US5729393A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical flying head with solid immersion lens having raised central surface facing medium
Assignee: Digital Papyrus Corp
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Filing: 1996-04-26
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Granted: 1998-03-17
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Expires: 2016-04-26
Abstract
Abstract An air bearing assembly for an optical drive carries a solid immersion lens (SIL) having a bottom surface facing the disk contoured such that a central region where the optical path exits the bottom surface is closest to the recording medium regardless of perturbations in the attitude of the air bearing and neighboring points on the surface surrounding the central region recede for clearance but function at least partly as an air bearing. In one embodiment the bottom surface of the SIL has a radius of about 10 meters.
Inventors
- 👤 Neville K. S. Lee
- 👤 John S. Berg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:27
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B7/00; G11B7/12; G11B7/122; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; G11B7/135; G11B7/1372; G11B7/1374; G11B7/1387; G11B7/22; G11B2007/13727
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
An optical air bearing carrying an optical element through which an optical path is defined, the optical element having a bottom surface facing a recording medium contoured such that a central region where the optical path exits the bottom surface is closest to the medium regardless of perturbations in the attitude of the air bearing and neighboring points on the surface surrounding the central region recede but function at least partly as an air bearing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
75 words
An optical air bearing carrying an optical element through which an optical path is defined, the optical element having a bottom surface facing a recording medium contoured such that a central region where the optical path exits the bottom surface is closest to the medium regardless of perturbations in the attitude of the air bearing and neighboring points on the surface surrounding the central region recede but function at least partly as an air bearing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The air bearing of claim 1, further comprising a coating on the bottom surface of the optical element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The air bearing of claim 2, wherein the coating has a refractive index that matches that of the optical element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
11 words
The air bearing of claim 2, wherein the coating is diamond.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The air bearing of claim 2, wherein the coating is diamond like carbon.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
The air bearing of claim 2, wherein the coating is SiN.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The air bearing of claim 1, wherein the coating is nontransparent and apertured at the central region to accommodate the optical path.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The air bearing of claim 7, wherein the coating is made of UV absorptive material and the aperture is formed by blasting a pinhole in the coating with a UV laser via the optical path.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The air bearing of claim 1, wherein the contour of the bottom surface has a radius of approximately 10 meters or less.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The air bearing of claim 1, wherein the contour of the bottom surface is a continuous curved surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
81 words
The air bearing of claim 1, wherein the contour of the bottom surface is defined by the formula: ##EQU2## where R=radius of curvature of the surface, T=track pitch, E=evanescent wave extinction distance, which can either be a value approximately one wavelength λ of the radiation source or a value less than λ, but significantly greater than the minimum separation distance between the central region of the optical element and the medium and Separation=the distance between the optical element and the medium.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The air bearing of claim 1, wherein the contour of the bottom surface surrounding the central region is designed to avoid hitting the surface when the air bearing is perturbed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
The air bearing of claim 1 wherein the air bearing further comprises a slider and the optical element is an SIL mounted to the slider, the slider and bottom surface of the SIL together forming the air bearing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The air bearing of claim 13, wherein the contour of the bottom surface is formed by the bottom surface of the SIL.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The air bearing of claim 13, further comprising an objective lens mounted to the slider in optical alignment with the SIL.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The air bearing of claim 1, wherein the contour on the bottom surface includes a central protrusion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The air bearing of claim 16, wherein the protrusion is in the form of a rounded protuberance of greater curvature than the surrounding region.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The air bearing of claim 16, wherein the protrusion is in the form of a cylindrical projection.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The air bearing of claim 16, wherein the bottom surface surrounding the protrusion has a surface coating of nontransparent material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
The air bearing of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface has a coating of nontransparent material with a clear aperture smaller than exit size of an optical read or write beam directed along the optical path thus serving as a spatial filter.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
47 words
A method of making an optical air bearing comprising mounting an optical element to an air bearing slider, coating the bottom surface of the optical element with a nontransparent material, and blasting a pinhole through the optical element with a laser beam applied through the optical element.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
47 words
A method of making an optical air bearing comprising mounting an optical element to an air bearing slider, coating the bottom surface of the optical element with a nontransparent material, and blasting a pinhole through the optical element with a laser beam applied through the optical element.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 21, wherein the laser beam has a shorter wavelength than the optical reading beam.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 22, wherein an aperture smaller than the optical read beam exit size is thereby created to form a spatial filter.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
32 words
A method of making an optical air bearing comprising mounting an optical element to an air bearing slider, and lapping the bottom surface of the optical element to form a curved contour.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
32 words
A method of making an optical air bearing comprising mounting an optical element to an air bearing slider, and lapping the bottom surface of the optical element to form a curved contour.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 24, wherein the slider and bottom surface of the optical element are lapped together.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-03-16 | 2001-09-15 | 2002-03-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-03-16 | 2005-09-15 | 2006-03-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-03-16 | 2009-09-15 | 2010-03-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |