110211428 | HEAT-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING WITH SHAPED MAGNETIC AND THERMAL FIELDS TO MINIMIZE TRANSITION CURVATURE - Devices and methods are provided for heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). In an illustrative example, a device includes a magnetic write pole having a convex pole tip; a magnetic opposing pole longitudinally displaced from the magnetic write pole; and a thermal-source component disposed proximate to the magnetic write pole and comprising a laterally elongated thermal-source peg disposed proximate to the convex pole tip. | 09-01-2011 |
20110216635 | HEAD FOR THERMAL ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING DEVICE, AND THERMAL ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING DEVICE - In a head for thermal assisted magnetic recording device, a semiconductor laser is mounted so that the total height of the head does not become larger and light power fluctuation due to wavelength fluctuation occurs less frequently. In addition, the rise in temperature of the mounted semiconductor laser is suppressed. A semiconductor laser is placed on a side surface which is different from surfaces on an inflow end side and a trailing side, of four side surfaces of a floating slider. An entrance of a waveguide is placed on the side surface of the floating slider, to thereby cause emitted light from the semiconductor laser to directly enter the waveguide. A curved line part or a reflective mirror is formed in the middle of the waveguide so that the light which has entered the waveguide travels toward an optical near-field generating element. | 09-08-2011 |
20110292772 | THERMAL ASSISTED HEAD USING CURVED WAVE GUIDE - A curved waveguide is a curved waveguide that propagates laser light entering from the laser diode as propagating light. The curved waveguide includes a core that is curved in one direction where the propagating light can be propagated and that includes outer surfaces along a propagating direction of the propagating light defined by four surfaces including first and second planar surfaces that curve in respective planar surfaces and that are positioned to face each other, and inside and outside curved surfaces that connect the first and second planar surfaces: an outside metal cladding that is positioned in a direction orthogonal to an oscillation direction of an electric field of the propagating light in a cross section orthogonal to the propagating direction of the propagating light and along the outside curved surface of the core, that is made of gold, silver, copper or aluminum, or that is primarily composed of one component of these materials; and a cladding layer that covers the first and second planar surfaces and the outside metal clad. | 12-01-2011 |
20110292773 | Power control of TAMR element during read/write transition - A slider mounted TAMR (Thermal Assisted Magnetic Recording), DFH (Dynamic Flying Height) type read/write head using optical-laser generated surface plasmons in a small antenna to locally heat a magnetic medium, uses the same optical laser at low power to pre-heat the antenna. Maintaining the antenna at this pre-heated temperature, approximately 50% of its highest temperature during write operations, allows the DFH mechanism sufficient time to compensate for the thermal protrusion of the antenna at that lower temperature, so that thermal protrusion transients are significantly reduced when a writing operation occurs and full laser power is applied. The time constant for antenna protrusion is less than the time constant for DFH fly height compensation, so, without pre-heating, the thermal protrusion of the antenna due to absorption of optical radiation cannot be compensated by the DFH effect. | 12-01-2011 |
20110292774 | NEAR-FIELD LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE, OPTICAL RECORDING HEAD AND OPTICAL RECORDER - Provided is a near-field light emitting device which emits near-field light efficiently by simple structure. A near-field light emitting device comprises a waveguide which is equipped with a core and a clad touching the core and is coupled with light having an electric field component in the direction perpendicular to the boundary surface of the core and clad, and a planar metal structure which is arranged along the above-mentioned boundary surface where the electric field component is in the perpendicular direction. The metal structure has a tip adjoining the light exit surface of the core, and a side projecting to the clad where the width of the metal structure in the direction perpendicular to the propagation direction of the light coupled with the waveguide is wider than the width of the core. | 12-01-2011 |
20110299367 | THERMALLY ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING DEVICE - There is provided a thermally assisted magnetic recording device capable of preventing collision between a thermally assisted magnetic recording head and a disk due to thermal deformation of a near-field transducer. The thermally assisted magnetic recording device includes a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature in the vicinity of the near-field transducer, a table that stores the relationship between temperature and deformation in the vicinity of the near-field transducer, and a control unit. The control unit calculates the deformation in the vicinity of the near-field transducer, from the temperature measured by the temperature sensor and the relationship between temperature and deformation stored in the table. Then, the control unit drives the flying height control actuator according to the calculated deformation to control the distance between the thermally assisted magnetic recording and the disk in order to avoid contact between them. | 12-08-2011 |
20120014230 | MAGNETIC RECORDING ELEMENT USED FOR THERMALLY-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING - A magnetic recording element that faces a recording medium and that executes a magnetic recording while the recording medium is heated, the element including a waveguide that is configured with a core and a cladding, the core, through which laser light propagates, including an enlarged part, which is enlarged at an air bearing surface facing the recording medium; and the cladding surrounding a periphery of the core. | 01-19-2012 |
20120026846 | Thermally-Assisted Magnetic Recording Head Comprising Characteristic Clads - Provided is a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head with improved light density of near-field light (NF-light) with which a medium is irradiated. The head comprises: a magnetic pole; a waveguide for propagating light for exciting surface plasmon; a surface plasmon generator provided between the magnetic pole and the waveguide, coupled with the light in a surface plasmon mode, and emitting NF-light; and a clad portion provided at least between the waveguide and the surface plasmon generator and comprising a transition region in which a refractive index decreases along a direction from the waveguide toward the magnetic pole. The provision of the clad portion including the transition region enables improvement of the light density of NF-light due to the convergence of surface plasmon excited in the surface plasmon generator to predetermined locations, while avoiding the problem of temperature rise due to reduction of the volume of surface plasmon generator. | 02-02-2012 |
20120026847 | Optical Device, Manufacturing Method Thereof, Optically Assisted Magnetic Recording Head and Magnetic Recorder - Disclosed is an optical device including a concave surface formed of a part of a cylindrically curved surface, and the concave surface is a reflection surface. | 02-02-2012 |
20120063277 | Near-field light generating element, method of manufacturing near-field light generating element, near-field light head, method of manufacturing near-field light head, and information recording and playpack device - A method of manufacturing the near-field light generating element includes a first cladding forming process of forming a first cladding on a substrate, a near-field light generation portion forming process of forming metal film base material on the first cladding, a core forming process of forming the core base material so as to cover the metal film base material, a patterning process of patterning the core base material and the metal film base material to form the core and the metal film, and a second cladding forming process of forming a second cladding so as to interpose the core between the second cladding and the first cladding, wherein, in the patterning process, the core base material and the metal film base material are collectively patterned by the same process. | 03-15-2012 |
20120063278 | Near-field light generating element, method of manufacturing near-field light generating element, near-field light head, method of manufacturing near-field light head, and information recording and playback device - 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. | 03-15-2012 |
20120069721 | RECORDING HEAD AND RECORDER - 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. | 03-22-2012 |
20120075965 | HEAT ASSIST MAGNETIC WRITE HEAD, HEAD GIMBALS ASSEMBLY, HEAD ARM ASSEMBLY, AND MAGNETIC DISK DEVICE - The magnetic read write head has a read head and a write head, each having an end face exposed on an air bearing surface. The write head performs heat assist magnetic recording, and is provided with: a magnetic pole having an end face exposed on the air bearing surface; a waveguide extending toward the air bearing surface to propagate light; and a plasmon generator provided between the magnetic pole and the waveguide, and generating near-field light based on the light propagated through the waveguide to emit the generated near-field light from the air bearing surface. The waveguide is surrounded by a clad layer, and the magnetic pole is in contact with a heat sink having a heat conductivity higher than that of the clad layer. Although the near-field light causes temperature rise, heat energy from the plasmon generator to the magnetic pole is released through the heat sink. | 03-29-2012 |
20120075966 | THERMALLY-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD - A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head that includes an air bearing surface facing a recording medium and that performs a magnetic recording while heating the recording medium includes a waveguide configured with a core through which light propagates and a cladding that surrounds a periphery of the core and that includes at least a portion extending to the air bearing surface; and a heat radiation layer that is embedded in the cladding that surrounds the periphery of the core on the air bearing surface, and that is made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity coefficient than the cladding. | 03-29-2012 |
20120075967 | THERMALLY ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD - A thermally assisted magnetic head includes a magnetic pole that generates a writing magnetic field from an air bearing surface (ABS); a waveguide through which light propagates; and a plasmon generator generating near-field light from a near-field light generating end surface by coupling the light thereto in a surface plasmon mode. The magnetic pole includes a convex part protruding in a substantially V-shape along a light propagation direction of the waveguide. The plasmon generator includes a substantially V-shaped part contacting the convex part, and as seen from a side of the ABS, a thickness of the plasmon generator in a direction perpendicular to convex part contacting sides gradually increases from an end in a direction away from the waveguide, the convex part contacting sides being linear sides that form the substantially V-shaped part of the plasmon generator and contacting the convex part. | 03-29-2012 |
20120082016 | OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE AND THERMALLY-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD THEREWITH - An optical waveguide of the invention includes a core that is a waveguide through which light propagates; and a cladding that surrounds the core. The core has a plate shape and includes a wide core base part onto which the light is incident, a taper part that is connected to the core base part and of which a width is gradually tapered along a propagation direction, and a narrow front end core part that is connected to the taper part and that extends along the propagation direction. A grating is provided on one of planar surfaces of the wide core base part, the grating is formed by engraving a number of concave grooves having a rectangular cross section on the planar surface along a width direction thereof, the grating is formed to be optically coupled with laser light that is incident perpendicularly onto the grating formation surface, a frequency (grating pitch: pitch of the concave grooves) of the grating is smaller than a wavelength (defined as a wavelength in the cladding) of the perpendicularly incident laser light, and a groove depth H | 04-05-2012 |
20120113770 | HEAD STRUCTURE FOR THERMALLY-ASSISTED RECORDING (TAR) DISK DRIVE - A thermally-assisted recording (TAR) head structure has a semiconductor substrate as the head carrier with a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) on its front surface, a TAR head formed directly on the VCSEL, and a highly reflecting third mirror on its back surface. The semiconductor substrate serves as an extended cavity for the VCSEL. The TAR head is fabricated on the outer surface of the VCSEL in the same manner as proposed for fabrication of a TAR head on a conventional slider. The TAR head includes a conventional read head and write head, and an optical waveguide with a grating coupler and a near-field transducer (NFT). The laser radiation is output through a partially reflecting output mirror of the VCSEL through the front surface to the grating coupler, which turns the incoming laser radiation 90 degrees and directs it into the waveguide from where it is directed to the NFT. | 05-10-2012 |
