Optical magnetic recording system, writer, media, and method

A method for deterministically recording data on a magnetic storage medium using electromagnetic pulses without the aid of an additionally applied magnetic field, the method comprising:

• generating laser light pulses;
• modulating the laser light pulses in accordance with data bits to be recorded on the magnetic storage medium, thereby producing high power recording pulses and low power recording pulses;
• using a single high power recording pulse to record a data bit on the magnetic storage medium in a first data state;
• and
• using a single high power recording pulse followed immediately by a single low power recording pulse to record a data bit on the magnetic storage medium in a second data state.

An optical writer for an optical magnetic recording system, the optical writer comprising:

• a laser configured to produce linearly polarized light pulses;
• a waveguide configured to receive the linearly polarized light pulses from the laser;
• and
• a circular polarization switch coupled to the waveguide, the circular polarization switch including a first branch having a first modulator configured to select and deselect use of the first branch and a first mode converter for converting linearly polarized light to clockwise circularly polarized light, and a second branch having a second modulator configured to select and deselect use of the second branch and a second mode converter for converting linearly polarized light to counterclockwise circularly polarized light,
• wherein the circular polarization switch is configured to convert the linearly polarized light pulses to clockwise or counterclockwise circularly polarized light pulses in accordance with data bits to be recorded by the optical magnetic recording system.

A layered magnetic storage medium for use with a magnetic optical recording system, comprising:

• a FePt recording layer for storing data bits in up and down magnetization states;
• a first spin torque transfer layer disposed above the FePt recording layer and configured to emit a first spin transfer current to the FePt recording layer when illuminated by a linearly polarized light pulse;
• a first spacer layer capable of conducting spin current and disposed between the FePt recording layer and the first spin torque transfer layer;
• a second spin torque transfer layer disposed below the FePt recording layer and configured to emit a second spin transfer current to the FePt recording layer when illuminated by a linearly polarized light pulse;
• and
• a second spacer layer capable of conducting spin current and disposed between the FePt recording layer and the second spin torque transfer layer,
• wherein the second spin transfer current is greater than the first spin transfer current.