Hybrid optical head for data storage
AssigneeTerastor Corporation
InventorsJohn Berg, Roger A. Hajjar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical read/write head system having a support structure, an optical coupling element and a magnetic data coupling element is disclosed. The optical coupling element is provide on the support structure and is configured to couple optical signal to and from a recording medium. The magnetic data coupling element is also provided on the support structure and is configured to couple magnetic signal to and from the recording medium. The two elements operate in combination to provide more effective reading and writing than with either element alone.
Claims19
A system, comprising:
- a support structure;
- an optical coupling element on said support structure configured to include a lens system to couple a laser beam to and from a recording medium and a magnetic coil positioned around said lens system to modify an orientation of data at a spot on the recording medium illuminated by said laser beam, said optical coupling element operable to read data from or write data into the recording medium;
- and
- a magnetic data coupling element on said support structure adjacent to said optical coupling elements configured to couple a magnetic signal to and from the recording medium,
- where said optical coupling element and said magnetic data coupling element operate in combination to provide both optical reading and writing and magnetic reading on the recording medium.
An optical storage system, comprising:
- a light source generating a light beam;
- an electro-optical beam relay system configured to guide said light beam;
- a data storage medium;
- and
- an optical read/write head system including:
- an optical coupling element configured to couple said light beam to and from said data storage medium based on a magneto-optic effect, and
- a magnetic data coupling element adjacent to said optical coupling element and configured to magnetically couple magnetic signal to and from said data storage medium,
- where said optical coupling element and said magnetic data coupling element form a hybrid structure to provide both optical reading and writing and magnetic reading on the recording medium.
A data storage system, comprising a hybrid head for reading data from and writing data into a recording medium, said head includes:
- a slider;
- an magneto-optic head formed on said slider having an objective lens and a solid immersion lens to form a lens system to direct a laser beam received by said objective lens to the recording medium via said solid immersion lens, and a magnetic induction coil engaged around said solid immersion lens to produce a magnetic field on a surface of the recording medium for magneto-optic reading and writing;
- and
- a magnetic resistive head formed on said slider adjacent to said magneto-optic head to couple a magnetic signal to and from the recording medium for reading data on the recording medium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.