20120113771 | HEAT-ASSISTED RECORDING HEAD AND HEAT-ASSISTED RECORDING DEVICE - In a thermally assisted recording head using a conductive scatterer as an optical near-field transducer, a propagation loss in a waveguide for guiding light to the scatterer is reduced. An optical near-field is generated by using the conductive scatterer having a width that gradually becomes smaller toward a vertex at which the optical near-field is generated. At the same time, a height of the conductive scatterer for generating the optical near-field is made substantially equal to a height of a main pole or longer than the height of the main pole. | 05-10-2012 |
20120113772 | INFORMATION RECORDING MEDIUM, OPTICAL INFORMATION RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS, OPTICAL INFORMATION RECORDING AND REPRODUCING METHOD AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF INFORMATION RECORDING MEDIUM - To provide an information recording medium which is capable of reducing damage to a recording layer while improving environmental resistance of the recording layer and which enables information to be recorded or reproduced at a high density and a high sensitivity, an optical information recording and reproducing apparatus, an optical information recording and reproducing method, and a manufacturing method of an information recording medium. An information recording medium ( | 05-10-2012 |
20120120780 | THERMALLY-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD COMPRISING PLASMON GENERATOR - Provided is a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head in which NF-light with sufficiently high light density can be applied to a medium while a write-field generating point and a near-field light (NF-light) generating point are close to each other. The head comprises a plasmon generator provided between a magnetic pole and a waveguide and configured to be coupled with light propagating through the waveguide in a surface plasmon mode to emit NF-light. The plasmon generator comprises: a plasmon propagating part comprising a propagation edge for propagating surface plasmon excited by the light; and a light penetration suppressing part with an extinction coefficient greater than the plasmon propagating part. The light penetration suppressing part is in surface-contact with a surface portion of the plasmon propagating part excluding the propagation edge, and the magnetic pole is in surface-contact with the light penetration suppressing part. This configuration can avoid significant reduction in light use efficiency of an optical system generating NF-light due to partial absorption of electromagnetic field (light) into the magnetic pole. | 05-17-2012 |
20120120781 | Thermally-Assisted Head Including Surface-Plasmon Resonant Optical System - Provided is a surface plasmon resonating optical system emitting near-field light (NF-light) with a higher light density. The system comprises: a waveguide through which a light for exciting surface plasmon propagates; a plasmon generator that couples with the light in a surface plasmon mode and emits NF-light from its NF-light generating end surface; and a resonator mirror that reflects the excited surface plasmon, provided on the side of the plasmon generator opposite to the NF-light generating end surface. In the system, the excited surface plasmon can be amplified by using a resonator structure while reducing the length of the plasmon generator to reduce absorption of surface plasmon and prevent overheating of the plasmon generator. | 05-17-2012 |
20120127839 | THERMALLY ASSISTED MAGNETIC WRITE HEAD EMPLOYING A PLASMONIC ANTENNA COMPRISING AN ALLOYED FILM TO IMPROVE THE HARDNESS AND MANUFACTURABILITY OF THE ANTENNA - A thermally assisted write head having a plasmonic heating device. The plasmonic heating device has a plasmonic antenna located at an air bearing surface of the thermally assisted write head. The plasmonic antenna is constructed of an alloy that is sufficiently hard to withstand the processes such as ion milling and chemical mechanical polishing used to construct the plasmonic antenna. The plasmonic antenna is preferably constructed of AuX, where X is Cu, Ni, Ta, Ti, Zr or Pt having a concentration less than 5 atomic percent. | 05-24-2012 |
20120147716 | THERMALLY-ASSISTED MAGNETIC HEAD - A thermally-assisted magnetic head that has an air bearing surface (ABS) facing a recording medium and that performs magnetic recording while heating the recording medium includes: a magnetic recording element that includes a pole of which an edge part is positioned on the ABS and which generates magnetic flux traveling to the recording medium; a waveguide that is configured with a core through which light propagates and a cladding, surrounding a periphery of the core, at least one part of which extends to the ABS; a plasmon generator that faces a part of the core and that extends toward the ABS side; and a bank layer that is positioned between the plasmon generator and the pole, and of which an edge part on the ABS side protrudes relative to the plasmon generator. | 06-14-2012 |
20120147717 | METHOD OF BURN-IN TESTING FOR THERMALLY ASSISTED HEAD - A plurality of laser diode units is tested in a bar state, each of the laser diode units in which a laser diode that includes a first electrode and a second electrode formed on surfaces facing each other and that is mounted on a mounting surface of a submount such that the first electrode faces the mounting surface of the submount. The method includes preparing a bar in which mounting areas each of which includes the laser diode unit formed thereon and dicing margins for separating the bar into the separate laser diode units are alternatively aligned along a longitudinal direction wherein a first pad electrically connected with the first electrode of the laser diode is disposed on the mounting surface of each of the mounting areas of the submounts and a second pad electrically connected to the first pad of either one of the mounting areas that are adjacent to the dicing margin is disposed on the mounting surface of each of the dicing margins of the submounts: contacting sheet-shaped probes to the second electrode and the second pad at a slantwise angle with respect to the second electrode and the second pad, and pressing the probes to the second electrode and the second pad while deforming the probes; and providing a potential difference between the second electrode and the second pad through the probes so that the laser diode emits laser light. | 06-14-2012 |
20120147718 | PATTERNED PERPENDICULAR MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIUM WITH EXCHANGE-COUPLED COMPOSITE RECORDING STRUCTURE OF A FePt LAYER AND A Co/X MULTILAYER - A bit-patterned media (BPM) magnetic recording disk has discrete data islands with an exchange-coupled composite (ECC) recording layer (RL) formed of a high-anisotropy chemically-ordered FePt alloy lower layer, a lower-anisotropy Co/X laminate or multilayer (ML) upper layer with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, wherein X is Pt, Pd or Ni, and an optional nonmagnetic separation layer or coupling layer (CL) between the FePt layer and the ML. The FePt alloy layer is sputter deposited onto a seed layer structure, like a CrRu/Pt bilayer, while the disk substrate is maintained at an elevated temperature to assure the high anisotropy field H | 06-14-2012 |
20120155232 | Directional waveguide coupler for ABS reflected light - A waveguide structure for a TAMR head is disclosed wherein at least one detection waveguide is formed parallel to a main waveguide and located a gap distance therefrom. A light source transmits light into the main waveguide and towards an ABS/medium interface. A plasmon generator converts light from the waveguide into plasmon waves that are directed onto a magnetic medium. Back reflected light is captured by the main waveguide, partially diverted into a detection waveguide, and transmitted to a photo detector that measures light intensity (I | 06-21-2012 |
20120163139 | HEAT-SINKS FOR OPTICAL NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCERS - Thermal energy is generated within an optical NFT when in operation within a HAMR head. A heat-sink assembly within the HAMR head extracts thermal energy from the optical NFT and transmits the thermal energy via convection to air surrounding the HAMR head, radiation to surfaces adjacent to the HAMR head, and/or conduction to other parts of the HAMR head. The thermal energy generated within the optical NFT is conducted to the heat-sink. An air-bearing surface of the heat-sink convectively transfers at least some of the thermal energy to air passing between the air-bearing surface and a surface of an adjacent magnetic medium. Further, some of the thermal energy may also radiatively transfer from the air-bearing surface to the magnetic medium. | 06-28-2012 |
20120170429 | APPARATUS FOR INCREASING DATA RATES IN A MAGNETIC HEAD - 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. | 07-05-2012 |
20120182844 | Optical unit protection on HGA - An optical laser-activated TAMR (Thermal Assisted Magnetic Recording) slider, when normally mounted on a flexure, has an optical laser as well as other elements of its optical system exposed and subject to damage by mechanical shocks. The stand-off protective device disclosed herein, formed separately and attached to the flexure, or formed as part of the flexure itself, can protect the optical elements of such a slider from these shocks, particularly from inadvertent contacts with adjacent sliders or mechanical limiters. | 07-19-2012 |
20120188859 | THERMALLY-ASSISTED MAGNETIC HEAD - A thermally-assisted magnetic head that includes an air bearing surface facing a recording medium and that performs magnetic recording while heating the recording medium includes: a magnetic recording element including a pole of which one edge part is positioned on the air bearing surface and that generates magnetic flux traveling toward the magnetic recording medium; a waveguide configured with a core through which light propagates and a cladding, at least one part of which extends to the air bearing surface, surrounding the periphery of the core; a plasmon generator that faces a part of the core and that extends to the air bearing surface. The plasmon generator is configured with a first part and a second part that are joined; the first part that is positioned on the air bearing surface side and that is made of a high melting point material, and the second part that is positioned away from the air bearing surface and that is made of a material with a small value ∈″, which is an imaginary component of permittivity. | 07-26-2012 |
20120207003 | HEAT-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIUM AND MAGNETIC STORAGE DEVICE - A heat-assisted magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, a plurality of foundation layers, and a magnetic layer. The plurality of foundation layers are provided on the substrate and include a first layer containing MnO. The magnetic layer is provided on the plurality of layers and includes an alloy as a main ingredient. The alloy has an L1 | 08-16-2012 |
20120213041 | HEAT-ASSISTED MAGNETIC WRITE HEAD, HEAD GIMBALS ASSEMBLY, HEAD ARM ASSEMBLY, AND MAGNETIC DISK DEVICE - A heat-assisted magnetic write head includes: a magnetic pole having an end surface exposed to an air bearing surface; a waveguide extending toward the air bearing surface to propagate light; a plasmon generator provided between the magnetic pole and the waveguide and generating near-field light from the air bearing surface, based on the light propagated through the waveguide; and a clad provided to surround both the waveguide and the plasmon generator collectively, the clad having a refractive index lower than that of the waveguide, and exhibiting a thermal conductivity higher than that of the waveguide. The clad may be provided to collectively surround the magnetic pole, as well. | 08-23-2012 |
20120213042 | HEAT-ASSISTED MAGNETIC WRITE HEAD, HEAD GIMBALS ASSEMBLY, HEAD ARM ASSEMBLY, AND MAGNETIC DISK DEVICE - A heat-assisted magnetic write head includes a magnetic pole having an end surface exposed at an air bearing surface, a waveguide extending toward the air bearing surface to propagate light, and a plasmon generator provided between the magnetic pole and the waveguide, and generating near-field light from the air bearing surface, based on the light propagated through the waveguide. The plasmon generator has an end portion exposed at the air bearing surface or located in close proximity to the air bearing surface, the end portion having a minimum thickness in a region close to the waveguide. | 08-23-2012 |
20120218871 | THERMALLY ASSISTED RECORDING HEAD HAVING RECESSED WAVEGUIDE WITH NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCER AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME - 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. | 08-30-2012 |
20120230169 | THERMALLY-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING METHOD FOR WRITING DATA ON A HARD DISK MEDIUM - A thermally-assisted magnetic recording method includes first and second steps. The first step applies heat to part of a hard disk medium and forms a moving high-temperature region in a magnetic recording layer of the hard disk medium. The high-temperature region is higher in temperature than a region therearound and has a temperature equal to or higher than the maximum coercivity vanishing temperature of a plurality of magnetic grains contained in the magnetic recording layer. At least one magnetic grain that is adjacent to the rear end of the high-temperature region in the direction of movement of the high-temperature region has a coercivity of a value other than 0. The second step applies a write magnetic field to the hard disk medium such that the write magnetic field applied to the at least one magnetic grain adjacent to the rear end of the high-temperature region is 3 kOe or smaller in magnitude. | 09-13-2012 |
