Magneto-optical data storage system having an optical-processing flying head

Claim 2

A flying magneto optical (MO) head for directing a light beam using a component disposed between a magneto-optical data storage medium and a source, the optical head comprising an optics mounting block for mounting optic components thereon; and a slider body whereon the optics block is mounted for supporting the optics mounting block over a magneto-optical (MO) storage medium.

Claim 3

The flying optical head as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of optical elements carried on said optics mounting block and slider body for directing an incident light beam to the MO storage medium and for optically processing a reflected light beam from the MO storage medium, the reflected light beam having rotated polarilization states representative of information recorded on the MO storage medium.

Claim 4

The flying optical head as set forth in claim 2, wherein said optical elements comprise an optical fiber for optically coupling a linearly polarized incident light beam onto the optics mounting block.

Claim 5

The flying optical head as set forth in claim 3, wherein the optical fiber is a single-mode optical fiber selected from one of a polarization maintaining optical fiber and a polarizing optical fiber.

Claim 6

The flying optical head as set forth in claim 1, wherein the optics mounting block has channels formed therein for receiving optical components.

Claim 7

The flying head of claim 5, wherein the slider body is L-shaped, having a projecting edge portion on an upper surface thereof on the end of the slider body, and wherein the optics mounting block is supported on said upper surface in engagement with said projecting edge portion.

Claim 8

A flying magneto optical (MO) head for directing a light beam using a component disposed between a magneto-optical data storage medium and a source, the optical head comprising an optics mounting block for mounting optic components; a slider body for supporting the optics mounting block over a magneto-optical (MO) storage medium; and a plurality of optical elements carried on said optics mounting block and slider body for directing an incident light beam to the MO storage medium and for optically processing a reflected light beam from the MO storage medium, the reflected light beam having rotated polarization states representative of information recorded on the MO storage medium; wherein said optical elements comprise an optical fiber for optically coupling a linearly polarized incident light beam onto the optics mounting block; wherein the optical fiber is a single-mode optical fiber selected from one of a polarization maintaining optical fiber and a polarizing optical fiber; and wherein the optical elements comprise means for transmitting a first incident component of the linearly polarized incident light beam and for reflecting a second incident component of the incident light beam; a mirror for reflecting the transmitted component of the incident light beam; means for focusing the reflected transmitted component of the incident light beam to a spot on the MO storage medium, the light beam being reflected by the MO storage medium and the mirror to produce reflected light beam; means for rotating the polarization of the reflected light beam from the MO storage medium; and means for splitting the reflected light beam into first and second polarization components representing information recorded on the MO storage medium.

Claim 9

A flying magneto optical (MO) head for directing a light beam using a component disposed between a magneto-optical data storage medium and a source, the optical head comprising an optics mounting block for mounting optic components; a slider body for supporting the optics mounting block over a magneto-optical (MO) storage medium; and a plurality of optical elements carried on said optics mounting block and slider body for directing an incident light beam to the MO storage medium and for optically processing a reflected light beam from the MO storage medium, the reflected light beam having rotated polarization states representative of information recorded on the MO storage medium; wherein said optical elements comprise an optical fiber for optically coupling a linearly polarized incident light beam onto the optics mounting block; wherein the optical fiber is a single-mode optical fiber selected from one of a polarization maintaining optical fiber and a polarizing optical fiber; and wherein the optical elements comprise means for transmitting a first incident component of the linearly polarized incident light beam and for reflecting a second incident component of the incident light beam; a mirror for reflecting the transmitted component of the incident light beam; means for focusing the reflected transmitted component of the incident light beam to a spot on the MO storage medium, the light beam being reflected by the MO storage medium and the mirror to produce reflected light beam; means for rotating the polarization of the reflected light beam from the MO storage medium; and means for splitting the reflected light beam into first and second polarization components representing information recorded on the MO storage medium.

Claim 10

The flying optical head as set forth in claim 7, wherein the mirror is a steerable micro-machined mirror assembly.

Claim 11

The flying optical head as set forth in claim 8, wherein the mirror is electrically steerable to direct the instant light beam to adjacent tracks on the MO storage medium.

Claim 12

The flying optical head as set forth in claim 7, wherein the slider body is shaped to enable the mirror to be mounted on the slider body and positioned to intercept the incident and reflected light beams.

