Optical aperture for data recording having transmission enhanced by surface plasmon resonance

A method of directing electromagnetic radiation onto a data recording medium, comprising:

• providing a metal structure having an array of features;
• directing optical radiation onto the array of features to generate at least one surface plasmon mode, thereby enhancing the optical output emanating from an emission region in the metal structure;
• and
• directing the optical output from the emission region onto a recording medium to facilitate the recording of data that is read back by a processor.

A method of directing electromagnetic radiation onto a recording medium, comprising:

• providing a metal structure having an array of features;
• directing optical radiation onto the array of features to generate at least one surface plasmon mode, said at least one surface plasmon mode enhancing the effective transmission of the optical radiation through the metal structure;
• directing optical output emanating from the metal structure onto a recording medium to heat the recording medium, thereby facilitating the recording of data;
• and
• reading back the data with a processor.

An apparatus for facilitating the recording of data, comprising:

• an optical source;
• a metallic structure that receives optical radiation from said source and emits optical output from an emission region in said structure, said structure having an array of features that couple the radiation from one side of said structure to another side of said structure to increase the emitted optical output from said emission region beyond what the emitted optical output from said emission region would be in the absence of said features, wherein the emitted optical output includes a near-field portion that extends from said emission region out to a distance less than the average wavelength of the emitted optical output;
• at least one element secured to said metallic structure, said at least one element generating magnetic fields for writing data in a data recording medium located within the near-field portion;
• and
• a platform to which said structure is secured, wherein said platform is configured to be moved relative to a data recording medium while the separation between said emission region and a surface of the data recording medium is kept to less than said average wavelength.

A method of directing optical radiation onto a recording medium, comprising:

• providing a metal structure having an emission region and an array of features that enhance optical transmission through the emission region;
• directing optical radiation onto the array of features;
• directing the optical output from the emission region onto a recording medium to facilitate the recording of data;
• and
• reading the recorded data with a processor.