20120230170 | NEAR-FIELD LIGHT GENERATING ELEMENT, NEAR-FIELD LIGHT HEAD, AND INFORMATION RECORDING AND REPRODUCING DEVICE - A metal film is included which is placed between a core and a cladding, propagates a laser beam along an interface between the core and the cladding, and generates a near-field light from the laser beam. The metal film has a base portion placed on one side surface of the core along a propagation direction of the laser beam facing from one end side toward the other end side, and an extending portion extended from the other end side of the base portion to the other end side in the propagation direction rather than the core. The other end side of the extending portion is exposed to the outside, and is formed with a top portion projected toward the core side when viewed from the propagation direction. | 09-13-2012 |
20120236694 | PATTERNED PERPENDICULAR MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIUM WITH ULTRATHIN OXIDE FILM AND REDUCED SWITCHING FIELD DISTRIBUTION - A patterned perpendicular magnetic recording disk has a Co-alloy recording layer patterned into discrete data islands arranged in concentric tracks and exhibits a narrow switching field distribution (SFD). The disk includes a substrate, a NiTa alloy planarizing layer on the substrate, a nonmagnetic Ru-containing underlayer on the planarizing layer, an oxide-free Co alloy magnetic recording layer, and an ultrathin oxide film between the Ru-containing layer and the Co-alloy magnetic recording layer. The oxide film may be an oxide selected from a Ta-oxide, a Co-oxide and a Ti-oxide, and is ultrathin so that it may be considered a discontinuous film. The planarizing layer and ultrathin oxide film improve the growth homogeneity of the Co-alloy recording layer, so that the patterned disk with data islands shows significantly reduced SFD. | 09-20-2012 |
20120269048 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING HEAT-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD WITH INTERNAL MIRROR - A manufacturing method for a heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes the step of forming an internal mirror that includes a reflecting film support body and a reflecting film. The reflecting film support body includes first and second inclined surfaces. The reflecting film includes first and second portions that are located on the first and second inclined surfaces, respectively. The step of forming the internal mirror includes the step of forming the reflecting film support body and the step of forming the reflecting film. The step of forming the reflecting film support body forms an initial support body, and performs two taper-etching processes on the initial support body so that the initial support body is provided with the first and second inclined surfaces. | 10-25-2012 |
20120275280 | THERMALLY-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD, HEAD GIMBAL ASSEMBLY AND MAGNETIC RECORDING DEVICE - A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes: a pole that generates a writing magnetic field from an end surface that forms a part of an air bearing surface that opposes a magnetic recording medium; a waveguide that propagates light to excite surface plasmon; and a plasmon generator that is provided between the pole and the waveguide and that generates near-field light from a near-field light generating end surface that forms a part of the air bearing surface by coupling with the light in a surface plasmon mode. The plasmon generator includes a flat plate part and a projection part that projects from the flat plate part to the waveguide side and is provided closer to a trailing side than the pole is. | 11-01-2012 |
20120307606 | NEAR FIELD OPTICAL RECORDING SYSTEM HAVING NEGATIVE INDEX OF REFRACTION STRUCTURE. - 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. Information may be written to the magnetic storage media within this localized region using a magnetic recording device, while leaving the magnetic state of the remaining portion of the magnetic storage media unchanged. | 12-06-2012 |
20120314549 | Near-Field Transducers for Focusing Light - An apparatus includes a waveguide shaped to direct light to a focal point, and a near-field transducer positioned adjacent to the focal point, wherein the near-field transducer includes a dielectric component and a metallic component positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the dielectric component. An apparatus includes a waveguide shaped to direct light to a focal point, and a near-field transducer positioned adjacent to the focal point, wherein the near-field transducer includes a first metallic component, a first dielectric layer positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the first metallic component, and a second metallic component positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the first dielectric component. | 12-13-2012 |
20120320719 | Thermally Assisted Magnetic Head Assembly and Magnetic Disk Device - A slider including a magnetic head part, an optical waveguide, and a near field element is fixed by first and second adhesives to a submount on which a semiconductor laser and a mirror are mounted, the mirror being placed at one end of the semiconductor laser in a resonance direction thereof and reflecting a laser in a direction intersecting with the resonance direction. At this time, at least parts of the first and second adhesives are applied to a position opposed to the semiconductor laser with an intermediation of the submount. The first adhesive having a higher Young's modulus than that of the second adhesive is applied onto an inflow end side of the slider including a solder connection portion, the second adhesive being applied onto an outflow end side of the slider. | 12-20-2012 |
20130033972 | THERMALLY-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD, HEAD GIMBAL ASSEMBLY AND MAGNETIC RECORDING DEVICE - 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. | 02-07-2013 |
20130064051 | Plasmonic Transducer Having Two Metal Elements with a Gap Disposed Therebetween - An apparatus includes a waveguide configured to deliver light to a transducer region. The apparatus also includes a plasmonic transducer that has two metal elements configured as side-by-side plates on a substrate-parallel plane with a gap therebetween. The gap is disposed along the substrate-parallel plane and has an input end disposed proximate the transducer region and an output end. The transducer is configured to provide a surface plasmon-enhanced near-field radiation pattern proximate the output end in response to the light received by the waveguide. | 03-14-2013 |
20130100783 | Recording Head for Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording with a Side Lobe Blocker - 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. | 04-25-2013 |
20130107681 | PLASMON GENERATOR INCLUDING TWO PORTIONS MADE OF DIFFERENT METALS | 05-02-2013 |
20130142020 | MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD AND SYSTEM HAVING OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE CORE AND/OR CLADDING OF AN ALLOYED OXIDE MATERIAL - An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a near field transducer positioned towards a media-facing surface side, a primary waveguide for delivering light to the near field transducer, a secondary waveguide positioned near the primary waveguide and configured for receiving light from a light source and transferring at least some of the light received thereby to the primary waveguide, and a gap layer positioned between the primary waveguide and the secondary waveguide, wherein the secondary waveguide includes an oxide of at least one of Ta, Ti, Zr, and Nb alloyed with an oxide of at least one of Si and Al. Additional embodiments are also disclosed. | 06-06-2013 |
20130170331 | PREHEAT FEATURE FOR THERMALLY ASSISTED RECORDING - An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a near-field transducer positioned towards an air bearing surface side of the apparatus; and at least one conductor or circuit for causing heating of the near-field transducer. A method according to one embodiment includes heating the near-field transducer by passing a current through the at least one conductor or circuit; and illuminating the near-field transducer during a write operation, wherein the current does not pass through the at least one conductor or circuit for at least a majority of a time of illumination. Additional embodiments are also presented. | 07-04-2013 |
20130170332 | NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCER WITH SHAPED ENERGY RADIATING END - A magnetic recording head consists of a write pole and a near field transducer close to the write pole that focuses light energy to a focal point. A near field transducer is positioned to receive light energy from a waveguide. The near field transducer comprises an energy-receiving end and an energy-radiating end. The energy-receiving end is located near the focal point of the waveguide and the energy-radiating end is shaped such that it is narrower closer to the write pole and wider farther from the write pole. | 07-04-2013 |
20130182545 | HEAT ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING (HAMR) HEADS INCLUDING COMPONENTS MADE OF NICKEL ALLOYS - A magnetic device that includes a write pole having a write pole tip; a read pole having a read pole tip; an optical near field transducer; and a contact pad. The contact pad includes Ni | 07-18-2013 |
20130258824 | THERMALLY-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD HAVING TEMPERATURE SENSOR EMBEDDED ON DIELECTRIC WAVEGUIDE - A thermal assisted magnetic recording head includes a dielectric waveguide that is configured to propagate propagation light a metal waveguide that is provided facing the dielectric waveguide and that couples to the propagation light propagating through the dielectric waveguide in a surface plasmon mode, thereby generating and propagating surface plasmon, a near-field light generator that is exposed on an air bearing surface facing a magnetic recording medium either at an end part of the metal waveguide or at a position facing the end part of the metal waveguide, and that generates near-field light from the surface plasmon, a magnetic pole for magnetic recording that is exposed on the air bearing surface, and a temperature sensor that is arranged inside the dielectric waveguide. | 10-03-2013 |
20130258825 | RECORDING HEAD FOR HEAT ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING - An apparatus includes a waveguide having a core layer and an end adjacent to an air bearing surface, first and second poles magnetically coupled to each other and positioned on opposite sides of the waveguide, wherein the first pole includes a first portion spaced from the waveguide and a second portion extending from the first portion toward the air bearing surface, with the second portion being structured such that an end of the second portion is closer to the core layer of the waveguide than the first portion, and a heat sink positioned adjacent to the second portion of the first pole. | 10-03-2013 |
20130272104 | WRITER WITH INCREASED WRITE FIELD - A writer includes a magnetic write pole having a leading surface and a trailing surface and a near field transducer peg spaced from the leading surface of the write pole to provide energy assisted recording. A magnetic recording system for writing to and reading from a continuous magnetic medium includes a write element having a write element tip having a leading edge and a trailing edge, and wherein at least one surface of the write element that extends in a cross-track direction on the continuous magnetic medium has no line of symmetry. | 10-17-2013 |
20130279314 | OPTICAL DEVICES INCLUDING ASSISTANT LAYERS - A waveguide including a top cladding layer, the top cladding layer including a material having an index of refraction, n1; an assistant layer, the assistant layer positioned adjacent the top cladding layer, the assistant layer including a material having an index of refraction, n2; a core layer, the core layer positioned adjacent the assistant layer, the core layer including a material having an index of refraction, n3; and a bottom cladding layer, the bottom cladding layer positioned adjacent the core layer, the bottom cladding layer including a material having an index of refraction, n4, wherein n1 is less than both n2 and n3, n3 is greater than n1 and n4, and n4 is less than n3 and n2. | 10-24-2013 |
20130279315 | NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCERS INCLUDING NITRIDE MATERIALS - An apparatus that includes a near field transducer, the near field transducer including an electrically conductive nitride. | 10-24-2013 |
20130286804 | HEAT ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEADS HAVING BILAYER HEAT SINKS - Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a near field transducer positioned adjacent to an air bearing surface of the apparatus; a first magnetic pole; and a heat sink positioned between the first magnetic pole and the near field transducer, wherein the heat sink includes a first and second portion, with the first portion being adjacent the near field transducer and the second portion being adjacent the first magnetic pole, the first portion including a plasmonic material, and the second portion including a diffusion blocking material. | 10-31-2013 |
20130286805 | SENSING TEMPERATURE AT A SLIDER PROTRUSION REGION - An apparatus includes a near-field transducer at or near an air bearing surface of the apparatus. A write pole is disposed at or near the air bearing surface and proximate the near-field transducer, respectively. A thermal sensor is disposed at the air bearing surface and within a protrusion region of the air bearing surface defined relative to at least one of the near-field transducer and the write pole. The thermal sensor is configured to produce a signal indicative of a temperature at the protrusion region. | 10-31-2013 |
20130286806 | HEAT ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD - An apparatus that includes a write pole, the write pole including a magnetic material; a near field transducer-heat sink (NFT-HS), the NFT-HS including a noble metal; and a power source configured to electrically bias the write pole with respect to a second structure. | 10-31-2013 |
