Integrated head design using a nanobeak antenna for thermally assisted magnetic recording

We propose a near-field optical transducer using a triangular antenna and a thin film structure (wing) to efficiently generate an optical near-field near a magnetic head. A finite-difference time-domain calculation showed that the near-field was efficiently generated at the apex of the antenna when the dimensions of the wing were optimized for efficient delivery of the surface plasmon excited on the wing to the antenna. The calculated light utilization efficiency (ratio between the absorbed power in the recording medium and the input power) was 8%. The temperature distribution on the medium, magnetic field distribution, and magnetization pattern were calculated; the proposed recording head may be capable of an areal recording density of 2.5 Tb/in.(2). (C) 2012 Optical Society of America