EP1049080A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device and method for information recording/reproducing using near-field light
Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc
•
Filing: 1999-10-15
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2019-10-15
Abstract
Abstract There are provided an information reproducing apparatus and an information recording apparatus capable of further promoting a recording density by using a reproduction/recording system using near-field light and a recording medium used as well as an information reproducing method and an information recording method for information reproduction or recording utilizing near-field light. In the case in which a sample 5 is formed with an edge 7 in a liner shape and the sample 5 is irradiated with near-field light, strong scattered light is provided when the edge 7 is orthogonal to a direction of polarization and the scattered light stays to be inconsiderable when the edge 7 is disposed in parallel with the direction of polarization. In this way, an intensity of the scattered light differs by a directional relationship between a direction of forming the edge 7 and the direction of polarization of the near-field light and therefore, when the effect is utilized, high density formation of a reproducing/recording apparatus can be carried out.
Inventors
- 👤 Manabu Seiko Instruments Inc. OUMI
- 👤 Yasuyuki Seiko Instruments Inc. Mitsuoka
- 👤 Norio Seiko Instruments Inc. CHIBA
- 👤 Nobuyuki Seiko Instruments Inc. KASAMA
- 👤 Kenji Seiko Instruments Inc. KATO
- 👤 Takashi Seiko Instruments Inc. NIWA
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:42
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B7/00; G11B7/08; G11B7/09; G11B7/0938; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; G11B7/12; G11B7/135; G11B7/1387; G11B7/24; G11B7/2407; G11B7/24085
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
57 words
An information reproducing apparatus characterized
in forming a mark of an edge in a linear shape having a
predetermined angle relative to a scanning direction or the
like on a medium, irradiating the mark with near-field light
of linearly polarized light orthogonal to the mark and
acquiring scattered light scattered by the mark as an output
signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
64 words
An information reproducing apparatus characterized
in forming a plurality of marks of edges in a linear shape or
the like on a medium by changing directions of the marks,
scanning the medium while irradiating the marks with near-field
light of linearly polarized light, constituting output
signals by scattered light scattered by the marks and acquiring
multiple value data from intensities of the output signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
95 words
An information reproducing apparatus characterized
in comprising: a tracking mark of an edge in a linear shape or the like
formed on a medium in a scanning direction; and a very small aperture for tracking for scanning a
vicinity of the tracking mark along the tracking mark and
generating near-field light polarized in a direction
orthogonal to the scanning direction by receiving light from
a light source; wherein an output signal is acquired from scattered
light scattered by the tracking mark and tracking in
reproduction is executed based on an intensity of the output
signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
168 words
An information reproducing apparatus characterized
in comprising: a tracking mark of an edge in a linear shape or the like
formed on a medium in a scanning direction; a data mark of an edge in a linear shape or the like
formed in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction; a very small aperture for data access for orthogonally
scanning the data mark and generating near-field light
polarized in the scanning direction by receiving light from
a light source; and a very small aperture for tracking for scanning a
vicinity of the tracking mark along the tracking mark and
generating near-field light polarized in the direction
orthogonal to the scanning direction by receiving light from
a light source; wherein an output signal is acquired from scattered
light scattered by the tracking mark, tracking is executed
based on an intensity of the output signal, an output signal
is acquired from scattered light scattered by the data mark
and data is acquired based on an intensity of the output signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
192 words
An information reproducing apparatus characterizing
in comprising: a very small aperture for first data access for
generating near-field light polarized in a scanning direction
by receiving light from a light source; a very small aperture for second data access for
generating near-field light polarized in a direction
orthogonal to the scanning direction by receiving light from
a light source; and a data mark of an edge or the like formed in the scanning
direction and/or the direction orthogonal to the scanning
direction based on recorded information; wherein the near-field light polarized in the scanning
direction by the very small aperture for the first data access
is scattered by a data mark formed in the direction orthogonal
to the scanning direction, first data is acquired based on an
intensity of light scattered thereby, similarly, the near-field
light polarized in the direction orthogonal to the
scanning direction by the very small aperture for the second
data access is scattered by a data mark formed in the scanning
direction, second data is acquired based on an intensity of
light scattered thereby and multiple value data is acquired
from the first data and the second data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
215 words
An information reproducing apparatus characterized
in comprising: one very small aperture for data access for generating
near-field light having linearly polarized light by receiving
light from a light source; polarized light rotating means provided between the
light source and the very small aperture for data access for
rotating a direction of polarization of the near-field light;
and a data mark of an edge or the like formed in the scanning
direction and/or a direction orthogonal to the scanning
direction based on recorded information; wherein the data mark is scanned by the near-field light
polarized in the scanning direction or the direction orthogonal
to the scanning direction, successively, the same data mark
is scanned by the near-field light polarized in the direction
orthogonal to the scanning direction or the scanning direction,
the near-field light polarized in the scanning direction is
scattered by the data mark formed in the direction orthogonal
to the scanning direction, first data is acquired based on an
intensity of the scattered light, similarly, the near-field
light polarized in the direction orthogonal to the scanning
direction is scattered by the data mark formed in the scanning
direction, second data is acquired based on an intensity of
the scattered light and multiple value data is acquired from
the first data and the second data.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The information reproducing apparatus according to
Claim 5 or 6, characterized in further comprising bit shift
operating means for subjecting either one of the first data
and the second data to bit shift and adding the either one to
other thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
131 words
An information reproducing apparatus characterized
in comprising: a data mark of an edge in a linear shape having a
predetermined angle relative to a scanning direction or the
like formed on a medium; a very small aperture for generating near-field light
having linearly polarized light by receiving light from a light
source; polarized light rotating means provided between the
light source and the very small aperture for rotating a
direction of polarization of the near-field light; wherein the medium is scanned while irradiating the
data mark with the near-field light a direction of polarization
of which is rotating, scattered light scattered by the data
mark constitutes an output signal and multiple value data is
acquired from an intensity of the output signal and a rotational
angle of the direction of polarization.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
An information reproducing apparatus characterized
in forming data marks of edges in a linear shape or the like
on a medium at predetermined intervals based on recorded
information, scanning the medium while irradiating the data
marks with near-field light having linearly polarized light
orthogonal to the data marks and acquiring data from intervals
of intensities of output signals by scattered light scattered
by the data marks.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
128 words
An information reproducing apparatus characterized
in providing data marks of a plurality of edges directed in
different directions or the like as one unit, the information
reproducing apparatus comprising: a very small aperture for generating near-field light
having linearly polarized light by receiving light from a light
source; and polarized light rotating means provided between the
light source and the very small aperture for rotating a
direction of polarization of the near-field light; wherein the one unit of the plurality of data marks is
irradiated with the near-field light the direction of
polarization of which is rotating, scattered light scattered
by the respective data marks constitutes output signals and
multiple value data is acquired from intensities of the output
signals and rotational angles of the direction of polarization.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
An information recording apparatus characterized
in changing a direction of polarization of near-field light
having linearly polarized light based on recorded information
and irradiating a medium a surface of which is provided with
a substance a state of which is changed by local heating with
the near-field light to thereby record multiple value data.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
168 words
An information recording apparatus characterized
in comprising: a very small aperture for first data recording for
generating near-field light polarized in a scanning direction
by receiving light from a light source; a very small aperture for second data recording for
generating near-field light polarized in a direction
orthogonal to the scanning direction by receiving light from
a light source; and a medium a surface of which is provided with a substance
a state of which is changed by local heating; wherein first data is recorded by irradiating the
medium with the near-field light polarized in the scanning
direction by the very small aperture for the first data
recording and changing the state in the direction orthogonal
to the scanning direction, similarly, second data is recorded
by irradiating the medium with the near-field light polarized
in the direction orthogonal to the scanning direction by the
very small aperture for the second data recording and changing
the state in the scanning direction to thereby record
information by multiple value data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
177 words
An information recording apparatus characterized
in comprising: one very small aperture for data recording for
generating near-field light having linearly polarized light
by receiving light from a light source; polarized light rotating means provided between the
light source and the very small aperture for data recording
for rotating a direction of polarization of the near-field
light; and a medium a surface of which is provided with a substance
a state of which is changed by local heating; wherein first data is recorded by irradiating the
medium with the near-field light polarized in a scanning
direction or a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction
by the very small aperture for data recording and changing the
state in the direction orthogonal to the scanning direction
or the scanning direction, successively, second data is
recorded by irradiating the medium with the near-field light
polarized in the direction orthogonal to the scanning direction
or the scanning direction and changing the state in the scanning
direction or the direction orthogonal to the scanning direction
to thereby record information by multiple value data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
130 words
An information recording apparatus characterized
in comprising one very small aperture for data recording for
generating near-field light having linearly polarized light
