Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110070463 | META-MATERIAL SLAB WITH ANISOTROPIC PERMITTIVITY - In a particular embodiment, a meta-material slab is formed from multiple layers of at least two different compositions. The meta-material slab is adapted to propagate an evanescent wave in a direction parallel to an axis to form a cone-shaped wave along the axis. | 03-24-2011 |
20110299080 | CHARACTERIZING OPTICAL ANTENNA NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCERS - An apparatus and associated method for characterizing a near field transducer (NFT) is provided that has computer instructions stored in memory and executable to perform computational logic that, in response to a selected electromagnetic radiation excitation of resonant collective oscillations on a surface of the NFT, compares a magnitude of a depolarization field associated with the excited resonant collective oscillations to a predetermined threshold to characterize the NFT in terms of demonstrated radiant efficiency performance. | 12-08-2011 |
20120201107 | Laser-In-Slider Light Delivery For Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording - An apparatus includes a light source for producing a beam of light, a coupler for coupling the light into a slider waveguide, a beam expander for expanding the beam of light from the waveguide to produce an expanded beam, a collimator for collimating the expanded beam, and a focusing device for concentrating the collimated beam to a focal point. A method of delivering light to a focal point is also described. | 08-09-2012 |
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 |
20130064502 | Plasmonic Transducer Having Two Metal Elements with a Gap Disposed Therebetween - A plasmonic transducer includes at least two metal elements with a gap therebetween. The metal elements are elongated along a plasmon-enhanced, near-field radiation delivery axis. Cross sections of the metal elements in a plane normal to the delivery axis vary in shape along the delivery axis. A waveguide is disposed along an elongated side of the plasmonic transducer. The waveguide is optically coupled to the plasmonic transducer along the elongated side. | 03-14-2013 |
20130064514 | Gradient Index Optical Waveguide Coupler - A light source is coupled to an input facet that directs light from the light source to a core layer of a waveguide and a gradient index material layer disposed beside the core layer along a portion of a propagation length of the waveguide. Light is launched from the light source into the input facet. In response, the gradient index material layer directs light to the core layer at least along the portion of the propagation length. | 03-14-2013 |
20130071062 | PLASMONIC TRANSDUCER WITH REDUCED CROSS SECTION AT MEDIA-READING SURFACE - A plasmonic transducer includes at least two metal elements with a gap therebetween. The metal elements are placed along a plasmon-enhanced, near-field radiation delivery axis. Cross sections of the metal elements in a plane normal to the delivery axis vary in shape along the delivery axis. The metal elements have a reduced cross section portion at a media-facing surface oriented normal to the delivery axis. A dielectric material surrounds the reduced cross section portion of the plasmonic transducer at the media-facing surface, and reduces deformation of the metal elements proximate the media-facing surface at elevated temperatures. | 03-21-2013 |
20130083637 | LIGHT DELIVERY GUIDE - A waveguide that includes a first cladding layer, the first cladding layer having an index of refraction, n | 04-04-2013 |
20130108212 | MODE CONVERTING WAVEGUIDE FOR HEAT ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING | 05-02-2013 |
20130176839 | LIGHT DELIVERY GUIDE - A waveguide that includes a first cladding layer, the first cladding layer having an index of refraction, n | 07-11-2013 |
20130230279 | LIGHT DELIVERY WAVEGUIDE - A light source and a waveguide are mounted on a recording head slider. Light rays are emitted from the light source into the waveguide. The waveguide may include two core layers for light ray transmission. The first core layer enhances light coupling efficiency from the light source to the second core layer. The second core layer transforms a profile of the light. The waveguide may include a tapered portion with a narrow opening near the light source and a wider opening near the tapered portion exit. The light rays passing through the waveguide may be directed toward a collimating mirror. The collimating mirror makes the light rays parallel or nearly parallel and re-directs the light rays to a focusing mirror. The focusing mirror focuses the collimated light rays to a spot on a magnetic media disc. | 09-05-2013 |
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 |
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 |
20150043877 | 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. | 02-12-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090002867 | Alternative Sensors For Tracking And Timing In Bit Patterned Media - An apparatus includes a bit patterned magnetic storage media, a write transducer positioned adjacent to the bit patterned magnetic storage media, a write driver coupled to the write transducer to deliver write pulses to the write transducer, an optical sensor for producing a bit pattern signal, and a timing recovery circuit for producing a synchronization signal in response to the bit pattern signal, wherein the timing of the write pulses is adjusted in response to the synchronization signal. | 01-01-2009 |
20090073843 | Planar optical waveguide for heat assisted magnetic recording - An optical waveguide includes a core guiding layer, a cladding layer adjacent to the core guiding layer, a reflective layer, and a multiple layer stack on the reflective layer. The multiple layer stack includes a periodic arrangement of dielectric bilayers that each include a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer. An index of refraction n | 03-19-2009 |
