Multi-Section Parabolic Collimating Mirror for HAMR
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) systems, optical components face challenges in focusing light to tiny hotspots due to the diffraction limit, and existing light delivery methods are inefficient, sensitive to wavelength variations, and lack good alignment tolerance.
Innovation Solution
A planar collimator with intersecting sections at a junction, configured to collimate light at positive and negative tilting angles, and a focusing mirror with a gap, where the collimator's split region introduces a phase shift to prevent light from entering the gap, ensuring efficient light delivery to a near-field transducer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional focusing mirror is used to focus light to a hotspot, then the diffraction limit is approached, but the light delivery efficiency decreases and alignment tolerance is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The focusing mirror is divided into first and second sections separated by a gap, with each section receiving collimated light at different tilting angles. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each section's optical path while maintaining overall focusing functionality, resolving the contradiction between precision and efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric tilting angles for the first and second sections of the focusing mirror, where the first section tilts at a first angle and the second section tilts at a second angle relative to the optical axis. This asymmetric configuration enables precise control over light paths from different sources while maintaining efficient delivery to the hotspot, overcoming the limitations of symmetric conventional designs.
2Area of stationary object
If light is collimated at different tilting angles to cover wider fields, then the coverage area increases, but phase shift errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each section of the focusing mirror is designed with specific local properties - the first section handles light from the first source at a specific tilting angle, while the second section handles light from the second source at a different tilting angle. This local quality assignment allows each region to optimize its optical performance independently, maintaining phase shift accuracy across the extended coverage area.
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 configuration allows for efficient, achromatic light delivery to a near-field transducer, minimizing phase shift errors and maintaining high system efficiency even with wavelength variations, thereby overcoming the diffraction limit and achieving precise hotspot formation.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the first and second sections have geometries configured to receive light from a source point located on the first axis and collimate the light at respective positive and negative tilting angles relative to the second axis
Implementation Method 2
The split region introduces a phase shift between first and second portions of light reflected by the first and second portions
Implementation Method 3
The focusing mirror directs the collimated light to a near field transducer at a focal region of the focusing mirror
Data Source
AI summary
A planar collimator has first and second sections each intersecting at a junction between a first axis and a second axis normal to the first axis. Each of the first and second sections have geometries configured to receive light from a source point located on the first axis and collimate the light at respective positive and negative tilting angles relative to the second axis. The first and second sections direct the collimated light to respective first and second sides of a focusing mirror and away from a gap between the first and second sides of the focusing mirror.