Gratings For Waveguide Coupling
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorLifu Zhou
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus includes a waveguide including a core layer and first and second cladding layers positioned on opposite sides of the core layer, a plurality of slots extending through the core layer and into the first and second cladding layers, a filler material in the slots, wherein the core has a first refractive index, the cladding layers have a second refractive index lower than the first refractive index, and the filler material has a third refractive index between the first and second refractive indices, and a light source positioned to direct light onto the slots. A data storage device that includes the apparatus is also provided.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a waveguide including a core layer and first and second cladding layers positioned on opposite sides of the core layer;
- a plurality of slots extending through the core layer and into the first and second cladding layers;
- a filler material in the slots, wherein the core has a first refractive index, the cladding layers have a second refractive index lower than the first refractive index, and the filler material has a third refractive index between the first and second refractive indices;
- and
- a light source positioned to direct light onto the slots.
An apparatus comprising:
- a storage medium;
- a recording head including a waveguide including a core layer and first and second cladding layers positioned on opposite sides of the core layer, a plurality of slots extending through the core layer and into the first and second cladding layers, a filler material in the slots, wherein the core has a first refractive index, the cladding layers have a second refractive index lower than the first refractive index, and the filler material has a third refractive index between the first and second refractive indices, and a light source positioned to direct light onto the slots;
- and
- an arm for positioning the recording head adjacent to the storage medium.
A method comprising:
- providing a thin film structure having a core layer having a first refractive index and first and second cladding layers having a second refractive index on opposite sides of the core layer;
- etching tilted slots through the core layer and the first cladding layer, and into the second cladding layer;
- and
- filling the slots with a filler material having a third refractive index between the first and second refractive indices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.