Thermally assisted magnetic head, magnetic head device and magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus including a recording element and a near-field light generating element
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a thermally assisted magnetic head with improved recording performance. The thermally assisted magnetic head includes a recording element and a near-field light generating element. The recording element includes a main pole appearing on a medium-facing surface, and a bit inversion starting region intended to be a maximum recording magnetic field generating position is formed at a leading edge of the main pole. The near-field light generating element is located on a leading side of the main pole and capable of creating a heating spot due to a near-field light on a near-field light generating end face appearing on the medium-facing surface. The bit inversion starting region is located within one-half of a diameter of the heating spot from a center of the heating spot.
1. A thermally assisted magnetic head comprising a recording element and a near-field light generating element, wherein
the recording element includes a main pole and a leading shield,
the leading shield is located on a leading side of the main pole,
the near-field light generating element is located on the leading side of the main pole and includes a surface plasmon generating element and an optical waveguide,
the surface plasmon generating element is located between the main pole and the leading shield,
the optical waveguide is located between the surface plasmon generating element and the leading shield extending in a direction away from a medium from an optical waveguide end face of the optical waveguide appearing on a medium-facing surface and has an optical connection with a leading side of the surface plasmon generating element, and
the leading shield has an intrusive part into the optical waveguide end face and an area of the intrusive part is equal to or less than one-half of an area of the optical waveguide end face.
2. The thermally assisted magnetic head as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide is covered with a protective layer except the optical connection and the protective layer has a lower refractive index than the optical waveguide, wherein no metallic material other than the near-field light generating element, the main pole and the leading shield exists within 0.5 μm from a boundary between the optical waveguide and the protective layer.
3. The thermally assisted magnetic head as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the recording element includes an upper yoke layer, a write coil layer and a lower yoke layer, the main pole is magnetically connected to the upper yoke layer and the lower yoke layer, and the lower yoke layer is located on a leading side of the leading shield.
4. The thermally assisted magnetic head as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide is optically connected to a laser diode.
5. The thermally assisted magnetic head as claimed in claim 1 , including a reproducing element.
6. A magnetic head device comprising a thermally assisted magnetic head and a head support device,
the thermally assisted magnetic head being a thermally assisted magnetic head as claimed in claim 1 ,
the head support device supporting the thermally assisted magnetic head.
7. A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus comprising a magnetic head device and a magnetic recording medium,
the magnetic head device being a magnetic head device as claimed in claim 6 and capable of performing magnetic recording and reproducing a magnetic record with the magnetic recording medium.
8. The magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , further including a control circuit, the control circuit being capable of controlling writing and reproducing operations of the magnetic head device with the magnetic recording medium.
9. The thermally assisted magnetic head as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the recording element includes a bit inversion starting region which is intended to be a maximum recording magnetic field generating position and formed at a leading edge of the main pole appearing on the medium-facing surface,
the leading shield is magnetically connected to the main pole,
the near-field light generating element is able to create a heating spot due to a near-field light on a near-field light generating end face appearing on the medium-facing surface, and
the bit inversion starting region is located within one-half of a diameter of the heating spot from a center of the heating spot.
10. The thermally assisted magnetic head as claimed in claim 9 , wherein in the heating spot, the main pole does not generate a magnetic field capable of causing reinversion of recorded magnetization on a trailing side of the bit inversion starting region.
11. A thermally assisted magnetic head comprising a recording element and a near-field light generating element, wherein
the recording element includes a main pole and a leading shield,
the leading shield is located on a leading side of the main pole and located above a medium-facing surface and has a thickness of 0.05 μm to 0.25 μm as measured from the medium-facing surface,
the near-field light generating element is located on the leading side of the main pole,
the recording element includes a bit inversion starting region which is intended to be a maximum recording magnetic field generating position and formed at a leading edge of the main pole appearing on the medium-facing surface,
the leading shield is magnetically connected to the main pole,
the near-field light generating element is able to create a heating spot due to a near-field light on a near-field light generating end face appearing on the medium-facing surface, and
the bit inversion starting region is located within one-half of a diameter of the heating spot from a center of the heating spot.
12. The thermally assisted magnetic head as claimed in claim 11 , wherein in the heating spot, the main pole does not generate a magnetic field capable of causing reinversion of recorded magnetization on a trailing side of the bit inversion starting region.
13. The thermally assisted magnetic head as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the recording element includes an upper yoke layer, a write coil layer and a lower yoke layer, the main pole is magnetically connected to the upper yoke layer and the lower yoke layer, and the lower yoke layer is located on a leading side of the leading shield.
14. The thermally assisted magnetic head as claimed in claim 11 , including a reproducing element.
15. A magnetic head device comprising a thermally assisted magnetic head and a head support device,
the thermally assisted magnetic head being a thermally assisted magnetic head as claimed in claim 11 ,
the head support device supporting the thermally assisted magnetic head.
16. A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus comprising a magnetic head device and a magnetic recording medium,
the magnetic head device being a magnetic head device as claimed in claim 15 and capable of performing magnetic recording and reproducing a magnetic record with the magnetic recording medium.
17. The magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 16 , further including a control circuit, the control circuit being capable of controlling writing and reproducing operations of the magnetic head device with the magnetic recording medium.