20130286807 | HEATER ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF HEATING - A magnetic recording head includes a magnetic writer comprising a main write pole and a return write pole. The magnetic recording head includes a write heater assembly comprising at least one first heater subassembly and at least one second heater subassembly. At least part of the magnetic write head is disposed between the first heater subassembly and the second heater subassembly. When the first heater subassembly, the second heater subassembly, and the magnetic writer are energized, a variation in the thermal protrusion of the head media interface of the magnetic recording head may be less than about 20 nm along the down track and/or cross track directions. | 10-31-2013 |
20130322221 | Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording Head Gimbal Assembly and Hard Disk Drive Using Same - Provided is a structure of a heat assisted magnetic recording head gimbal assembly that allows common inexpensive TE-mode LDs to be utilized. The heat assisted magnetic recording head gimbal assembly comprises: a light source unit having a light emitting element mounted on a parabolic solid submount; a heat assisted magnetic recording head comprising a magnetic recording element, a read element, a near field transducer, and a waveguide for guiding light from the light emitting element into the near field transducer; a slider including the heat assisted magnetic recording head and which flies above a disk; and a suspension for supporting the slider. The light emitting element of the light source unit is an edge-emitting LD and the light source unit is arranged on the opposite side of an bearing surface of the slider such that the light emitting surface of the light emitting element faces the slider, apertures are created in the suspension, and the slider is connected to the suspension in a way that a part of the light source unit penetrates through the apertures of the suspension. | 12-05-2013 |
20130343167 | RECORDING HEAD FOR HEAT ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING WITH DIFFUSION BARRIER SURROUNDING A NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCER - An apparatus includes a near field transducer positioned adjacent to an air bearing surface, a first magnetic pole, a heat sink positioned between the first magnetic pole and the near field transducer, and a diffusion barrier positioned between the near field transducer and the first magnetic pole. The diffusion barrier can be positioned adjacent to the magnetic pole or the near field transducer. | 12-26-2013 |
20140016448 | RECORDING HEAD WITH NEAR-FIELD ANTENNA AND COMPOSITE POLE - A near field transducer antenna has a first end proximate a media writing surface and a second end proximate a waveguide that delivers light to the antenna. The antenna includes an aperture disposed along a propagation axis that extends from the first end to the second end. A notch protrudes within the aperture. The notch is facing an opening of the aperture that extends along the propagation axis. A magnetic pole is proximate the antenna, and includes a first portion of magnetic material and a second portion of antenna material. The second portion is disposed over the opening of the aperture and facing the notch of the antenna. | 01-16-2014 |
20140036646 | NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER - An apparatus includes a waveguide core having an elongated edge parallel to a substrate plane of the apparatus. An output end of the waveguide core faces a media-facing surface of the apparatus. A plate-like portion of a plasmonic material has a major surface facing the elongated edge of the waveguide core, and the major surface has a narrowed output end facing the media-facing surface. An elongated ridge of the plasmonic material is disposed on at least part of the plate-like portion between an input end and the narrowed output end. | 02-06-2014 |
20140036647 | NEAR-FIELD LIGHT DEVICE, RECORDING APPARATUS USING THE SAME, AND RECORDING METHOD - A recording apparatus records information onto a recording medium. The recording apparatus is provided with: a near-field light device; and a control unit for controlling the near-field light device. The near-field light device is provided with: a light source; a quantum dot structure which is laminated on the light source; a plurality of quantity dots which are included in the quantity dot structure and each of which generates near-field light on the basis of light emitted from the light source; and an output end which is configured to output at least one portion of energy of the near-field light to the exterior of the quantity dot structure. The control unit of the recording apparatus controls the light source to emit the light upon recording the information, thereby increasing temperature of a region of the recording medium based on a size of the output end. | 02-06-2014 |
20140050057 | RECORDING HEAD INCLUDING NFT AND HEATSINK - An apparatus including a near field transducer positioned adjacent to an air bearing surface, the near field transducer comprising silver (Ag) and at least one other element or compound; a first magnetic pole; and a heat sink positioned between the first magnetic pole and the near field transducer, wherein the heat sink includes: rhodium (Rh) or an alloy thereof; ruthenium (Ru) or an alloy thereof; titanium (Ti) or an alloy thereof; tantalum (Ta) or an alloy thereof; tungsten (W) or an alloy thereof; borides; nitrides; transition metal oxides; or palladium (Pd) or an alloy thereof. | 02-20-2014 |
20140050058 | RECORDING HEAD INCLUDING A NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCER - An apparatus including a near field transducer positioned adjacent to an air bearing surface, the near field transducer including an electrically conductive nitride; a first magnetic pole; and a heat sink, a diffusion barrier layer, or both positioned between the first magnetic pole and the near field transducer, wherein the heat sink, the diffusion barrier or both include rhodium (Rh) or an alloy thereof; ruthenium (Ru) or an alloy thereof titanium (Ti) or an alloy thereof tantalum (Ta) or an alloy thereof tungsten (W) or an alloy thereof borides; nitrides; transition metal oxides; or palladium (Pd) or an alloy thereof. | 02-20-2014 |
20140064047 | MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIUM AND MAGNETIC RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS - A magnetic recording medium of the present invention includes an under layer formed on a substrate, and a magnetic layer, formed on the under layer, which contains an alloy having an L1 | 03-06-2014 |
20140104997 | MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIUM, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIUM, AND MAGNETIC RECORDING AND REPRODUCING DEVICE - A magnetic recording medium is disclosed in which, on a non-magnetic substrate | 04-17-2014 |
20140112115 | Reduced Plasmon Shield-Generator Gap Structure and Process - Three structures, and processes for manufacturing them, that improve the performance of a TAMR feature in a magnetic write head are disclosed. This improvement is achieved by making the separation between the edge plasmon generator and the plasmon shield less than the separation between the edge plasmon generator and the optical wave-guide. | 04-24-2014 |
20140133283 | Plasmon Resonator with Dual Waveguide Excitation for TAMR - A TAMR (Thermal Assisted Magnetic Recording) write head uses the near field energy of optical-laser excited plasmon eigenmodes in a plasmon resonator to locally heat a magnetic recording medium and reduce its coercivity and magnetic anisotropy. The plasmon resonator is formed as a conducting disk-shaped structure with an extending peg that serves to further confine the near fields within a small region of the recording medium. The resonator eigenmodes are excited, through direct or evanescent coupling, by an interference pattern formed by the overlap of optical waves within a dual-channel waveguide, the interference pattern being the result of the waves in one branch being phase-shifted relative to the waves in the other branch. | 05-15-2014 |
20140140180 | PROTECTIVE OVERCOAT LAYER OF CARBON AND A SELECTED TRANSITION METAL - Apparatus for recording data and method for making the same. In accordance with some embodiments, a magnetic recording layer is adapted to store data along perpendicular magnetic domains. A protective overcoat layer is formed on the magnetic recording layer to substantially protect the magnetic recording layer from environmental effects. The protective overcoat layer is made of carbon intermixed with at least one transition metal, such as but not limited to chromium. | 05-22-2014 |
20140169146 | WRITE POLE FOR RECORDING HEAD - A write pole structure disclosed herein includes a write pole, a trailing shield, and a high magnetic moment (HMM) material layer on a surface of the trailing shield facing the write pole. | 06-19-2014 |
20140177407 | LIGHT DELIVERY - A light delivery system in a slider includes a channel waveguide, a solid immersion mirror, a near field transducer, and a planar waveguide assembly. The solid immersion mirror focuses light to the near field transducer. In one implementation, the slider includes a first reflective element and a second reflective element formed in the slider to induce an offset between a light source and the near field transducer. The reflective elements redirect light received from a light source between the reflective elements to a focusing element (e.g., a solid immersion mirror) focused on a near field transducer. The reflective elements translate the light in accordance with the offset between the light source and the near field transducer. | 06-26-2014 |
20140204723 | Thermally-assisted magnetic recording head and method of manufacturing the same - This thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes: a waveguide having a first end surface included in an air bearing surface; a magnetic pole having a second end surface included in the air bearing surface; a plasmon generator having a third end surface included in the air bearing surface; a first film covering the first end surface of the waveguide and the second end surface of the magnetic pole, and having an opening in a region corresponding to the third end surface of the plasmon generator; and a second film filling the opening and covering the third end surface of the plasmon generator. | 07-24-2014 |
20140233362 | INFORMATION DEVICE - An information device includes a slider ( | 08-21-2014 |
20140241138 | MAGNETIC HEAD COMPRISING RECORDING PART, READING PART, HEATER FOR EXPANSION OF THE RECORDING PART, AND HEATER FOR EXPANSION OF THE READING PART - A magnetic head includes a reading part, a recording part that is laminated on the reading part in a planer view, a recording part expansion heater, a reading part expansion heater, and a thermal expansion promoting layer that is prepared at a position closer to the reading part than to the recording part and extends to an air bearing surface. | 08-28-2014 |
20140241139 | WRITE PORTION, THERMALLY ASSISTED MAGNETIC HEAD SLIDER, HEAD GIMBAL ASSEMBLY, HARD DISK DRIVE WITH THE SAME, AND MANUFACTURING METHODS THEREOF - A write portion for a thermally assisted magnetic head slider includes an air bearing surface facing to a magnetic recording medium; a write element having an opposed-to-magnetic recording medium surface; a waveguide for guiding light generated by a light source module mounted on a substrate of the thermally assisted magnetic head slider; and a plasmon unit provided around the write element, which has a near-field light generating surface for propagating near-field light to the air bearing surface. And only the opposed-to-magnetic recording medium surface of the write element is covered by a carbon layer. The invention can prevent corrosive elements in the write portion from being corroded and prevent the write element from being worn and abraded not only, and maintain stable thermal ability for a plasmon unit but also. | 08-28-2014 |
20140247706 | PLASMON GENERATOR INCLUDING TWO PORTIONS MADE OF DIFFERENT METALS - A plasmon generator has a front end face located in a medium facing surface of a magnetic head. The plasmon generator includes a first portion formed of a first metal material and a second portion formed of a second metal material. The first portion has an inclined surface facing toward the front end face. The second portion is located between the inclined surface and the front end face, and includes a first end face located in the front end face and a second end face in contact with the inclined surface. The second metal material is higher in Vickers hardness than the first metal material. The first portion has a plasmon exciting part. The front end face generates near-field light. | 09-04-2014 |
20140254335 | WAVEGUIDE WITH PHASE SHIFTING PORTIONS - An apparatus includes a plasmonic transducer with first and second oppositely disposed outer edges. A waveguide is configured to receive light from a light source, the waveguide have first and second portions that deliver first and second portions of the light to the first and second edges of the plasmonic transducer. The first and second portions are different by at least one of a geometry and a construction to cause a relative phase shift between the first and second portions of the light. | 09-11-2014 |
20140254336 | NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER WITH FLARE PEG - Disclosed are plasmonic near-field transducers that are useful in heat-assisted magnetic recording. The disclosed plasmonic near-field transducers have an enlarged region and a flared region. In some embodiments the disclosed plasmonic near-field transducer can also include a peg region. The flared region can act as a heat sink and can lower the thermal resistance of the peg region of the near-field transducer, thus reducing its temperature. Also disclosed are methods that include delivering light to a magnetic transducer region via a waveguide, receiving the light at a plasmonic near-field transducer having an output end and disposed in proximity to the magnetic transducer region, and delivering a surface plasmon-enhanced near-field radiation pattern proximate the output end of the plasmonic transducer in response to receiving the light, | 09-11-2014 |
