IP Library Granted Patent US 12,506,321
Granted Patent B2
US 12,506,321 · App. 17/463,089 · Granted Dec 23, 2025

Vertical cavity surface emitting laser and head gimbal assembly

Inventor: Takuya Matsumoto (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
H01S5/04256G11B5/4826G11B5/4866G11B13/08H01S5/0201H01S5/02326H01S5/0233H01S5/0237H01S5/04257H01S5/18394H01S5/423G11B2005/0021H01S5/183
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,506,321
App. No.
17/463,089
Granted
Dec 23, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a vertical cavity surface emitting laser, a head gimbal assembly for mounting a vertical cavity surface emitting laser, and devices incorporating such articles. In an embodiment, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) device is provided. The VCSEL device includes a chip for mounting on a slider and two laser diode electrodes. The chip has six surfaces, wherein a first surface of the chip is for facing the slider, a second surface of the chip is opposite the first surface, and the two laser diode electrodes are positioned in any combination on one or more of a third surface, a fourth surface, a fifth surface, or a sixth surface of the chip.

Claims (52)

1 . A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) device, comprising:

a chip for mounting on a slider, the chip having six surfaces, wherein:

a first surface of the chip is for facing the slider, the first surface of the chip comprising a pad to couple the chip to the slider;

a second surface of the chip is opposite the first surface; and

two laser diode electrodes positioned in any combination on one or more of a third surface, a fourth surface, a fifth surface, or a sixth surface of the chip, wherein the two laser diode electrodes extend from one or more of the third surface, the fourth surface, the fifth surface, or the sixth surface to the first surface of the chip, the two laser diode electrodes extending along at least a portion of the perimeter of the first surface of the chip.

2 . The VCSEL device of claim 1 , wherein the two laser diode electrodes are positioned on the third surface.

3 . The VCSEL device of claim 1 , wherein the two laser diode electrodes are positioned on the third surface and the fourth surface.

4 . The VCSEL device of claim 1 , wherein one or more laser apertures are disposed in the first surface.

5 . The VCSEL device of claim 4 , wherein the VCSEL device is capable of emitting one or more lasers corresponding to the one or more laser apertures.

6 . The VCSEL device of claim 4 , wherein the one or more laser apertures includes 2-16 laser apertures.

7 . The VCSEL device of claim 4 , wherein, when the VCSEL device has a plurality of laser apertures disposed in the first surface, the plurality of laser apertures:

are spaced apart by a distance of about 1 μm to about 20 μm;

are linearly arranged;

operate at the same frequency; or

combinations thereof.

8 . The VCSEL device of claim 1 , further comprising a trench, wherein each of the laser diode electrodes are positioned in the trench.

9 . The VCSEL device of claim 1 , further comprising a first trench and a second trench, wherein a first laser diode electrode of the two laser diode electrodes is positioned in the first trench and a second laser diode electrode of the two laser diode electrodes is positioned in the second trench.

10 . The VCSEL device of claim 1 , wherein, when the VCSEL device is capable of emitting a plurality of lasers, the plurality of lasers being phase coherent.

11 . The VCSEL device of claim 1 , wherein the VCSEL device further comprises:

a trench having a metal layer deposited thereon;

and an electrode on the first surface of the chip coupled to the metal layer, the electrode on the first surface of the chip being a different electrode than the two laser diode electrodes.

12 . The VCSEL device of claim 11 , wherein a portion of the metal layer is disposed on a side surface.

13 . A magnetic media drive comprising the VCSEL device of claim 1 .

14 . A head gimbal assembly, comprising:

a suspension;

a slider mounted on the suspension; and

a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) device mounted on the slider, the VCSEL device comprising:

a chip for mounting on the slider, the chip having six surfaces, wherein:

a first surface of the chip is coupled to a top surface of the slider, the first surface of the chip comprising a pad to couple the chip to the slider; and

a second surface of the chip is opposite the first surface; and

two laser diode electrodes positioned in any combination on one or more of a third surface, a fourth surface, a fifth surface, or a sixth surface of the chip, wherein the two laser diode electrodes extend from one or more of the third surface, the fourth surface, the fifth surface, or the sixth surface to the first surface of the chip, the two laser diode electrodes extending along at least a portion of the perimeter of the first surface of the chip.

15 . The head gimbal assembly of claim 14 , wherein the two laser diode electrodes are connected to one or more electrodes of the suspension.

16 . The head gimbal assembly of claim 14 further comprising:

a main pole;

a near field transducer (NFT) coupled between the main pole and a leading shield; and

a waveguide structure coupled to the NFT, the waveguide structure comprising a first waveguide coupled to the NFT.

17 . The head gimbal assembly of claim 16 , wherein the waveguide structure further comprises:

a multimodal interference (MMI) device coupled to the first waveguide at a first end; and

a plurality of second waveguides coupled to a second end opposite the first end of the MMI device, the plurality of second waveguides extending from the MMI device to the top surface of the slider.

18 . The head gimbal assembly of claim 14 , wherein the two laser diode electrodes are positioned on different surfaces of the chip.

19 . The head gimbal assembly of claim 14 , wherein the two laser diode electrodes are positioned on the same surface of the chip.

20 . A magnetic media drive comprising the head gimbal assembly of claim 14 .

21 . A head gimbal assembly, comprising:

a metal pad;

a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) device comprising:

a chip for mounting on a slider, the chip having six surfaces, wherein:

a first surface of the chip is for facing the slider, the first surface of the chip comprising a pad to couple the chip to the slider;

the first surface is coupled to the metal pad; and

a second surface of the chip is opposite the first surface; and

two laser diode electrodes positioned in any combination on one or more of a third surface, a fourth surface, a fifth surface, or a sixth surface of the chip, wherein the two laser diode electrodes extend from one or more of the third surface, the fourth surface, the fifth surface, or the sixth surface to the first surface of the chip, the two laser diode electrodes extending along at least a portion of the perimeter of the first surface of the chip.

22 . The head gimbal assembly of claim 21 , wherein a metal of the metal pad is combined with a metal of at least one of the two laser diode electrodes.

23 . A magnetic media drive comprising the head gimbal assembly of claim 21 .

Assignments (5)
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - A&R LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064715/0001 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - DDTL LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067045/0156 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 058426 FRAME 0815 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058965/0679 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2021
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 058426/0815 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2021
From: MATSUMOTO, TAKUYA
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 057424/0771 →