Mode converter coupling energy at a high-order transverse electric mode to a plasmonic transducer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015131415-A1
Application number	US-201314078280-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 12, 2013
Priority date	Nov 12, 2013
Publication date	May 14, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

A waveguide is configured to couple light from a light source at a fundamental transverse electric (TE) mode. A mode converter outputs the light to an output region of the waveguide at a higher-order TE mode. A plasmonic transducer receives the light at the higher order TE mode and generates surface plasmons that heat a recording medium. The plasmonic transducer includes: an input end proximate the output region of the waveguide and comprising a first convex curved edge; an output end proximate a surface that faces the recording medium, the output end comprising a second convex curved edge and a peg; and linear edges between the first and second convex curved edges.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a waveguide configured to couple light from a light source at a fundamental transverse electric (TE) mode; a mode converter that outputs the light to an output region of the waveguide at a higher-order TE mode; and a plasmonic transducer receiving the light at the higher order TE mode and generating surface plasmons that heat a recording medium, the plasmonic transducer comprising:
an input end proximate the output region of the waveguide and comprising a first convex curved edge;
an output end proximate a surface that faces the recording medium, the output end comprising a second convex curved edge and a peg; and
linear edges between the first and second convex curved edges.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the output end of the plasmonic transducer is wider than the input end, such that the linear edges are non-parallel.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the linear edges are parallel.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second convex curved edges comprise circular curves.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the linear edges and the first and second convex curved edges define an outer perimeter of the plasmonic transducer, a region within the outer perimeter being filled with a layer of plasmonic material.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the output region of the waveguide comprises a channel waveguide section that includes a core and cladding, and wherein the plasmonic transducer is disposed in the cladding proximate the core.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mode converter comprises a branching S-bend.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mode converter comprises a multi-mode interference mode converter.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mode converter comprises a splitter that splits the light into two branches of differing length, and a combiner that combines the light from the two branches.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the higher-order TE mode comprises a TE 10 mode.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a heat-assisted recording media write head.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fundamental mode TE comprises a TE 00 mode and the higher order mode comprises a TE n0 mode, wherein n>0.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a heat sink extending away from a plane of the plasmonic transducer, the heat sink having a first part that contacts a center of the plasmonic transducer at the plane, the first part of the heat sink having a footprint in the plane smaller than the plasmonic transducer.

14 . An apparatus comprising:
a three-dimensional, channel waveguide configured to couple light from a light source at a transverse electric TE 00 mode; a mode converter that outputs the light to an output region of the channel waveguide at a TE 10 mode; and a plasmonic transducer receiving the light at the TE 10 mode and generating surface plasmons that heat a recording medium, the plasmonic transducer comprising:
a first convex curved edge proximate the output region;
a second convex curved edge and a peg that faces the recording medium; and
linear edges between the first and second convex curved edges, wherein the linear edges and the first and second convex curved edges define an outer perimeter of the plasmonic transducer, a region within the outer perimeter being filled with a layer of plasmonic material.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the second convex curved edge of the plasmonic transducer has the same width as the first convex curved edge, such that the linear edges are parallel.

16 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first and second convex curved edges comprise circular curves.

17 . The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a heat sink extending away from a plane of the plasmonic transducer, the heat sink having a first part that contacts a center of the plasmonic transducer at the plane, the first part of the heat sink having a footprint in the plane smaller than the plasmonic transducer.

18 . A method comprising:
directing light from an energy source to a waveguide configured to propagate light at a fundamental transverse electric (TE) mode; converting the light from the waveguide to a higher-order TE mode; illuminating a plasmonic transducer with the light at the higher-order TE mode to generate surface plasmons on a surface of the plasmonic transducer, the plasmonic transducer comprising a first convex curved edge that faces away from a recording medium, a second convex curved edge that faces the recording medium, a peg on the second convex curved edge, and linear edges between the first and second convex curved edges; directing the surface plasmons via the plasmonic transducer to heat a region on the recording medium; and applying a magnetic field to record data at the heated region of the recording medium.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the second convex curved edge of the plasmonic transducer has the same width as the first convex curved edge, such that the linear edges are parallel.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the first and second convex curved edges comprise circular curves.

Assignees

• Seagate Technology Llc

Inventors

• Peng Chubing

Classifications

• G11B5/6088 Primary

  Optical waveguide in or on flying head · CPC title

• G11B2005/0021

  Thermally assisted recording using an auxiliary energy source for heating the recording layer locally to assist the magnetization reversal · CPC title

• G11B5/4866 Primary

  the arm comprising an optical waveguide, e.g. for thermally-assisted recording · CPC title

• G02B6/1226

  involving surface plasmon interaction · CPC title

• G11B5/314

  where the layers are extra layers normally not provided in the transducing structure, e.g. optical layers (G11B5/3196 takes precedence) · CPC title