Optical Injection Unit for Thermal Assist Magnetic Recording
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-density magnetic recording technologies face challenges in achieving ultra-high storage capacity due to thermal demagnetization issues, which are exacerbated by the increased inertia of swing arms carrying optical systems for thermal assist, leading to difficulties in maintaining high-speed seek and read/write operations.
Innovation Solution
Integrating an optical injection unit with the head retracting mechanism to form a unitary optical-injection and head-retraction mechanism, allowing for the injection of a laser beam perpendicular to the slider's lateral surface, thereby reducing space occupancy and avoiding interference with ramp structures, enabling thermal assist technology in compact magnetic disk apparatuses without modifying the existing construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If an optical system is mounted on the swing arm for thermal assist, then thermal demagnetization can be suppressed, but the inertia of the swing arm increases and high-speed operations become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is extracted from the swing arm and relocated to the apparatus body. The laser beam is injected into the slider from the apparatus body through an optical injection unit, separating the optical function from the moving swing arm assembly, thereby reducing swing arm inertia while maintaining thermal assist capability
Solution Approach 2:
An optical injection unit serves as an intermediary mechanism, transmitting the laser beam from the apparatus body to the slider without requiring the optical system to be mounted on the swing arm. This mediator enables thermal assist while keeping the swing arm lightweight
2Quantity of substance
If the recording density is increased, then storage capacity increases, but thermal demagnetization becomes more severe
Solution Approach 1:
The coercive force of the recording medium is changed by applying thermal energy from the laser beam during recording. By temporarily raising the temperature, the coercive force is reduced, enabling magnetic particles with high anisotropic constants to be written without thermal demagnetization, thus achieving high storage capacity
3Area of stationary object
If a compact magnetic disk apparatus is designed, then the apparatus size is reduced, but space for optical injection and head retraction becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The optical injection unit is integrated with the head retracting mechanism to form a unitary structure. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate optical injection and head retraction spaces, enabling compact apparatus design while maintaining both thermal assist and head retraction capabilities
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for high-density information recording while maintaining high-speed recording and read/write operations, eliminating thermal fluctuation issues and enabling efficient thermal assist technology in compact devices.
Implementation Method 1
an optical injection unit injecting a light into the recording head; the recording head including an optical irradiation part irradiating the light injected to the recording head upon the recording medium
Implementation Method 2
a recording head carried by the swing arm and scanning over the surface of the recording medium, the recording head recording information to the recording medium
Data Source
AI summary
An information recording apparatus comprises a recording medium, a swing arm driven by an actuation unit, the swing arm swinging over a surface of the medium in response to driving by the actuation unit, a recording head carried by the swing arm and scanning over the surface of the medium with a swinging motion of the swing arm by the actuation unit, the recording head recording information to the medium, a head retracting mechanism retracting the recording head out of the medium in a state where no recording is to be made on the medium, an optical injection unit injecting a light into the recording head, the recording head including an optical irradiation part irradiating the light injected to the recording head upon the medium when recording information to the medium. The optical injection unit is integrated with the head retracting mechanism to form a unitary optical-injection and head-retraction mechanism.