20090116804 | Integrated Device For Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording - An apparatus includes a first waveguide configured to focus an electromagnetic wave to a focal region, and a second waveguide to further condense the light to an optical spot. The second waveguide includes a metallic structure defining an opening having one end positioned adjacent to the focal region and a multilayer structure positioned in the opening, the multilayer structure including a first layer of dielectric material, and second and third layers of dielectric material positioned on opposite sides of the first layer. A layer of lower index of refraction than that of the first dielectric layer may be positioned adjacent to the inner walls of the opening in the second waveguide to efficiently excite surface plasmons, and propagate them with low loss. | 05-07-2009 |
20100046889 | Apparatus and Method For Coupling Light to a Thin Film Optical Waveguide - An apparatus comprises an optical waveguide, a grating for coupling light into the waveguide, and an optical element for splitting a light beam into a plurality of beams that strike the grating at different angles of incidence. | 02-25-2010 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130277575 | CHARACTERIZATION OF NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCERS - An approach for characterizing an optical near field transducer (NFT) involves providing excitation radiation to the NFT. The NFT emits photoluminescent radiation in response to the excitation radiation. The output radiation from the NFT is filtered so that a portion of the photoluminescent radiation emitted by the NFT passes through the filter and the excitation radiation is substantially blocked. A detector detects the portion of photoluminescent radiation and outputs an electrical signal in response to detection of the portion of photoluminescent radiation. | 10-24-2013 |
20130279035 | MULTI-SECTIONAL PARABOLIC COLLIMATING MIRROR - A planar collimator has first and second sections each intersecting at a junction between a first axis and a second axis normal to the first axis. Each of the first and second sections have geometries configured to receive light from a source point located on the first axis and collimate the light at respective positive and negative tilting angles relative to the second axis. The first and second sections direct the collimated light to respective first and second sides of a focusing mirror and away from a gap between the first and second sides of the focusing mirror. | 10-24-2013 |
20130294208 | 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. | 11-07-2013 |
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 |
20140153861 | POLARIZATION ROTATOR - A polarization rotator comprises a first waveguide configured to be coupled to an input coupler at a first end and a second waveguide, wherein the first waveguide is offset from the second waveguide and a second end of the first waveguide is coupled to a second end of the second waveguide. | 06-05-2014 |
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 |
20140307533 | LIGHT SOURCE ALIGNMENT FOR HEAT ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING - An approach for aligning a light source on a slider involves filtering light emerging from the air bearing surface of a (ABS) of a heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) slider. A first portion of the emerging light is emitted by a near field transducer in response to optical excitation and has a component having a first polarization state. A second portion of the emerging light including stray light has polarization states different from the first polarization state. The polarizing filter substantially transmits light having the first polarization state and substantially rejects light having a polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state. Alignment coordinates for the light source are determined based on the light transmitted through the polarizing filter. | 10-16-2014 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
20150013946 | METHOD FOR FABRICATING PATTERNED GRADIENT HEAT SINKS - The embodiments disclose at least one predetermined patterned layer configured to eliminate a physical path of lateral thermal bloom in a recording device, at least one gradient layer coupled to the patterned layer and configured to use materials with predetermined thermal conductivity for controlling a rate of dissipation and a path coupled to the gradient layer and configured to create a path of least thermal conduction resistance for directing dissipation along the path, wherein the path substantially regulates and prevents lateral thermal bloom. | 01-15-2015 |
20150016774 | METHOD FOR REGULATING PATTERNED PLASMONIC UNDERLAYER - The embodiments disclose a stack feature of a stack configured to confine optical fields within and to a patterned plasmonic underlayer in the stack configured to guide light from a light source to regulate optical coupling. | 01-15-2015 |
20150017482 | METHOD FOR FABRICATING PLASMONIC CLADDING - The embodiments disclose a plasmonic cladding structure including at least one conformal plasmonic cladding structure wrapped around plural stack features of a recording device, wherein the conformal plasmonic cladding structure is configured to create a near-field transducer in close proximity to a recording head of the recording device, at least one conformal plasmonic cladding structure with substantially removed top surfaces of the stack features with exposed magnetic layer materials and a thermally insulating filler configured to be located between the stack features. | 01-15-2015 |
20150036137 | ALIGNMENT OF OPTICAL COMPONENTS - Alignment of a near field transducer (NFT) optical input coupler and a light emitting device involves providing excitation radiation from an excitation light source through an optical input coupler to the NFT and filtering output radiation from the NFT using a short wavelength pass optical filter. The optical input coupler is scanned through multiple positions while the photoluminescent radiation is detected. A first alignment position between the NFT input coupler and the excitation light source is identified based on the detected photoluminescent radiation. A light emitting device is scanned through multiple positions the light output is detected by a detector. A second alignment position between the light emitting device and the detector is identified. The first and second alignment positions are used to align the light emitting device with the optical input coupler. | 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 |
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 |