IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,406,690
Granted Patent B1
US 12,406,690 · App. 18/807,684 · Granted Sep 2, 2025

Light source unit, thermally assisted magnetic head, head gimbal assembly, and hard disk drive

Inventors: Seiichi Takayama (Hong Kong, CN); Ryuji Fujii (Hong Kong, CN); Tai Boon Lee (Hong Kong, CN); Ka Yip Wong (Hong Kong, CN)
Assignee: SAE MAGNETICS (H.K.) LTD.
G11B5/314G11B5/3163G11B2005/0021
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,406,690
App. No.
18/807,684
Granted
Sep 2, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

The disclosure disclose a light source unit applied to the thermally assisted magnetic head. A welding layer and a stopping structure are disposed between the slider of the thermally assisted magnetic head and the light source unit. When the light source unit is joined with the slider, the light source unit moves as the welding layer melts and can be precisely limited at the preset position by the stopping structure. In this way, the emission opening of the light source unit and the waveguide can be aligned precisely, thereby increasing the optical coupling efficiency between the light source unit and the waveguide. Meanwhile, the embodiment of the disclosure further accordingly provides a thermally assisted magnetic head, a head gimbal assembly, and a hard disk drive.

Claims (23)

1. A light source unit, wherein

the light source unit is applicable for a thermally assisted magnetic head, the thermally assisted magnetic head comprises a slider, and the slider is provided with a waveguide and with a first cavity for accommodating the light source unit;

a welding layer and a stopping structure are provided between the light source unit and the slider; and

wherein the light source unit is configured to move as the welding layer melts and be limited at a preset position by the stopping structure, when joined with the slider, and at the preset position, an emission opening of the light source unit aligns with the waveguide,

wherein the slider comprises a slider body and a conductive layer, wherein the conductive layer is connected to the slider body and the conductive layer is provided for connecting with the welding layer; the light source unit comprises a light source body and a first electrical connecting layer, the first electrical connecting layer is connected with the light source body, and the welding layer is configured to be provided on the first electrical connecting layer or the conductive layer.

2. The light source unit according to claim 1 , wherein the stopping structure comprises at least one stop; each of the at least one stop is configured to be provided on the light source unit, and the stop is allowed to move to abut against the slider as the welding layer melts when the light source unit is joined with the slider, or,

each of the at least one stop is configured to be provided on the slider, and the stop is allowed to move to abut against the light source unit as the welding layer melts when the light source unit is joined with the slider.

3. The light source unit according to claim 2 , wherein a first surface of the stop is connected to the light source body, a second surface of the stop abuts against the slider body or the conductive layer when the light source unit is joined with the slider, and the first surface of the stop is arranged opposite to the second surface of the stop.

4. The light source unit according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one stop comprises at least two stops, the at least two stops define an interval space therebetween, and the first electrical connecting layer is at least partially accommodated in the interval space;

if the welding layer is configured to be provided on the first electrical connecting layer, the welding layer protrudes further than the second surface of the stop, the second surface of the stop is allowed to move to abut against the conductive layer as the welding layer melts when the light source unit is joined with the slider, such that the light source unit is stopped at the preset position; or,

if the welding layer is configured to be provided on the first electrical connecting layer, the welding layer protrudes further than the second surface of the stop, or, the second surface of the stop protrudes further than the welding layer, to allow the second surface of the stop to move to abut against the slider body as the welding layer melts when the light source unit is joined with the slider, such that the light source unit is stopped at the preset position; or,

if the welding layer is configured to be provided on the conductive layer, the second surface of the stop is allowed to move to abut against the conductive layer or the slider body as the welding layer melts when the light source unit is joined with the slider, such that the light source unit is stopped at the preset position.

5. The light source unit according to claim 4 , wherein the at least two stops are arranged to define an interval space, and the at least two stops extend along a length direction or a width direction of the light source body.

6. The light source unit according to claim 2 , wherein the stop extends along a length direction of the light source body, and a length of the stop is less than a length of the light source unit.

7. The light source unit according to claim 2 , wherein the light source unit is a laser diode, and the light source body comprises a substrate, the light source body is formed by a deposition on the substrate, the stop is formed in a deposition process of the light source body, and a material of the stop is the same as that of the light source body.

8. The light source unit according to claim 7 , wherein both the stop and the light source body are made of GaAs.

9. The light source unit according to claim 2 , wherein the light source unit is a laser diode, and the light source body comprises a substrate, the light source body is formed by a deposition on the substrate, the stop is formed after a deposition process of the light source body, and a material of the stop is different from that of the light source body.

10. The light source unit according to claim 9 , wherein the stop is made of a dielectric material.

11. The light source unit according to claim 2 , wherein the stop is formed in a wafer process of the slider.

12. The light source unit according to claim 1 , wherein the stopping structure comprise a second cavity and the first cavity, the second cavity is provided in the slider body, and the second cavity is in communication with the first cavity, to form a double-cavity structure having a step, the conductive layer is connected to the slider body and accommodated in the second cavity; when the light source unit is joined with the slider, the light source body or the first electrical connecting layer is allowed to move to abut against the step as the welding layer melts, such that the light source unit is stopped at the preset position.

13. A thermally assisted magnetic head, comprising the slider and the light source unit according to claim 1 , and the light source unit is joined with the slider.

14. A head gimbal assembly, comprising the thermally assisted magnetic head according to claim 13 .

15. A hard disk drive, comprising the head gimbal assembly according to claim 14 .

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2024
From: CHENG, JUNG-CHIEN; CHEN, GUAN-LIN; JU, SHI NING; CHIANG, KUO-CHENG; WANG, CHIH-HAO; YU, CHIA-HAO
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 069615/0484 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 16, 2024
From: TAKAYAMA, SEIICHI; FUJII, RYUJI; LEE, TAI BOON; WONG, KA YIP
To: SAE MAGNETICS (H.K.) LTD.
Reel/Frame 068317/0810 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202410228557.4 · Feb 29, 2024 · national
References Cited (4)
US 8325566B2 · Shimazawa et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 10152992B1 · Hosoi · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 10943613B1 · Hosoi · 2021 [cited by examiner]
“Four methods for integrating lasers onto chips”, Xunshiguang Communication Network Release, with English translation, May 14, 2023, 18 pages. [cited by applicant]