by receiving light from a light source; polarized light rotating means provided between the
light source and the very small aperture for data recording
for rotating a direction of polarization of the near-field
light; and a medium a surface of which is provided with a substance
a state of which is changed by local heating; wherein irradiation of the near-field light is
controlled by a unit of a predetermined rotational angle based
on recorded information and the state in a direction orthogonal
to the direction of polarization of the near-field light is
changed by the unit of the rotational angle to thereby record
information by multiple value data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The information recording apparatus according to
Claim 14, characterized in that the unit of the rotational angle
is made to be equal to or larger than 10°.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
102 words
An information reproducing apparatus characterized
in comprising: a first laser oscillator used for tracking; a second laser oscillator used for data access; a phase plate for providing phase shift between the
first laser oscillator and the second laser oscillator; a first very small aperture for generating near-field
light having linearly polarized light from laser light from
the first laser oscillator; and a second very small aperture for generating near-field
light having linearly polarized light in a direction orthogonal
to a direction of polarization of the near-field light
generated by the first very small aperture from laser light
from the second laser oscillator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
100 words
An information reproducing apparatus characterized
in comprising: a first laser oscillator and a second laser oscillator
used for data access; a phase plate for providing phase shift between the
first laser oscillator and the second laser oscillator; a first very small aperture for generating near-field
light having linearly polarized light from laser light from
the first laser oscillator; and a second very small aperture for generating near-field
light having linearly polarized light in a direction orthogonal
to a direction of polarization of the near-field light
generated by the first very small aperture from laser light
from the second laser oscillator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
An information reproducing apparatus characterized
in comprising a laser oscillator used for data access; a very small aperture for generating near-field light
having linearly polarized light from laser light from the laser
oscillator; and polarized light controlling means for controlling a
direction of polarization of the near-field light.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
A record medium characterized in comprising a data
mark of an edge formed in one direction or the like and a data
mark of an edge formed in a direction different from the
direction or the like on a track.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
A record medium characterized in forming phase
change layers in a longitudinal direction a state of each of
which is changed by local heating in a plurality of directions
on a track.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
56 words
An information reproducing method characterized in
irradiating a mark of an edge in a linear shape having a
predetermined angle relative to a scanning direction or the
like with near-field light of linearly polarized light
substantially orthogonal to the mark and acquiring scattered
light scattered by the mark as an output signal to thereby
reproduce information.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
65 words
An information reproducing method characterized in
forming a plurality of marks of edges in a linear shape in
different directions or the like on a medium, scanning the
medium while irradiating the marks with near-field light of
linearly polarized light, constituting scattered light
scattered by the marks as output signals and acquiring multiple
value data from intensities of the output signals to thereby
reproduce information.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
79 words
An information reproducing method characterized in
forming a tracking mark of an edge in a linear shape or the
like in a scanning direction on a medium, generating near-field
light polarized in a direction orthogonal to the scanning
direction, scanning a vicinity of the tracking mark along the
tracking mark by the near-field light, acquiring an output
signal from scattered light scattered by the tracking mark and
executing tracking in reproduction based on an intensity of
the output signal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
141 words
An information reproducing method characterized in
comprising the steps of: forming a tracking mark of an edge in a linear shape
or the like in a scanning direction on a medium and forming
a data mark of an edge in a linear shape or the like in a direction
orthogonal to the scanning direction; orthogonally scanning the data mark by near-field light
polarized in the scanning direction and scanning a vicinity
of the tracking mark along the tracking mark by near-field light
polarized in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction;
and acquiring an output signal from scattered light
scattered by the tracking mark, executing tracking based on
an intensity of the output signal, acquiring an output signal
from scattered light scattered by the data mark and acquiring
data based on an intensity of the output signal to thereby
reproduce information.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
136 words
An information reproducing method characterized in
comprising the steps of: forming data marks of edges or the like in a scanning
direction and/or a direction orthogonal to the scanning
direction based on recorded information and generating
near-field light polarized in the scanning direction and the
direction orthogonal to the scanning direction; and scattering the near-field light polarized in the
scanning direction by the data mark formed in the direction
orthogonal to the scanning direction, acquiring first data
based on an intensity of light scattered thereby, similarly,
scattering the near-field light polarized in the direction
orthogonal to the scanning direction by the data mark formed