20140254337 | GENERATING SURFACE PLASMONS USING ELECTRICAL CURRENT - A device comprises a near field transducer (NFT) and electrodes configured to at least one of generate or enhance surface plasmons in the NFT by passing electrical current through a portion of the NFT. | 09-11-2014 |
20140254338 | NANOIMPRINT LITHOGRAPHY FOR THIN FILM HEADS - Nanoimprint lithography can be used in a variety of ways to improve resolution, pattern fidelity and symmetry of microelectronic structures for thin film head manufacturing. For example, write poles, readers, and near-field transducers can be manufactured with tighter tolerances that improve the performance of the microelectronic structures. Further, entire bars of thin film heads can be manufactured simultaneously using nanoimprint lithography, which reduces or eliminated alignment errors between neighboring thin film heads in a bar of thin film heads. | 09-11-2014 |
20140254339 | ETCH STOP CONFIGURATION - A method of making a transducer head disclosed herein includes depositing a spacer layer on an NFT layer of the transducer head, forming an etch stop layer on a spacer layer of a transducer, depositing a cladding layer on the etch stop layer, and milling the cladding layer at a sloped angle such that the milling stops at the etch stop layer. | 09-11-2014 |
20140269238 | HEAD TRANSDUCER EMPLOYING THERMAL SENSOR WITH HIGH-TCR TRANSPARENT CONDUCTING OXIDE - A head transducer includes a thermal sensor comprising a conducting ceramic material having a temperature coefficient of resistance. The thermal sensor can comprise a transparent conducting oxide having a temperature coefficient of resistance. The thermal sensor can be situated proximate a near-field transducer of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head transducer. | 09-18-2014 |
20140307534 | APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER TO WRITE POLE SPACING - An apparatus is provided that includes a waveguide adjacent an air bearing surface, a near-field transducer comprising a peg having a side orthogonal to the air bearing surface and a write pole adjacent to the waveguide. The write pole includes a first portion extending towards the air bearing surface at a non-orthogonal angle with respect to the air bearing surface, and a second portion in contact with the first portion comprising a side that extends towards and orthogonally contacts the air bearing surface. The second portion or the write pole defines a gap between the side of the peg orthogonal to the air bearing surface and the side of the second portion of the write pole that extends towards and orthogonally contacts the air bearing surface. A method of making a magnetic recording head that includes the provided apparatus is also disclosed. | 10-16-2014 |
20140313872 | HEAT-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING (HAMR) HEAD WITH DIFFUSION BARRIER BETWEEN WAVEGUIDE CORE AND WRITE POLE LIP - A heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) head in which the core of the optical waveguide has an end face that abuts the NFT and the write pole lip has a diffusion barrier between the end face of the waveguide core and the write pole lip. The diffusion barrier layer may also be located between the waveguide core end face and the NFT, in which case it is formed of an optically transparent material, like TaN | 10-23-2014 |
20140334277 | LIGHT DELIVERY APPARATUS - A light delivery system in a slider includes a channel waveguide, a mode-index refractive surface, a solid immersion mirror, and a near field transducer. The mode-index refractive surface shapes the angular spectrum of the light on its path to the solid immersion mirror in a manner so as to change the distribution of light energy focused on to the near field transducer. | 11-13-2014 |
20140355402 | SOLID IMMERSION MIRROR WITH FILL MATERIAL BETWEEN INNER AND OUTER SIDEWALLS - An apparatus includes a solid immersion mirror with opposing, reflective, inner sidewalls having inner surfaces facing a focal region and outer surfaces opposite the inner surfaces. The solid immersion mirror also include opposing outer sidewalls spaced apart from and facing the outer surfaces of the inner sidewalls, and a fill material between the inner sidewalls and outer sidewalls. The apparatus also includes a near-field transducer located in the focal region proximate a media-facing surface. | 12-04-2014 |
20140369174 | PLASMONIC TRANSDUCER HAVING TWO METAL ELEMENTS WITH A GAP DISPOSED THEREBETWEEN - An apparatus includes a waveguide configured to deliver light to a transducer region. The apparatus also includes a plasmonic transducer that has two metal elements configured as side-by-side plates on a substrate-parallel plane with a gap therebetween. The gap is disposed along the substrate-parallel plane and has an input end disposed proximate the transducer region and an output end. The transducer is configured to provide a surface plasmon-enhanced near-field radiation pattern proximate the output end in response to the light received by the waveguide. | 12-18-2014 |
20140376339 | MAGNETIC DEVICES INCLUDING NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCER - An apparatus having at least an air bearing surface (ABS), the apparatus including a near field transducer (NFT) positioned adjacent the ABS of the apparatus, wherein the NFT includes a plasmonic material; and not greater than about 200 ppm of one or more microalloy dopants. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376340 | PEG ONLY NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER - An apparatus for a heat assisted magnetic recording device that includes a write pole, a near-field transducer, and a heat sink. The near-field transducer is comprised only of a peg disposed adjacent the write pole. The heat sink is disposed between the write pole and at least a portion of the near-field transducer. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376341 | NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER PEG ENCAPSULATION - A near field transducer with a peg region, an enlarged region disposed adjacent the peg region, and a barrier material disposed between the peg region and the enlarged region. The barrier material reduces or eliminates interdiffusion of material between the peg region and the enlarged region. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376342 | NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER PEG ENCAPSULATION - A near field transducer with a peg region, an enlarged region disposed adjacent the peg region, and a barrier material disposed between the peg region and the enlarged region. The barrier material reduces or eliminates interdiffusion of material between the peg region and the enlarged region. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376343 | PEG ONLY NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER - An apparatus for a heat assisted magnetic recording device that includes a write pole, a near-field transducer, and a heat sink. The near-field transducer is comprised only of a peg disposed adjacent the write pole. The heat sink is disposed between the write pole and at least a portion of the near-field transducer. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376344 | NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCER AND HEAT SINK DESIGN FOR HEAT ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING - Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed related to heat assisted magnetic recording. According to one embodiment, an apparatus that includes a heat sink region and a near field transducer region is disclosed. The near field transducer region is thermally coupled to the heat sink region. At least one of the heat sink region and the near field transducer region includes both an inner core and an outer shell. The inner core can be comprised of a non-plasmonic material and the outer shell can be comprised of a plasmonic material. In further embodiments, the inner core is comprised of a material having a relatively higher electron-phonon coupling constant and the outer shell is comprised of a material having a relatively lower electron-phonon coupling constant. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376345 | NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCER WITH ISOLATED PEG - A method fabricating a near field transducer for a heat assisted magnetic recording head including forming a peg region of a near field transducer along a first portion of a substrate of a heat assisted magnetic recording head, removing a first portion of the peg region, fabricating a barrier material along a surface of the peg region created by the removal of the first portion of the peg region; and forming an enlarged region adjacent the surface such that the barrier material is disposed at least between the surface of the peg region and the enlarged region. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376346 | METHODS OF FORMING MATERIALS FOR AT LEAST A PORTION OF A NFT AND NFTS FORMED USING THE SAME - A method including depositing a plasmonic material at a temperature of at least 150° C.; and forming at least a peg of a near field transducer (NFT) from the deposited plasmonic material. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376347 | MATERIALS FOR NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCERS AND NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCERS CONTAINING SAME - Disclosed herein are near field transducers (NFTs) that include either silver, copper, or aluminum and one or more secondary elements. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376348 | DEVICES INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE INTERMIXING LAYER - Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT including a peg having five exposed surfaces, the peg including a first material; an overlying structure; at least one intermixing layer, positioned between the peg and the overlying structure, the at least one intermixing layer positioned on at least one of the five surfaces of the peg, the intermixing layer including at least the first material and a second material. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376349 | DEVICES INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE ADHESION LAYER AND METHODS OF FORMING ADHESION LAYERS - Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT having a disc and a peg, and the peg having five surfaces thereof; and at least one adhesion layer positioned on at least one of the five surfaces of the peg, the adhesion layer including one or more of the following: rhenium, osmium, iridium, platinum, hafnium, ruthenium, technetium, rhodium, palladium, beryllium, aluminum, manganese, indium, boron, and combinations thereof beryllium oxide, silicon oxide, iron oxide, zirconium oxide, manganese oxide, cadmium oxide, magnesium oxide, hafnium oxide, and combinations thereof tantalum carbide, uranium carbide, hafnium carbide, zirconium carbide, scandium carbide, manganese carbide, iron carbide, niobium carbide, technetium carbide, rhenium carbide, and combinations thereof chromium nitride, boron nitride, and combinations thereof. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376350 | DEVICES INCLUDING A GAS BARRIER LAYER - Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); a gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer wherein the gas barrier layer includes tantalum oxide (TaO), titanium oxide (TiO), chromium oxide (CrO), silicon oxide (SiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), titanium oxide (TiO), zirconium oxide (ZrO), yttrium oxide (YO), magnesium oxide (MgO), beryllium oxide (BeO), niobium oxide (NbO), hafnium oxide (HfO), vanadium oxide (VO), strontium oxide (SrO), or combinations thereof; silicon nitride (SiN), aluminum nitride (Al), boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), niobioum nitride (NbN), hafnium nitride (HfN), chromium nitride (CrN), or combinations thereof silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), niobioum carbide (NbC), chromium carbide (CrC), vanadium carbide (VC), boron carbide (BC), or combinations thereof or combinations thereof. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376351 | MATERIALS FOR NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCERS AND NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCERS CONTAINING SAME - A device including a near field transducer, the near field transducer including gold (Au) and at least one other secondary atom, the at least one other secondary atom selected from: boron (B), bismuth (Bi), indium (In), sulfur (S), silicon (Si), tin (Sn), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), manganese (Mn), antimony (Sb), tellurium (Te), carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O), and combinations thereof erbium (Er), holmium (Ho), lutetium (Lu), praseodymium (Pr), scandium (Sc), uranium (U), zinc (Zn), and combinations thereof and barium (Ba), chlorine (Cl), cesium (Cs), dysprosium (Dy), europium (Eu), fluorine (F), gadolinium (Gd), germanium (Ge), hydrogen (H), iodine (I), osmium (Os), phosphorus (P), rubidium (Rb), rhenium (Re), selenium (Se), samarium (Sm), terbium (Tb), thallium (Th), and combinations thereof. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376352 | MATERIALS FOR NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCERS, NEAR FIELD TRANDUCERS CONTAINING SAME, AND METHODS OF FORMING - A device including a near field transducer, the near field transducer including gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), or aluminum (Al), and at least two other secondary atoms, the at least two other secondary atoms selected from: boron (B), bismuth (Bi), indium (In), sulfur (S), silicon (Si), tin (Sn), manganese (Mn), tellurium (Te), holmium (Ho), lutetium (Lu), praseodymium (Pr), scandium (Sc), uranium (U), barium (Ba), chlorine (Cl), cesium (Cs), dysprosium (Dy), europium (Eu), fluorine (F), germanium (Ge), hydrogen (H), iodine (I), rubidium (Rb), selenium (Se), terbium (Tb), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), carbon (C), antimony (Sb), gadolinium (Gd), samarium (Sm), thallium (Tl), cadmium (Cd), neodymium (Nd), phosphorus (P), lead (Pb), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), erbium (Er), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), palladium (Pd), vanadium (V), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), lithium (Li), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), sodium (Na), strontium (Sr), calcium (Ca), yttrium (Y), thorium (Th), beryllium (Be), thulium (Tm), erbium (Er), ytterbium (Yb), promethium (Pm), neodymium (Nd cobalt (Co), cerium (Ce), lanthanum (La), praseodymium (Pr), or combinations thereof. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376353 | MAGNETIC DEVICES INCLUDING FILM STRUCTURES - A device including a magnetic structure, the magnetic structure having a substrate adjacent surface and a second, opposing surface, the magnetic structure having a near field transducer (NFT), wherein the NFT includes gold or an alloy thereof, and is positioned at the second surface an overcoat structure; and a film structure, the film structure positioned between the magnetic structure and the overcoat structure, the film structure having a total thickness of not greater than about 100 Å, and the film structure including: a first interfacial structure having a first and a second opposing surface; a second interfacial structure having a first and a second opposing surface; and an intermediate structure wherein the first surface of the first interfacial structure is positioned adjacent the NFT of the magnetic structure, and the second surface of the second interfacial structure is positioned adjacent the overcoat structure, and the intermediate structure is positioned between the first interfacial structure and the second interfacial structure, and wherein the first interfacial structure includes one or more rare earth elements, one or more alkaline earth metals, one or more alkali metals, or a combination thereof. | 12-25-2014 |
