Magneto-optical data storage system having an optical-processing flying head

A flying magneto optical (MO) head for directing a light beam using a component disposed between a magneto-optical data storage medium and a source, the optical head comprising an optics mounting block for mounting optic components;

• a slider body for supporting the optics mounting block over a magneto-optical (MO) storage medium;
• and
• a plurality of optical elements carried on said optics mounting block and slider body for directing an incident light beam to the MO storage medium and for optically processing a reflected light beam from the MO storage medium, the reflected light beam having rotated polarization states representative of information recorded on the MO storage medium;
• wherein said optical elements comprise an optical fiber for optically coupling a linearly polarized incident light beam onto the optics mounting block;
• wherein the optical fiber is a single-mode optical fiber selected from one of a polarization maintaining optical fiber and a polarizing optical fiber;
• and wherein the optical elements comprise means for transmitting a first incident component of the linearly polarized incident light beam and for reflecting a second incident component of the incident light beam;
• a mirror for reflecting the transmitted component of the incident light beam;
• means for focusing the reflected transmitted component of the incident light beam to a spot on the MO storage medium, the light beam being reflected by the MO storage medium and the mirror to produce reflected light beam;
• means for rotating the polarization of the reflected light beam from the MO storage medium;
• and means for splitting the reflected light beam into first and second polarization components representing information recorded on the MO storage medium.

A flying magneto-optical head for use in a magneto-optical data storage system, comprising a slider adapted to fly over the surface of the magneto-optical data storage system, the slider having grooves in a surface thereof for receiving optical components for directing a light beam to the magneto-optical data storage medium and for receiving a light beam reflected from the magneto-optical data storage medium, and a plurality of optical elements mounted in said grooves for processing the light beams, wherein the optical elements comprise a leaky beam splitter for receiving the linearly polarized incident light, and for transmitting a first incident component and reflecting a second incident component of the incident light beam;

• a mirror for reflecting the transmitted component of the incident light beam;
• an objective lens for focusing the reflected transmitted component onto a spot on the MO storage medium;
• a half-wave plate for rotating the polarization of a reflected light beam from the MO storage medium;
• and a polarization beam splitter for splitting the reflected light beam into first and second polarization components.