The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
May. 22, 2001

Filed:

Aug. 11, 2000
Applicant:
Inventors:

Neville K. S. Lee, Kowloon, CN;

John S. Berg, Bellingham, MA (US);

Easen Ho, Belmont, MA (US);

Assignee:

Digital Papyrus Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G11B 7/12 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G11B 7/12 ;
Abstract

In one aspect, an optical recording system including an optical recording medium; a light source; a focusing lens that focuses light generated by the light source to form a focused beam of light directed toward the recording medium; and a coupling medium disposed between the lens and at least one portion of the optical recording medium, the coupling medium being transparent and having a refractive index greater than one. The coupling medium facilitates optical coupling between the lens and the recording medium. In another aspect, the coupling medium is disposed so that no air gap exists in the optical path between the lens and the recording medium. In another aspect, the exit surface of the lens is disposed at a distance from the recording medium that exceeds a distance that an evanescent wave of a high angle ray of the beam of light would travel after contacting air, but the system includes coupling means for coupling the ray of light from the lens to the recording medium. In another aspect, an optical recording medium is provided with at least one layer of fluid disposed atop the recording medium, the fluid being transparent and having a refractive index greater than one.

Published as:
WO9809278A1; US6104687A; US6236634B1;

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