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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 30, 2006
Filed:
Feb. 07, 2002
Nobuyuki Kasama, Chiba, JP;
Yoko Shinohara, Chiba, JP;
Hidetaka Maeda, Chiba, JP;
Yasuyuki Mitsuoka, Chiba, JP;
Manabu Oumi, Chiba, JP;
Kenji Kato, Chiba, JP;
Takashi Niwa, Chiba, JP;
Nobuyuki Kasama, Chiba, JP;
Yoko Shinohara, Chiba, JP;
Hidetaka Maeda, Chiba, JP;
Yasuyuki Mitsuoka, Chiba, JP;
Manabu Oumi, Chiba, JP;
Kenji Kato, Chiba, JP;
Takashi Niwa, Chiba, JP;
Seiko Instruments Inc., Chiba, JP;
Abstract
A near-field optical head has a minute structure formed in the support member for interacting with a recording medium via near-field light. An optical waveguide is provided on the support member for guiding light between a light source and the minute structure. The optical waveguide has a core, a clad and a reflective surface, the core having an end face facing the reflective surface and being spaced therefrom so that light traveling through the optical waveguide is projected from the end face of the core onto the reflective surface and is reflected by the reflective surface toward the minute structure. Information is recorded to and/or read from the recording medium based on the scattering of near-field light between the recording medium and the minute structure while the near-field optical head is positioned over the surface of the recording medium.