Patent ID: 6414911
Filing Date: 2002-07-02
Classification: G02B,G11B,H02N,H04B

Abstract:
A magneto-optical storage device for storing and retrieving data, comprising:at least one rotating magneto-optical storage medium; an energy source for generating a polarized beam of radiation, the beam of radiation traversing an optical path between the energy source and a respective one of the at least one rotating magneto-optical storage medium; at least one micro-machined reflector fabricated utilizing micro-machining techniques; at least one compact flying head coupled with a respective one of the at least one micro-machined reflector, the respective micro-machined reflector including a dynamically steerable micro-machined reflective area for directing the optical path of the polarized beam of radiation to and from the respective rotating magneto-optical storage medium; at least one support, a respective one of the at least one support coupled with a respective one of the at least one compact flying head for positioning the respective compact flying head over the respective rotating magneto-optical storage medium; at least one single-mode polarization maintaining optical fiber, a respective one of the at least one single-mode polarization maintaining optical fiber disposed in the optical path for receiving the polarized beam of radiation, the respective single-mode polarization maintaining optical fiber coupled with the respective compact flying head for directing the beam of radiation between the energy source and the rotating magneto-optical storage medium; at least one groove, the respective compact flying head including the at least one groove for aligning the optical path of the polarized beam of radiation received by the respective polarization maintaining optical fiber with respect to the dynamically steerable micro-machined reflective area; and at least one magnetic coil element, a respective one of the at least one magnetic coil element coupled with the respective compact flying head for providing a magnetic field to the respective rotating magneto-optical storage medium during writing of data.