Waveguide For Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording

Abstract

An apparatus includes a slider mounted on an arm, a first waveguide including a first core guiding layer, a second waveguide mounted on the slider and including a second core guiding layer having a uniform thickness smaller than the thickness of the first core guiding layer, and a coupler for coupling light from the first core guiding layer to the second core guiding layer, wherein the coupler comprises a curved mirror formed in the second waveguide and positioned to reflect light from the first core guiding layer into the second core guiding layer.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a slider mounted on an arm;   a first waveguide including a first core guiding layer;   a second waveguide mounted on the slider and including a second core guiding layer having a uniform thickness smaller than the thickness of the first core guiding layer; and   a coupler for coupling light from the first core guiding layer to the second core guiding layer, wherein the coupler comprises a curved mirror formed in the second waveguide and positioned to reflect light from the first core guiding layer into the second core guiding layer.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the curved mirror comprises:
 a reflective surface;   a curved surface; and   a filler material between the reflective surface and the curved surface.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an antireflective coating adjacent to an end of the first waveguide.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a direction of propagation of the light in the second waveguide is substantially perpendicular to a direction of propagation of the light in the first waveguide. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus comprising:
 a slider mounted on an arm;   a first waveguide including a first core guiding layer;   a second waveguide mounted on the slider and including a second core guiding layer having a uniform thickness smaller than the thickness of the first core guiding layer; and   a coupler for coupling light from the first core guiding layer to the second core guiding layer, wherein the first core guiding layer is curved to direct the light onto the coupler.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the second waveguide comprises:
 a solid immersion mirror.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the coupler comprises:
 a plurality of parallel grooves or ridges.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein light propagates in the first waveguide in a transverse electric mode, and the light is polarized in a direction parallel to the grooves or ridges. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein light propagates in the first waveguide in a transverse magnetic mode, and the light is polarized in a direction perpendicular to the grooves or ridges. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 a slider mounted on an arm;   a first waveguide including a first core guiding layer; and   a second waveguide mounted on the slider and including a second core guiding layer, wherein portions of the first core guiding layer and the second core guiding layer are positioned adjacent to each other such that light in the first core guiding layer is evanescently coupled to the second core guiding layer.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a third waveguide mounted on the slider; and   a mirror for reflecting light from the second waveguide into the third waveguide.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a grating coupler positioned at an interface between the first and second core guiding layers.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus comprising:
 a slider mounted on an arm;   a first waveguide supported by the arm;   a second waveguide mounted on the slider; and   a first polymer pillar coupler for coupling light from the first waveguide to the second waveguide.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first polymer pillar coupler comprises at least one of:
 polymethylmethacrylate, polystyrene, polycarbonate, or a silicone polymer.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the silicone polymer comprises at least one of:
 a polysiloxane or a siloxane.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the coupler further comprises:
 a minor for reflecting light from the first waveguide into the coupler.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a laser; and   a second polymer pillar coupler coupling light from the laser to the first waveguide.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a first minor for reflecting light from the first waveguide into the first polymer pillar coupler; and   a second minor for reflecting light from the second polymer pillar coupler to the first waveguide.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the slider is coupled to the arm by a gimbal assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first waveguide is flexible.