in the scanning direction, acquiring second data based on an
intensity of light scattered thereby and acquiring multiple
value data from the first data and the second data to thereby
reproduce information.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
173 words
An information reproducing method characterized in
comprising the steps of: forming a data mark of an edge or the like in a scanning
direction and/or a direction orthogonal to the scanning
direction based on recorded information; scanning the data mark by near-field light polarized
in the scanning direction or the direction orthogonal to the
scanning direction; successively rotating a direction of polarization of
the near-field light and scanning the same data mark by the
near-field light polarized in the direction orthogonal to the
scanning direction or the scanning direction; and scattering the near-field light polarized in the
scanning direction by the data mark formed in the direction
orthogonal to the scanning direction, acquiring first data
based on an intensity of light scattered thereby, similarly,
scattering the near-field light polarized in the direction
orthogonal to the scanning direction by the data mark formed
in the scanning direction, acquiring second data based on an
intensity of light scattered thereby and acquiring multiple
value data from the first and the second data to thereby
reproduce information.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
37 words
The information reproducing method according to
Claim 25 or 26, characterized in that either one of the first
data and the second data is subjected to bit shift and the either
one is added to other thereof.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
86 words
An information reproducing method characterized in
forming data marks of edges in a linear shape having
predetermined angles relative to a scanning direction or the
like on a medium, irradiating the data marks with near-field
light while rotating a direction of polarization of the
near-field light having linearly polarized light,
constituting output signals by scattered light scattered by
the data marks and acquiring multiple value data from
intensities of the output signals and rotational angles at
which the output signals are intensified to thereby reproduce
information.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
71 words
An information reproducing method characterized in
forming data marks of edges in a linear shape or the like on
a medium at predetermined intervals based on recorded
information, scanning the medium while irradiating the data
marks with near-field light having linearly polarized light
substantially orthogonal to the data marks and acquiring data
from intervals of intensities of output signals by scattered
light scattered by the data marks to thereby reproduce
information.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
88 words
An information reproducing method characterized in
providing data marks of a plurality of edges directed in
different directions or the like as one unit, irradiating the
one unit of the plurality of data marks with near-field light
while rotating a direction of polarization of the near-field
light having linearly polarized light, constituting output
signals by scattered light scattered by the respective data
marks and acquiring multiple value data from intensities of
the output signals and rotational angles at which the output
signals are intensified to thereby reproduce information.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
60 words
An information recording method characterized in
changing a direction of polarization of near-field light having
linearly polarized light based on recorded information and
irradiating a medium a surface of which is provided with a
substance a state of which is changed by local heating with
the near-field light while changing the direction of
polarization to thereby record multiple value data.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
86 words
An information recording method characterized in
recording first data by irradiating a medium a surface of which
is provided with a substance a state of which is changed by
local heating with near-field light polarized in a scanning
direction and changing the state in a direction orthogonal to
the scanning direction, similarly, recording second data by
irradiating the medium with near-field light polarized in a
direction orthogonal to the scanning direction and changing
the state in the scanning direction and recording information
by multiple value data.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
120 words
An information recording method characterized in
recording first data by irradiating a medium a surface of which
is provided with a substance a state of which is changed by
local heating with near-field light polarized in a scanning
direction or a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction
and changing the state in the direction orthogonal to the
scanning direction or the scanning direction, successively,
rotating a direction of polarization of the near-field light,
recording second data by irradiating the medium with the
near-field light polarized in the direction orthogonal to the
scanning direction or the scanning direction and changing the
state in the scanning direction or the direction orthogonal
to the scanning direction and recording information by multiple
value data.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
88 words
An information recording method characterized in
irradiating a medium a surface of which is provided with a
substance a state of which is changed by local heating with
near-field light having linearly polarized light while
rotating a direction of polarization thereof, controlling the
irradiation based on recorded information by a unit of a
predetermined rotational angle and changing the state in a
direction orthogonal to a direction of polarization of the
near-field light by the unit of the rotational angle to thereby
record information by multiple value data.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
27 words
The information recording method according to Claim
34, characterized in that the unit of the rotational angle is
made to be equal to or larger than 10°.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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