Slider with integrated thermally-assisted recording (TAR) head and long laser diode with optical body for directing laser radiation

• Main Authors: STRAND TIMOTHY CARL, HIRANO TOSHIKI, STIPE BARRY CUSHING
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 22.05.2012
• Subjects: INFORMATION STORAGE; INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORDCARRIER AND TRANSDUCER; PHYSICS

A thermally-assisted recording (TAR) slider has an integrated TAR head and an integrated long laser diode, like an external-cavity VCSEL. The TAR head is integrated with the slider at the trailing end and includes an optical waveguide having a grating coupler oriented in a plane generally parallel to the slider trailing end, and a near-field transducer (NFT) at the slider air-bearing surface (ABS) and coupled to the waveguide. A carrier is attached to the slider front end and supports the external-cavity VCSEL so that the linear path of its output laser beam is directed from the slider front end to the slider trailing end. An optical body is attached to the slider trailing end and has an input surface for receipt of the laser radiation from the laser diode, an output surface for directing the laser radiation to the grating coupler, and at least one reflective surface for turning the laser radiation from the input surface to the output surface.