Claim 13

The flying optical head as set forth in claim 10, wherein the slider body has a first surface upon which the optics mounting block is carried, and a second surface angled with respect to the first surface and positioned adjacent the optics mounting block, the mirror being carried on said second angled surface.

Claim 14

The flying optical head as set forth in claim 10, wherein said mirror assembly comprises a mirror substrate carrying a gimballed electrically steerable reflector thereon, the mirror substrate being mounted on the slider body with the reflector positioned to intercept said light beams.

Claim 15

The flying optical head as set forth in claim 10, wherein the remote optics assembly further includes a diode laser source for generating the linearly polarized incident light beam.

Claim 16

The flying optical head as set forth in claim 7, wherein the optical elements comprise first and second return optical fibers for optically coupling the first and second polarization components of the reflected light beam to an optics assembly remote from the optical head.

Claim 17

The flying optical head as set forth in claim 14, wherein the remote optics assembly includes first means for converting the polarization components of the reflected light beam into corresponding electrical signals, and second means for converting the electrical signals into a resultant output signal representing the information recorded on the MO storage medium.

Claim 18

A flying magneto-optical head for use in a magneto-optical data storage system, comprising a slider adapted to fly over the surface of the magneto-optical data storage system, a mounting block for mounting optical components thereon, the slider having grooves in a surface thereof for receiving optical components mounted on the mounting block for directing a light beam to the magneto-optical data storage medium and for receiving a light beam reflected from the magneto-optical data storage medium.

Claim 19

A flying magneto-optical head for use in a magneto-optical data storage system, comprising a slider adapted to fly over the surface of the magneto-optical data storage system, a mounting block for mounting optical components thereon, the slider having grooves in a surface thereof for receiving optical components mounted on the mounting block for directing a light beam to the magneto-optical data storage medium and for receiving a light beam reflected from the magneto-optical data storage medium.

Claim 20

The flying magneto-optical head of claim 16 further comprising a plurality of optical elements mounted in said grooves for processing the light beams.

Claim 21

The flying magneto-optical head as set forth in claim 17, wherein the optical elements comprise means for transmitting a first incident component of the linearly polarized incident light beam and for reflecting a second incident component of the incident light beam; a mirror for reflecting the transmitted component of the incident light beam; means for focusing the reflected transmitted component of the incident light beam to a spot on the MO storage medium; means for rotating the polarization of a reflected light beam from the MO storage medium; and means for splitting the reflected light beam into first and second polarization components containing the information recorded on the MO storage medium.

Claim 22

A flying magneto-optical head for use in a magneto-optical data storage system, comprising a slider adapted to fly over the surface of the magneto-optical data storage system, the slider having grooves in a surface thereof for receiving optical components for directing a light beam to the magneto-optical data storage medium and for receiving a light beam reflected from the magneto-optical data storage medium, and a plurality of optical elements mounted in said grooves for processing the light beams, wherein the optical elements comprise a leaky beam splitter for receiving the linearly polarized incident light, and for transmitting a first incident component and reflecting a second incident component of the incident light beam; a mirror for reflecting the transmitted component of the incident light beam; an objective lens for focusing the reflected transmitted component onto a spot on the MO storage medium; a half-wave plate for rotating the polarization of a reflected light beam from the MO storage medium; and a polarization beam splitter for splitting the reflected light beam into first and second polarization components.

Claim 23

A flying magneto-optical head for use in a magneto-optical data storage system, comprising a slider adapted to fly over the surface of the magneto-optical data storage system, the slider having grooves in a surface thereof for receiving optical components for directing a light beam to the magneto-optical data storage medium and for receiving a light beam reflected from the magneto-optical data storage medium, and a plurality of optical elements mounted in said grooves for processing the light beams, wherein the optical elements comprise a leaky beam splitter for receiving the linearly polarized incident light, and for transmitting a first incident component and reflecting a second incident component of the incident light beam; a mirror for reflecting the transmitted component of the incident light beam; an objective lens for focusing the reflected transmitted component onto a spot on the MO storage medium; a half-wave plate for rotating the polarization of a reflected light beam from the MO storage medium; and a polarization beam splitter for splitting the reflected light beam into first and second polarization components.

Claim 24

The flying magneto-optical head as set forth in claim 19 further comprising optical fibers for optically coupling the polarization components of the reflected light beam to a remote optics assembly.