HAMR Thermal Spot Confinement With a Parabolic Plasmonic Blocker
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Solution Overview
Problem
In heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) systems, uncoupled optical energy radiates as background, degrading the thermal spot confinement and reducing the thermal gradient, which affects the data capacity and reliability of hard disk drives.
Innovation Solution
A parabolic waveguide blocker is introduced in the near-field transducer (NFT) to reduce electromagnetic radiation and recycle scattering fields, improving the thermal gradient and increasing the area density capacity (ADC) of the hard disk drive.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If uncoupled optical energy is allowed to radiate from the waveguide core, then the waveguide can operate with simple structure, but thermal background increases and thermal gradient decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful uncoupled optical energy from the system by introducing a waveguide blocker that absorbs or blocks the radiation before it reaches the recording medium, thereby eliminating the thermal background problem while maintaining waveguide functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide blocker serves as an intermediary component positioned between the waveguide core and the recording medium. This mediator selectively blocks harmful uncoupled optical energy while allowing the near-field transducer to function, thus improving thermal gradient without completely redesigning the waveguide structure
2Device complexity
If uncoupled optical energy radiates to the recording medium, then waveguide operation is simplified, but thermal spot confinement degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful uncoupled optical energy is extracted and removed from the optical path using the waveguide blocker, preventing it from degrading thermal spot confinement while maintaining the simplicity of waveguide operation
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide blocker acts as an intermediary that selectively interferes with uncoupled radiation before it can spread and degrade the thermal spot, thereby maintaining tight thermal confinement without complicating the overall waveguide operation
3Temperature
If waveguide blocker is added to reduce electromagnetic radiation, then thermal gradient improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide blocker is introduced as a minimal intermediary component that performs the critical function of blocking uncoupled radiation. Despite its simple geometric form (cylinder or cone), it effectively improves thermal gradient while adding minimal structural complexity to the near-field transducer
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes parameters of the waveguide blocker such as its position, size, and shape (cylindrical or conical) to achieve maximum thermal gradient improvement with minimum added complexity. By carefully tuning these parameters, the blocker provides high effectiveness with low structural overhead
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
The parabolic waveguide blocker enhances thermal gradient and reduces thermal background, thereby increasing the data storage capacity and reliability of HAMR heads by effectively managing uncoupled optical energy.
Implementation Method 1
The waveguide blocker can be configured to reduce electromagnetic radiation from the waveguide core
Implementation Method 2
The waveguide blocker can include a parabolic curved surface in a center portion of a first side of the waveguide blocker
Implementation Method 3
near field surface plasmon resonance on the NFT can be excited by a waveguide and heats the recording medium
Data Source
AI summary
The present embodiments relate to a near-field transducer (NFT) for a hard disk drive write head with a parabolic waveguide blocker. The waveguide blocker can include a parabolic curved surface in a center portion of a first side of the waveguide blocker and a first side comprising a slope angle of between 10-90 degrees. The waveguide blocker can be configured to reduce electromagnetic radiation from the waveguide core and recycle a scattering field emitting from the NFT to mitigate a thermal background in a recording medium and improve a thermal gradient to increase an area density capacity (ADC) of the hard disk drive write head.