20150036469 | LASER OPTICAL POWER MONITORING USING THERMAL SENSOR OF A HEAD TRANSDUCER - A light source is configured to produce light, a waveguide is optically coupled to the light source and configured to direct the light to an intended focus location, and a slider is configured to use the light as an energy source for heating a region of a magnetic recording medium. A thermal sensor is situated on the slider at a location outside of a light path that includes the intended focus location. The thermal sensor is configured for sensing a short time constant change in temperature resulting from light source heating of the thermal sensor, wherein the sensed change in thermal sensor temperature is representative of optical intensity of the light delivered to the intended focus location. | 02-05-2015 |
20150036470 | E-Antenna Near Field Transducer With Thermal Shunt To Return Pole - In a heat-assisted magnetic recording head for use in a hard disk drive, a thermal shunt is positioned between an E-antenna near field transducer (NFT) and a return pole, to draw excess heat away from the NFT region. The thermal shunt comprises two portions separated by a gap that has a trapezoidal cross-section, where the NFT-side of the gap is wider than the return pole-side of the gap. | 02-05-2015 |
20150043315 | NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER WITH ENLARGED REGION, PEG REGION, AND HEAT SINK REGION - A near-field transducer includes an enlarged region having a top side adjacent to a magnetic pole, a base side opposite the top side, and a circumference that extends from proximal to a media-facing surface to distal to a media-facing surface. The near-field transducer includes a peg region in contact with a region of the bas side of the enlarged region, the peg region extending from the enlarged region towards the media-facing surface. The near-field transducer also includes a heat sink region having a contact side, a base side, and a circumference that extends from proximal to the media-facing surface to distal from the media-facing surface. The contact side of the heat sink region is in thermal contact with both the peg region and at least a region of the base side of the enlarged region. | 02-12-2015 |
20150043316 | APPARATUS WITH A PLURALITY OF HEAT SINKS - An apparatus comprises a write transducer comprising a write pole having a tip portion proximate a media-facing surface and a return pole spaced apart from the write pole in a downtrack direction. The apparatus further includes first and second heat sink portions. The first heat sink portion surrounds a first side of the tip portion that faces the return pole and extends outwards from the tip portion in a cross-track direction. The second heat sink portion comprises a first surface proximate the first heat sink portion and a second surface proximate the return pole and extends outwards in the cross-track direction further than the first heat sink portion. | 02-12-2015 |
20150043317 | GRATING BASED LASER AND POWER MONITOR FOR A HEAT-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING DEVICE - A head assembly includes a submount, a body with a first surface, an optical path, a near field transducer (NFT), a sensor, and a laser. The optical path is disposed in the body and is adapted to receive light and convey the light to a distal end of the waveguide. The near field transducer (NFT) is disposed adjacent the distal end of the waveguide and has an output end proximate the first surface of the body. The sensor interfaces with the submount and the laser is attached to the submount along a non-primary lasing surface. The laser is adapted to inject light into the waveguide and includes a grating adapted to diffract a portion of the light through the non-primary lasing surface to the sensor. | 02-12-2015 |
20150043318 | READER, AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS AND RECORDING / REPRODUCING APPARATUS | 02-12-2015 |
20150043319 | OPTICAL DEVICE, MAGNETIC HEAD, MANUFACTURING METHOD, AND NEAR-FIELD LIGHT DEVICE - An near-field light device ( | 02-12-2015 |
20150049595 | SLIDER FOR MAGNETIC RECORDING APPARATUS WITH PROJECTION COMPRISING OPTICAL TURNING ELEMENT AND METHODS OF FABRICATION THEREOF - An apparatus includes a slider, a light source disposed upon an outer surface of the slider and a projection extending above the outer surface of the slider. The light source comprises a resonant cavity aligned with the outer surface of the slider. The projection comprises an optical turning element that is optically coupled to the light source. Also included are methods of fabrication thereof. | 02-19-2015 |
20150055441 | MAGNETIC DEVICE INCLUDING A NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCER - A recording device and a method of forming a recording device are disclosed. The recording device includes an air bearing surface and a near field transducer including a surface proximate the air bearing surface. The device also includes a write pole including a sloped pole piece proximate the near field transducer, where the sloped pole piece includes an end proximate the air bearing surface; a capping material disposed proximate the surface of the near field transducer; and an overcoat layer disposed proximate the capping material and at least a portion of the air bearing surface of the recording device. | 02-26-2015 |
20150063086 | MAGNETIC ADHESION LAYER AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME - A device having an air bearing surface and a method of forming the device are disclosed. The device can include a writer portion including a surface at the air bearing surface of the device, a magnetic adhesion layer disposed proximate at least a portion of the surface of the writer portion, and an overcoat disposed proximate at least a portion of the magnetic adhesion layer such that the magnetic adhesion layer is between the at least a portion of the surface of the writer portion and the overcoat. | 03-05-2015 |
20150063087 | PEG HEIGHT OF NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCERS - A method is provided for characterizing the peg region of a near-field transducer incorporated into a write head of a HAMR magnetic recorder. The method includes providing excitation radiation to one or more near-field transducers. The near-field transducers include an enlarged disk region and a peg region at least partially in contact with the enlarged disk region. The method further includes filtering output radiation from the near-field transducers by passing a portion of photoluminescent radiation emitted by the near-field transducers in response to the excitation radiation and substantially blocking the excitation radiation transmitted by the near-field transducers. The method also includes detecting the portion of photoluminescent radiation and characterizing the peg region of at least one of the plurality of near-field transducers. | 03-05-2015 |
20150071045 | APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER TO WRITE POLE SPACING - An apparatus includes a waveguide and a near-field transducer adjacent the waveguide. The near-field transducer includes an enlarged region and a peg region extending from the enlarged region towards an air bearing surface. A write pole is adjacent the near-field transducer and include a first portion having an edge extending towards the air bearing surface at a non-orthogonal angle with respect to the air bearing surface. A second portion of the write pole extends orthogonally to the air bearing surface and is in contact with the first portion. The apparatus includes an insulator-filled gap at the air bearing surface between the second portion of the write pole and the peg region of the near-field transducer. The gap is bounded away from the air bearing surface by the enlarged region of the near-field transducer. | 03-12-2015 |
20150078146 | SOLID IMMERSION MIRROR WITH FILL MATERIAL BETWEEN INNER AND OUTER SIDEWALLS - An apparatus includes a solid immersion mirror with opposing, reflective, inner sidewalls having inner surfaces facing a focal region and outer surfaces opposite the inner surfaces. The solid immersion mirror also include opposing outer sidewalls spaced apart from and facing the outer surfaces of the inner sidewalls, and a fill material between the inner sidewalls and outer sidewalls. The apparatus also includes a near-field transducer located in the focal region proximate a media-facing surface. | 03-19-2015 |
20150085629 | THERMALLY ASSISTED MAGNETIC HEAD, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME, HEAD GIMBAL ASSEMBLY, AND HARD DISK DRIVE - A thermally assisted magnetic head includes a main magnetic pole layer, a near-field light generating layer having a generating end part generating near-field light arranged within a medium-opposing surface, and an optical waveguide guiding light to the near-field light generating layer. The near-field light generating layer has a laminated structure in which a first thin-film metal layer formed in a thin film form along a direction intersecting the medium-opposing surface and a second thin-film metal layer formed in a thin film form and formed using a second metal larger in hardness than a first metal forming the first thin-film metal layer are alternately laminated. Further, in the second thin-film metal layer, a defect part is formed, the defect part is a part smaller in thickness than another part or is a hole part, and a flat layer part other than the defect part surrounds the defect part. | 03-26-2015 |
20150085630 | MULTI-PURPOSE NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER HAVING A TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT OF RESISTANCE - An apparatus includes a writer, an arrangement comprising a plasmonic near-field transducer (NFT) adjacent the writer and comprising a material having a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR), and a lead arrangement connected to the NFT arrangement. In some configurations, the NFT arrangement includes a heat sink, and the lead arrangement is connected to the heat sink. In other configurations, the lead arrangement is connected directly to the NFT. | 03-26-2015 |
20150092525 | THERMALLY-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD HAVING A HEAT SINK - A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes a main pole, a waveguide, a plasmon generator, and a heat sink. The heat sink includes a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and an intermediate layer. The intermediate layer is interposed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. Each of the first and second metal layers is formed of a metal material. The intermediate layer is formed of a material that is higher in Vickers hardness than the metal material used to form the first metal layer and the metal material used to form the second metal layer. | 04-02-2015 |
20150117169 | NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER WITH ROUNDED OR OBTUSE CORNERS - Embodiments are directed to an apparatus having an air-bearing surface that is configured to interact with magnetic medium. The apparatus includes a waveguide and a plasmonic near-field transducer positioned at or near the air-bearing surface. The plasmonic near-field transducer is operatively coupled to the waveguide. The plasmonic near-field transducer includes an enlarged region and a peg region. The peg region extends from the enlarged region towards the air-bearing surface. The peg region has at least a portion of a periphery of its cross-sectional shape include curvature or at least one substantially obtuse angle. | 04-30-2015 |
20150117170 | DEVICES INCLUDING NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCER AND ADHESION LAYERS - A device including a near field transducer (NFT); a write pole; at least one dielectric material positioned between the NFT and the write pole; and an adhesion layer positioned between the NFT and the at least one dielectric material. | 04-30-2015 |
20150124575 | NEAR-FIELD LIGHT GENERATOR INCLUDING A WAVEGUIDE AND A PLASMON GENERATOR - A plasmon generator includes a first portion and a second portion that are adjacent in a first direction orthogonal to the direction of travel of light propagating through a core. The second portion includes a front end face located in a medium facing surface of a magnetic head. The core has a concave portion recessed from the top surface of the core. At least part of the first portion is received in the concave portion. The concave portion has a surface including an evanescent light generating portion. The first portion includes a plasmon exciting portion opposed to the evanescent light generating portion. The evanescent light generating portion is inclined relative to a first surface. | 05-07-2015 |
