Method and system for optically coupling a laser with a transducer in an energy assisted magnetic recording disk drive

An energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) disk drive comprising:

• a media for storing data;
• a slider having a back side, a trailing face, and an air-bearing surface (ABS) opposite the back side;
• at least one laser coupled with the trailing face of the slider, each of the at least one laser having an optic axis substantially parallel to the trailing face of the slider, the at least one laser providing energy substantially along the optic axis;
• optics coupled with the trailing face of the slider, the optics receiving the energy from the at least one laser via free space, wherein the optics further include
• a concave mirror for receiving the energy from the laser, collimating the energy, and redirecting the energy toward the EAMR transducer;
• and
• at least one EAMR transducer coupled with the slider, and at least a portion of the transducer residing in proximity to the ABS, the optics for directing the energy from the at least one laser to the at least one EAMR transducer, the at least one EAMR transducer receiving the energy from the optics and writing to the media using the energy.

An energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) disk drive comprising:

• a media for storing data;
• a slider having a back side, a trailing face, and an air-bearing surface (ABS) opposite the back side;
• at least one laser coupled with the trailing face of the slider, each of the at least one laser having an optic axis substantially parallel to the trailing face of the slider, the at least one laser providing energy substantially along the optic axis;
• optics coupled with the trailing face of the slider, the optics receiving the energy from the at least one laser via free space;
• at least one EAMR transducer coupled with the slider, and at least a portion of the transducer residing in proximity to the ABS, the optics for directing the energy from the at least one laser to the at least one EAMR transducer, the at least one EAMR transducer receiving the energy from the optics and writing to the media using the energy;
• wherein the at least one EAMR transducer includes a grating coupled with the slider, the optics directing energy from the laser to the grating, the grating having a grating optic axis substantially parallel to the trailing face of the slider;
• at least one waveguide optically coupled with the at least one grating;
• at least one near-field transducer optically coupled with the at least one waveguide, the at least one near-field transducer for heating a region of a recording media;
• and
• at least one magnetic recording pole configured to provide a write field in the region of the magnetic recording media during heating
• wherein the at least one waveguide includes at least one tapered bended waveguide for redirecting the energy by substantially one hundred eighty degrees.

An energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) disk drive comprising:

• a media for storing data;
• a slider having a back side, a trailing face, and an air-bearing surface (ABS) opposite to the back side;
• at least one laser coupled with the trailing face of the slider, each of the at least one laser having an optic axis substantially parallel to the trailing face of the slider, the laser providing energy substantially along the optic axis;
• optics coupled with the trailing face of the slider, the optics including at least one of a ball lens optically coupled with a microprism and a concave mirror, the optics being optically coupled with the at least one laser via free space;
• and
• at least one EAMR transducer coupled with the slider, at least a portion of the at least one EAMR transducer residing in proximity to the ABS, the optics for directing the energy from the at least one laser to the at least one EAMR transducer, the at least one EAMR transducer receiving the energy from the optics and writing to the media using the energy, the at least one EAMR transducer further including;
• a grating coupled with the slider, the optics directing energy from the laser to the grating, the grating having a grating optic axis substantially parallel to the trailing face of the slider;
• at least one waveguide optically coupled with the at least one grating and including at least one tapered portion and at least one bending portion, the at least one tapered portion having a waveguide optic axis substantially parallel to the trailing face of the slider, the at least one bending portion for redirecting the energy by at least one hundred seventy and not more than one hundred ninety degrees;
• at least one near-field transducer optically coupled with the at least one waveguide, the at least one near-field transducer for heating a region of a recording media;
• and
• at least one magnetic recording pole configured to provide a write field in the region of the magnetic recording media during heating.

A method for providing an energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) disk drive comprising:

• providing a media for storing data;
• providing a slider having a back side, a trailing face, and an air-bearing surface (ABS) opposite to the back side;
• providing at least one laser coupled with the trailing face of the slider, each of the at least one laser having an optic axis substantially parallel to the trailing face of the slider, the laser providing energy substantially along the optic axis;
• providing optics coupled with the trailing face of the slider, the optics receiving the energy from the at least one laser via free space;
• providing at least one EAMR transducer coupled with the slider, a portion of the EAMR transducer being in proximity to the ABS, the optics for directing the energy from the at least one laser to the at least one EAMR transducer, the at least one EAMR transducer receiving the energy from the optics and writing to the media using the energy;
• wherein the step of providing the at least one EAMR transducer further includes
• providing at least one waveguide optically coupled with the optics and including at least one tapered portion for focusing the energy, the at least one tapered portion including a waveguide optic axis substantially parallel to the trailing face of the slider, wherein the at least one waveguide further includes at least one bending portion optically coupled with the at least one tapered portion, the bending portion for redirecting the energy by at least one hundred seventy and not more than one hundred ninety degrees.

A method for providing an energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) disk drive comprising:

• providing a media for storing data;
• providing a slider having a back side, a trailing face, and an air-bearing surface (ABS) opposite to the back side;
• providing at least one laser coupled with the trailing face of the slider, each of the at least one laser having an optic axis substantially parallel to the trailing face of the slider, the laser providing energy substantially along the optic axis;
• providing optics coupled with the trailing face of the slider, the optics receiving the energy from the at least one laser via free space
• wherein the step of providing the optics further includes
• providing a concave mirror for receiving the energy from the laser, collimating the energy, and redirecting the energy toward the EAMR transducer;
• and
• providing at least one EAMR transducer coupled with the slider, a portion of the EAMR transducer being in proximity to the ABS, the optics for directing the energy from the at least one laser to the at least one EAMR transducer, the at least one EAMR transducer receiving the energy from the optics and writing to the media using the energy.

A method for providing an energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) disk drive comprising:

• providing a media for storing data;
• providing a slider having a back side, a trailing face, and an air-bearing surface (ABS) opposite to the back side;
• providing at least one laser coupled with the trailing face of the slider, each of the at least one laser having an optic axis substantially parallel to the trailing face of the slider, the laser providing energy substantially along the optic axis;
• providing optics coupled with the trailing face of the slider, the optics receiving the energy from the at least one laser via free space;
• and
• providing at least one EAMR transducer coupled with the slider, a portion of the EAMR transducer being in proximity to the ABS, the optics for directing the energy from the at least one laser to the at least one EAMR transducer, the at least one EAMR transducer receiving the energy from the optics and writing to the media using the energy, the step of providing the at least one EAMR transducer further including
• providing a grating coupled with the slider, the optics directing energy from the laser to the grating, the grating having a grating optic axis substantially parallel to the trailing face of the slider;
• providing at least one waveguide optically coupled with the at least one grating;
• providing at least one near-field transducer optically coupled with the at least one waveguide, the at least one near-field transducer for heating a region of a recording media;
• and
• providing at least one magnetic recording pole configured to provide a write field in the region of the magnetic recording media during heating, and
• wherein the at least one waveguide includes at least one tapered bended waveguide for redirecting the energy by substantially one hundred eighty degrees.