Research Investment Network, Inc.

Seagate Technology Incorporated

Roger K Malmhall

Robert L Thornton

Douglas G Stinson

Mathew C Bashaw

Matthew Charles Bashaw

Gregory S Mowry

Bing Zhang

Kevin John Grannen

Chuan Gao

Be Van Ho

A single monolithic semiconductor substrate comprises a first side and a second side. The first side includes an air bearing surface. A laser integrates with the first side. The laser has an emission facet substantially co-planer with the air bearing surface. A contact pad on the second side electronically bridges to the laser.

Semiconductor laser and associated drive circuit substrate

A near-field optical apparatus having one or more solid state lasers and an aerodynamically shaped slider which comprise a single integrated, monolithic device fabricated from the same base semiconductor material. The monolithic optical head can be quickly and easily attached to the read arm of an optical read/write device without requiring attachment of separate laser elements, and without micropositioning or use of optical microscopy for positioning the lasers. The optical head comprising a single semiconductor substrate including a first region which defines a slider having an air bearing surface, and at least one second, laser region which defines a diode laser, with the diode laser having an emission face which is substantially co-planar with the air bearing surface. The semiconductor substrate preferably includes an active layer, a p-clad layer or reflective layer adjacent a first side of the active region, an n-clad layer or reflective layer adjacent a second side of the active layer, and an n-semiconductor layer adjacent the n-clad layer. A slider region of the semiconductor substrate includes an air bearing surface, adjacent the p-clad layer, which is aerodynamically structured and configured to define a slider. The integral lasers include a p-electrical contact adjacent to the p-clad layer and proximate to the laser emission face, and an n-electrical contact adjacent to the n-clad layer or an n-semiconductor layer. The laser mode is defined by oxidized or ion-diffusion regions associated with the p-clad layer or n-clad layer of the laser. A conductive via through the substrate allows electrical connection with the p-side contact to be achieved from the n-side of the substrate. The optical head is used in a near-field optical system with an optical medium having a phase change layer.

Near-field optical head system with integrated slider and laser

A near-field optical system having one or more solid state lasers and an aerodynamically shaped slider which comprise a single integrated, monolithic device fabricated from the same base semiconductor material. The monolithic optical head can be quickly and easily attached to the read arm of an optical read/write device without requiring attachment of separate laser elements, and without micropositioning or use of optical microscopy for positioning the lasers. The optical head comprising a single semiconductor substrate including a first region which defines a slider having an air bearing surface, and at least one second, laser region which defines a diode laser, with the diode laser having an emission face which is substantially co-planar with the air bearing surface. The semiconductor substrate preferably includes an active layer, a p-clad layer or reflective layer adjacent a first side of the active region, an n-clad layer or reflective layer adjacent a second side of the active layer, and an n-semiconductor layer adjacent the n-clad layer. A slider region of the semiconductor substrate includes an air bearing surface, adjacent the p-clad layer, which is aerodynamically structured and configured to define a slider. The integral lasers include a p-electrical contact adjacent to the p-clad layer and proximate to the laser emission face, and an n-electrical contact adjacent to the n-clad layer or an n-semiconductor layer. The laser mode is defined by oxidized or ion-diffusion regions associated with the p-clad layer or n-clad layer of the laser. A conductive via through the substrate allows electrical connection with the p-side contact to be achieved from the n-side of the substrate. The optical head is used in a near-field optical system with an optical medium having a phase change layer.

A near-field optical system having one or more solid state lasers and an aerodynamically shaped slider which comprise a single integrated, monolithic device fabricated from the same base semiconductor material. The monolithic optical head can be quickly and easily attached to the read arm of an optical read/write device without requiring attachment of separate laser elements, and without micropositioning or use of optical microscopy for positioning the lasers. The optical head comprising a single semiconductor substrate including a first region which defines a slider having an air bearing surface, and at least one second, laser region which defines a diode laser, with the diode laser having an emission face which is substantially co-planar with the air bearing surface. A slider region of the semiconductor substrate includes an air bearing surface, adjacent the p-clad layer, which is aerodynamically structured and configured to define a slider. The integral lasers include a p-electrical contact and an n-electrical contact which are electrically accessible from one side of the laser, which allows the laser to be used directly with a drive circuit substrate.

The signal-to-noise ratio of a magnetic recording medium having a thin magnetic layer is improved by adjusting the deposition conditions of the underlayer so that the magnetic layer is pseudo-epitaxially grown with a substantially uniform sub-micron-scale morphology. Uniform sub-micron-scale morphology can be attained by strategic selection of the underlayer and magnetic layer materials, and by controlling the underlayer deposition conditions so that the magnetic layer is epitaxially grown by a growth mechanism which is predominantly layer by layer. In an embodiment of the present invention, an underlayer comprising an alloy of chromium with vanadium, titanium or manganese, or an underlayer comprising a nickel-aluminum alloy, is sputter deposited at a pressure less than about 10 mTorr, substrate temperature greater than about 300.degree. C. and substrate bias greater than about 300 V, and a cobalt magnetic layer is epitaxially grown thereon, predominantly layer by layer.

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Roger K Malmhall