Read Rite Corporation

Ross W Stovall

Hong M Chen

Carl J Carlson

Chuan He

Charles C Cheng

Joseph J Miceli, Jr

Yugang Wang

Peter G Bischoff

A head gimbal assembly includes a magneto-resistive read element integrated with a thermally assisted write element. The head gimbal assembly includes an optical waveguide positioned between two write poles to transmit a laser beam to a recording medium. The laser beam heats the medium sufficiently and lowers its coercivity in order to facilitate writing. A laser assembly is attached to a suspension for achieving direct coupling of the laser beam to an input end of the optical waveguide. The laser assembly is produced using cost effective wafer processing techniques. The use of silicon for the mounting block allows it to be used as a heat sink, for conducting heat away from the laser diode and into the suspension.

Laser mounting for a thermally assisted GMR head

An optical focusing device for focusing an incident optical beam onto a focal plane, as a focal spot. The optical focusing device includes an incident central refractive facet upon which an optical beam impinges, and a high-index glass body through which the incident optical beam passes toward a bottom reflective surface. The bottom reflective surface reflects the optical beam through the body, toward a peripheral reflector. The peripheral reflector focuses the optical beam toward a focal plane on which the focal spot is formed. The focal plane is defined within a pedestal that forms part of the optical focusing device, and that extends from the bottom reflective surface. The central facet is conically shaped for refracting the incident optical beam away from the pedestal, onto the bottom reflective surface. The peripheral reflector surrounds the central facet and can have various appropriate shapes, such as an aspherical shape or a tilted parabolic shape, which compensates for the conical factor and aberrations introduced by the central facet. The top surface includes the central facet and the peripheral facet, and can be made substantially flat using diffractive optical elements or Fresnel optics. The focal spot of the optical rays can be optimized using sequential quadratic program and a set of optimized coefficients.

High numerical aperture optical focusing device for use in data storage systems

A magneto-optical head using a catadioptric focusing device comprised of an incident surface, a bottom reflective surface, a pedestal, and a body. The incident surface is generally flat and is comprised of a central diffractive, optically transmissive facet and a peripheral facet comprised of a kinoform phase profile. In a data writing or reading mode, an incident optical beam, such as a laser beam impinges upon the central facet, and is diffracted thereby. The incident laser beam can be collimated, convergent or divergent. The laser beam passes through the transparent body, and impinges upon the bottom reflective surface. The laser beam is then reflected by the bottom reflective surface, through the body, unto the kinoform phase profile. The laser beam is reflected and refracted by the peripheral kinoform phase profile as a focused beam, through the body, and is focused as a focal point. The focal point is preferably located at, or in close proximity to a pedestal edge, along a central axis, in very close proximity to the disk. This will allow the focused optical beam to propagate toward, or penetrate the disk through evanescent wave coupling, for enabling the transduction of data to and from the disk.

High NA solid catadioptric focusing device having a flat kinoform phase profile

The method of making and self-aligning a magneto-optical head at a wafer level is as follows: A flat optical substrate is molded or heat pressed in batches as a wafer level to form the desired lens shapes. Coil cavities or depressions are simultaneously formed with the lens to accommodate the coil assembly. Conductive plugs are formed in proximity to the cutting lines, for wire bonding attachment to the coil. The plugs are filled with a conductive material such as copper. The plugs do not extend through the entire depth of the optical wafer, thus further facilitating the mass production of the integrated heads. The slider body wafer is formed from silicon or other appropriate material. The slider body wafer and the lens/coil wafer are bonded. Coils and pedestals are formed on the lens / coil plate using thin-film processing techniques. Reflective surfaces are deposited on the bottom surface of the substrate, opposite the lens. The mirror material around the pedestal areas and plugs is masked and removed. An alumina layer is then deposited to define the air bearing surface and the pedestal. Yokes are then formed by means of lithography and plating in the base and sides of the depressions to assume a desired shape. A series of alternating insulating layers and conductive coil layers is formed. A protective layer seals the coil assembly, and is lapped to correct the lens thickness and to provide proper focal plane.

Near field magneto-optical head made using wafer processing techniques

A method of making and self-aligning a disk data storage read/write head that uses a catadioptric focusing device (or lens) having a high numerical aperture (NA), which does not introduce significant spot aberration on a storage medium. The manufacturing process of the head is carried out at a wafer level, and is facilitated significantly by the flatness of the focusing device. An exemplary manufacturing process is implemented as follows: A lens coil/plate is formed by molding a flat optical substrate to form the desired lens shapes. Coil cavities or depressions are formed simultaneously with the lens to accommodate a coil. Conductive plugs are formed in proximity to cutting lines for wire bonding attachment to the coil. A slider wafer is formed and bonded to the lens/coil wafer. Coils and pedestals are also formed on the lens/coil plate using thin-film processing techniques, and reflective surfaces are deposited on the bottom surface of the substrate, opposite the lens. The focusing device includes an incident surface, a reflective surface, a focal pedestal, and a body. The incident surface is generally flat and is comprised of a central diffractive, optically transmissive surface and a peripheral reflector. The peripheral reflector is comprised of a reflective-diffractive surface, or alternatively, a reflective-kinoform phase profile.

Wafer processing techniques for near field magneto-optical head

A read/write head for use in data storage drives includes a thermally assisted inductive write section and a magnetic read section to write data onto, and retrieve data from a storage medium. The write section includes a waveguide formed of a core and a surrounding cladding, and positioned between a first write pole and a second write pole, to conduct a laser beam for heating the medium. The second write pole and the optical waveguide core are offset relative to each other at the pole tip, such that they define an overlap region that determines a written track width. The offsetting facilitates manufacturing process since the optical waveguide core and the second write pole can be made wide enough while still defining tracks with a limited width.

Read/write head with shifted waveguide

An interposer for assembly between an integrated circuit and a circuit panel includes an upper insulation layer and a plurality of upper contact pads arranged in a desired pattern in the upper insulation layer. A plurality of micro-devices are formed between the upper insulation layer and a bottom insulation layer having a plurality of lower contact pads arranged in a desired pattern. The upper and the lower contact pads are selectively and electrically interconnected via the micro-devices. The upper and the lower contact pads are overlaid with solder balls to provide the required electrical connection and mechanical coupling between the interposer, the integrated circuit, and the circuit panel. The interposer is made by forming an array of upper contact pads on a substrate; depositing an upper layer of encapsulant material on the substrate; planarizing the substrate and exposing the array of upper contact pads; forming a micro-device; forming an array of lower contact pads; forming a bottom insulation layer; and exposing at least some of the lower contact pads. According to another embodiment, the interposer includes a plurality of electrically conductive terminals that extend outwardly from the lower contact pads for establishing an electrical connection and a mechanical spring action between the integrated circuit and the interposer, in order to absorb excess contraction or expansion.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Ross W Stovall