20150131416 | MAGNETIC DEVICES WITH OVERCOATS - A magnetic device including a magnetic writer; and an overcoat positioned over at least the magnetic writer, the overcoat including oxides of yttrium, oxides of scandium, oxides of lanthanoids, oxides of actionoids, oxides of zinc, or combinations thereof | 05-14-2015 |
20150131417 | NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCER HAVING SACRIFICIAL STRUCTURE - Near field transducers (NFTs) and devices that include a peg having an air bearing region and an opposing back region, the back region including a sacrificial structure, a disc having a first surface in contact with the peg, and a barrier structure, the barrier structure positioned between the opposing back region of the peg and the first surface of the disc. | 05-14-2015 |
20150131418 | DEVICES INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE ADHESION LAYER AND METHODS OF FORMING ADHESION LAYERS - Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT having at least one external surface; and at least one adhesion layer positioned on at least a portion of the at least one external surface, the adhesion layer including oxides of yttrium, oxides of scandium, oxides of lanthanoids, oxides of actionoids, oxides of zinc, or combinations thereof. | 05-14-2015 |
20150131419 | DEVICES INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE ADHESION LAYER - Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT having at least one external surface; and at least one adhesion layer positioned on at least a portion of the at least one external surface, the adhesion layer including arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te), polonium (Po), bismuth (Bi), sulfur (S), or combinations thereof. | 05-14-2015 |
20150138938 | MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIUM, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME, AND MAGNETIC RECORDING DEVICE - According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording medium used in a heat assisted magnetic recording system includes a magnetic recording layer and a metal particle layer in which metal particles are arranged in a dispersed manner on a substrate. In the metal particle layer, percentage content of the metal particles in a second region positioned at an outer periphery side of a first region is higher than that of the first region in a surface direction of the substrate. | 05-21-2015 |
20150146508 | INTERLAYER FOR DEVICE INCLUDING NFT AND CLADDING LAYERS - A device that includes a near field transducer (NFT); at least one cladding layer adjacent the NFT; and a discontinuous metal layer positioned between the NFT and the at least one cladding layer. | 05-28-2015 |
20150294677 | THERMALLY-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD - In one embodiment, a device includes a near-field light transducer having multiple apexes including a trailing-side apex positioned on a trailing side of the near-field light transducer. The device also includes a first material positioned near the trailing-side apex of the near-field light transducer, and a second material positioned near another apex of the near-field light transducer. The first material is physically characterized as etching more slowly than the second material. | 10-15-2015 |
20150294678 | THERMAL ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD UTILIZING UNCOUPLED LIGHT - A thermal assisted magnetic recording head has a magnetic head slider having an air bearing surface that is opposite to a magnetic recording medium, a core that can propagate laser light as propagating light, a plasmon generator that includes a generator front end surface facing the air bearing surface, and a main pole facing the air bearing surface, and a laser light generator that supplies the laser light to the core. The plasmon generator generates near-field light (NF light) at the generator front end surface to heat the magnetic recording medium. The main pole includes a main pole end surface that faces the air bearing surface and that is positioned in the vicinity of the generator front end surface, and emits a magnetic flux to the magnetic recording medium from the main pole end surface. At least a portion of the laser light that is not coupled with the plasmon generator thermally deforms the air bearing surface so that a part of the air bearing surface positioned closer to the leading side than the generator front end surface and the main pole end surface in the down track direction protrudes toward the magnetic recording medium. | 10-15-2015 |
20150295384 | ISOLATOR ELEMENT FOR HEAT-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING - An apparatus with a slider body, a laser diode, and an isolator element. The slider body has an optical pathway extending therealong. The laser diode is configured to emit light along the optical pathway. The isolator element is disposed in the optical pathway to reduce optical feedback along the optical pathway back to the laser diode. In some embodiments, the isolator element is disposed in the optical pathway between the laser diode and the slider body. | 10-15-2015 |
20150302874 | WAVEGUIDE CORE LAYER WITH REDUCED DOWNTRACK THICKNESS PROXIMATE A NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER - An apparatus includes a write pole proximate a media-facing surface of a recording head. A near-field transducer is adjacent to the write pole. A waveguide has a core layer extending from an energy source to the media-facing surface. The core layer includes a region of reduced downtrack thickness proximate the near-field transducer. The region of reduced downtrack thickness is defined by a notch facing away from the near-field transducer. A material of the notch has a different index of refraction than an index of refraction of the core layer. | 10-22-2015 |
20150302878 | PATTERNED PERPENDICULAR MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIUM WITH ULTRATHIN NOBLE METAL INTERLAYER - A bit-patterned media (BPM) magnetic recording disk has a cobalt (Co) alloy recording layer (RL), a ruthenium (Ru) containing underlayer (UL), and a noble metal film (NMF) as an interlayer between the RL and the UL. The RL is preferably oxide-free and is a Co alloy, like a CoPtCr alloy, with a hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) crystalline structure with its c-axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the plane of the RL. The NMF is an element from the Pt group (Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir) and Au, or an alloy of two or more of these elements, and has a thickness less than 3.0 nm, preferably between 0.3 and 1.0 nm. The NMF does not interrupt the epitaxial growth of the RL and has little to no effect on the distribution of the RL c-axis orientation. The NMF increases the coercivity (Hc) and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy constant (K | 10-22-2015 |
20150325261 | OPTICAL REFLECTORS FOR USE WITH A NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER - An apparatus is includes a near field transducer positioned adjacent a media-facing surface and at the end of a waveguide having at least one core layer and a cladding layer. The apparatus also includes at least one optical reflector positioned adjacent opposing cross-track edges of the near field transducer and/or adjacent a down-track side of the near-field transducer. | 11-12-2015 |
20150332709 | MAGNETIC DEVICES INCLUDING FILM STRUCTURES - A device including a magnetic structure, the magnetic structure having a substrate adjacent surface and a second, opposing surface, the magnetic structure having a near field transducer (NFT), wherein the NFT includes gold or an alloy thereof, and is positioned at the second surface an overcoat structure; and a film structure, the film structure positioned between the magnetic structure and the overcoat structure, the film structure having a total thickness of not greater than about 100 Å, and the film structure including: a first interfacial structure having a first and a second opposing surface; a second interfacial structure having a first and a second opposing surface; and an intermediate structure wherein the first surface of the first interfacial structure is positioned adjacent the NFT of the magnetic structure, and the second surface of the second interfacial structure is positioned adjacent the overcoat structure, and the intermediate structure is positioned between the first interfacial structure and the second interfacial structure, and wherein the first interfacial structure includes one or more rare earth elements, one or more alkaline earth metals, one or more alkali metals, or a combination thereof. | 11-19-2015 |
20150332717 | THERMAL ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD WITH PROTRUSION ON LEADING SIDE OF PLASMON GENERATOR - A thermal assisted magnetic recording head of the present invention has an air bearing surface (ABS) opposite to a magnetic recording medium, a core that can propagate laser light as propagating light, a plasmon generator that includes a generator front end surface facing the ABS, and a main pole that faces the ABS and emits magnetic flux to the magnetic recording medium. The plasmon generator is opposite to a part of the core and extends to the generator front surface, is coupled with a portion of the propagating light that propagates through the core in the surface plasmon mode to generate a surface plasmon, propagates the surface plasmon to the generator front end surface, and generates near-field light (NF light) at the generator front end surface to irradiate the NF light to the magnetic recording medium. The ABS has a protrusion that is closer to the leading side than the generator front end surface in the down track direction, and that protrudes more toward the magnetic recording medium than the generator front end surface upon operation of the thermal assisted magnetic recording head. | 11-19-2015 |
20150340050 | NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER PEG ENCAPSULATION - A near field transducer with a peg region, an enlarged region disposed adjacent the peg region, and a barrier material disposed between the peg region and the enlarged region. The barrier material reduces or eliminates interdiffusion of material between the peg region and the enlarged region. | 11-26-2015 |
20150340051 | LASER ARRAY FOR HEAT ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING - An apparatus comprises a unitary laser diode comprising an array of two or more active regions, at least one of which outputs a light beam in response to an input current. The apparatus also includes two or more waveguides, each waveguide corresponding to an active region of the array. At least one of the waveguides receives the at least one light beam from the at least one active region. | 11-26-2015 |
20150340052 | DEVICES INCLUDING A NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCER AND AT LEAST ONE ASSOCIATED ADHESION LAYER - Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT having a disc and a peg, and the peg having five surfaces thereof; and at least one adhesion layer positioned on at least one of the five surfaces of the peg, the adhesion layer including one or more of the following: yttrium (Y), tin (Sn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), carbon (C), holmium (Ho), gallium (Ga), silver (Ag), ytterbium (Yb), chromium (Cr), tantalum (Ta), iridium (Ir), zirconium (Zr), yttrium (Y), scandium (Sc), cobalt (Co), silicon (Si), nickel (Ni), molybdenum (Mo), niobium (Nb), palladium (Pd), titanium (Ti), rhenium (Re), osmium (Os), platinum (Pt), aluminum (Al), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), vanadium (V), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), tungsten (W), hafnium (Hf), carbon (C), boron (B), holmium (Ho), antimony (Sb), gallium (Ga), manganese (Mn), silver (Ag), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), zinc (Zn), ytterbium (Yb), and combinations thereof. | 11-26-2015 |
20150340053 | HEAT ASSISTED MEDIA RECORDING APPARATUS WITH LASER DIODE MODE HOPPING SUPPRESSION - An apparatus includes a slider body, a laser diode, an optical path, and a heating element. The laser diode is configured to produce energy and is subject to temperature changes as a result of producing energy. The optical path within the slider body is configured to deliver the energy to heat a magnetic recording medium. The heating element is disposed along a length of the optical path within the slider body and is configured to control a temperature of the optical path to mitigate temperature-induced mode hopping of the laser diode. | 11-26-2015 |
20150356987 | DISK DRIVE SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY HAVING A PARTIALLY FLANGELESS LOAD POINT DIMPLE - Various embodiments concern a suspension assembly of a disk drive. The suspension assembly includes a load beam comprising a major planar area formed from a substrate. The load beam further comprises a window in the substrate, a dimple formed from the substrate, and a flange. The flange is a region of the major planar area that extends partially around the dimple but does not extend along an edge of the dimple. The edge of the dimple is adjacent to the window. The dimple is in contact with the flexure. A HAMR block or other element can extend through the window. The lack of a full flange can minimize the necessary clearance between the dimple and the HAMR block or other element and thereby allow the window to be enlarged to accommodate the HAMR block or other element. | 12-10-2015 |
20150356990 | INTERFERING NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCER FOR ENERGY ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING - An apparatus for energy assisted magnetic recording of a storage disk includes a plurality of dielectric waveguide cores configured to receive incident light energy from an energy source and direct the incident light energy to a target, and a near field transducer (NFT) formed at an air bearing surface of a magnetic recording device. The NFT is configured to focus the light energy received from the plurality of waveguide cores and to transmit the focused light energy onto the storage disk surface to generate a heating spot on the storage disk. The NFT includes a plurality of propagating surface plasmon polariton (PSPP) elements configured as plasmonic metal ridges. Each of the PSPP elements has a width approximately equivalent to the width of the heating spot and is disposed above a surface of a single waveguide core in a longitudinal alignment. | 12-10-2015 |
20150371669 | METHOD OF MAKING A TRANSDUCER HEAD - A method of making a transducer head disclosed herein includes depositing a spacer layer on an NFT layer of the transducer head, forming an etch stop layer on a spacer layer of a transducer, depositing a cladding layer on the etch stop layer, and milling the cladding layer at a sloped angle such that the milling stops at the etch stop layer. | 12-24-2015 |
20150380020 | DEVICES INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE ADHESION LAYER AND METHODS OF FORMING ADHESION LAYERS - A device that includes a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT having a disc and a peg, and the peg having an air bearing surface thereof; and at least one adhesion layer positioned on at least the air bearing surface of the peg, the adhesion layer including one or more of platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), palladium (Pd), yttrium (Y), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and scandium (Sc). | 12-31-2015 |
20150380031 | INTEGRATED COMPOUND DBR LASER FOR HAMR APPLICATIONS - Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a magnetic write head including a media facing surface and a surface opposite the media facing surface. The magnetic write head further includes a reflector extending from the surface opposite the media facing surface toward the media facing surface. A semiconductor laser diode gain region protrudes out of the surface opposite the media facing surface, and the reflector helps optimizing the optical energy generated in the semiconductor laser diode gain region to be a single mode over a large current and temperature range. | 12-31-2015 |
20160035379 | DEVICES INCLUDING A GAS BARRIER LAYER - Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); a gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer wherein the gas barrier layer includes tantalum oxide (TaO), titanium oxide (TiO), chromium oxide (CrO), silicon oxide (SiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), titanium oxide (TiO), zirconium oxide (ZrO), yttrium oxide (YO), magnesium oxide (MgO), beryllium oxide (BeO), niobium oxide (NbO), hafnium oxide (HfO), vanadium oxide (VO), strontium oxide (SrO), or combinations thereof; silicon nitride (SiN), aluminum nitride (Al), boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), niobioum nitride (NbN), hafnium nitride (HfN), chromium nitride (CrN), or combinations thereof silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), niobioum carbide (NbC), chromium carbide (CrC), vanadium carbide (VC), boron carbide (BC), or combinations thereof or combinations thereof. | 02-04-2016 |
20160042753 | WAVEGUIDE WITH REFLECTIVE GRATING FOR LOCALIZED ENERGY INTENSITY - An apparatus includes a waveguide with first and second sections, and a junction coupling the first and second waveguide sections together. The first waveguide section has a first reflective device and the second section comprising a second reflective device arranged to generate a standing wave in the waveguide with maximum energy wave intensity at a target region of the waveguide in response to an incident energy wave being provided into at least one of the waveguide sections. | 02-11-2016 |
20160086626 | THERMALLY ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD WITH OPTICAL SPOT-SIZE CONVERTER ATTACHED TWO DIMENSIONAL THIN WAVEGUIDE - One embodiment generally relates to a magnetic recording head. The magnetic recording head has a body having an upper surface and a media bearing surface, a spot size converter disposed in the body and extending from the upper surface to the media bearing surface. The spot size converter has a core, comprising a first portion having a rectangular wall extending below the upper surface; and a second portion having a trapezoidal wall extending below the first portion. The magnetic recording head additionally has a first cladding adjacent to the spot size converter in an in-surface direction of the spot size converter, wherein the first cladding has a first refractive index lower than a refractive index of the spot size converter. | 03-24-2016 |
20160118069 | WAVEGUIDE OF A WRITE HEAD WITH REDUCED CROSS SECTIONAL AREA PROXIMATE A NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER - A write head includes a near-field transducer near a media-facing surface of the write head. The write head includes a waveguide having a core with a first side disposed proximate to the near-field transducer. The core overlaps the near-field transducer at a substrate-parallel plane. The core includes one of a step or a taper on a second side facing away from the first side. The step or the taper causes a reduced thickness of the core normal to the substrate-parallel plane. The write head includes a cladding layer that encompassing the second side of the core and that fills in the step or the taper. | 04-28-2016 |
20160118070 | WAVEGUIDE OF A WRITE HEAD WITH REDUCED CROSSTRACK WIDTH PROXIMATE A NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER - A write head includes a near-field transducer near a media-facing surface of the write head and a waveguide. The waveguide includes a core that overlaps or is co-planer with the near-field transducer at a first region. The core has a second region extending away from the near-field transducer to an energy source. The core has a third region between the first and second regions. The third region has a third crosstrack width that is less than first and second crosstrack widths of the first and second regions | 04-28-2016 |
20160125898 | NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCER ANNEAL FOR HEAT ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING - A method for annealing a metal antenna of a near field optical transducer of a magnetic write element without inadvertently heat damaging the read element. A heating element is placed within a write head build in a cerf region outside of the active area of the read and write heads. A layer of thermally conductive, electrically insulating material is formed over the heating element to separate the heating element from the antenna. The thermally conductive, electrically insulating layer is preferably in contact with the antenna. A current can be applied to the heating element to heat the antenna to a temperature that is at or above the operating temperature of the optical transducer. After annealing, the heater element can be removed by the lapping process that is used to define the media facing surface of the head. | 05-05-2016 |
20160125901 | NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER WITH MULTIPLE HEAT SINKS - An apparatus comprises a writer, a near-field transducer (NFT), a channel waveguide proximate the NFT, a dielectric layer between the NFT and waveguide, and a plurality of heat sinks. A first heat sink comprises a gap and contacts the NFT and the writer. A second heat sink extends across the gap of the first heat sink and between the NFT and a heat reservoir component, such as a return pole of the writer. The channel waveguide may contact the second heat sink, such as by encompassing a peripheral portion of the second heat sink. The second heat sink may have at least an outer surface comprising a plasmonic material, and may be configured to enhance plasmonic excitation of the NFT. | 05-05-2016 |
20160133277 | DEVICES INCLUDING AN AMORPHOUS GAS BARRIER LAYER - Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); an amorphous gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer. | 05-12-2016 |
20160133278 | DEVICES INCLUDING A MULTILAYER GAS BARRIER LAYER - Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); a multilayer gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT, the multilayer gas barrier layer including at least a first and a second sublayer, where the second gas barrier sublayer is positioned on the first gas barrier sublayer, the first gas barrier sublayer is positioned adjacent the NFT and the second gas barrier sublayer is positioned adjacent the wear resistant layer, the first and second sublayers independently have thicknesses from 0.01 nm to 5 nm; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer. | 05-12-2016 |
20160133280 | DEVICES INCLUDING A DIFFUSION BARRIER LAYER - Devices that include a write pole; a near field transducer (NFT) that includes a peg and a disk, wherein the peg is at the ABS of the device; and a diffusion barrier layer positioned between the write pole and the peg of the NFT, the diffusion barrier layer including metals, nitrides, oxides, carbides, silicides, or amorphous material. | 05-12-2016 |
20160133285 | EXCITATION OF A NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER USING COMBINED TRANSVERSE ELECTRIC AND TRANSVERSE MAGNETIC MODES - A method involves receiving light from a light source at a fundamental transverse electric (TE | 05-12-2016 |
20160133286 | STRUCTURE POSITIONED BETWEEN MAGNETIC POLE AND NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER - An apparatus includes a waveguide, a magnetic pole, and a near-field transducer. The near field transducer is positioned at or near a media-facing surface. The near-field transducer is operatively coupled to the waveguide. The near-field transducer includes an enlarged region. The near-field transducer also includes a peg region extending from the enlarged region towards the media-facing surface. The peg region is separated from the magnetic pole. The near-field transducer also includes a structure positioned between the magnetic pole and the peg region. The structure is separated from the peg region by a gap. The structure extends from the enlarged region towards the media-facing surface. The structure is configured to extend generation of surface plasmons toward the magnetic pole. | 05-12-2016 |
20160133287 | WAVEGUIDES INCLUDING NOVEL CORE MATERIALS - Waveguides that include a top cladding layer; a bottom cladding layer; and a core layer positioned between the top cladding layer and the bottom cladding layer, the core layer including a material having a refractive index of not less than 2.1, for example amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbide (SiC:H), or bismuth titanate. Methods of forming core layers of waveguides are also disclosed. | 05-12-2016 |
20160133288 | NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCERs (NFTs) AND METHODS OF FORMING NFTs - Devices having an air bearing surface (ABS), the device including a near field transducer, the near field transducer having a peg and a disc, the peg having a region adjacent the ABS, the peg including a plasmonic material selected from gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), aluminum (Al), or combinations thereof; and at least one other secondary atom selected from germanium (Ge), tellurium (Te), aluminum (Al), antimony (Sb), tin (Sn), mercury (Hg), indium (In), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), silver (Ag), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), and combinations thereof, wherein a concentration of the secondary atom is higher at the region of the peg adjacent the ABS than a concentration of the secondary atom throughout the bulk of the peg. Methods of forming NFTs are also disclosed. | 05-12-2016 |
20160133291 | NEAR-FIELD TRANSDUCER WITH RECESSED REGION - A near-field transducer is situated at or proximate an air bearing surface of the apparatus and configured to facilitate heat-assisted magnetic recording on a medium. The near-field transducer includes an enlarged region comprising plasmonic material and having a first end proximate the air bearing surface. The near-field transducer also includes a disk region adjacent the enlarged region and having a first end proximate the air bearing surface. The disk region comprises plasmonic material. A peg region extends from the first end of the disk region and terminates at or proximate the air bearing surface. The near-field transducer further includes a region recessed with respect to the peg region. The recessed region is located between the peg region and the first end of the enlarged region. | 05-12-2016 |
20160163336 | DEVICES INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE INTERMIXING LAYER - Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT including a peg having five surfaces, the peg including a first material, the first material including gold (Au), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), or combinations thereof; an overlying structure; and at least one intermixing layer, positioned between the peg and the overlying structure, the at least one intermixing layer positioned on at least one of the five surfaces of the peg, the intermixing layer including at least the first material and a second material. | 06-09-2016 |
20160163341 | Angled Waveguide - An apparatus has an input surface configured to receive energy emitted from an energy source in a first mode. A mode order converter is configured to convert the energy from the first mode to a second mode. The waveguide of the apparatus has an input end disposed proximate the input surface and configured to receive the energy in the first mode. The waveguide has an output end disposed proximate a media-facing surface and configured to deliver energy in the second mode. The output end is at an oblique angle to a cross-track line at an intersection of the media-facing surface and a substrate-parallel plane. | 06-09-2016 |
20180025747 | HEAT ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING WRITE APPARATUS HAVING AN INVERSE TAPERED WAVEGUIDE | 01-25-2018 |