Patent ID: 8711663
Filing Date: 2014-04-29
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. A plasmon generator having a front end face and comprising: a first layer formed of a first metal material; a second layer formed of a second metal material; and a third layer formed of a third metal material, wherein the first to third layers are stacked to be aligned in this order in a first direction, each of the first to third layers has a thickness in the first direction, the thickness of the second layer is smaller than the thickness of each of the first and third layers, each of the second and third layers has an end portion, the end portion lying at an end in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and constituting part of the front end face, the first layer does not have any portion constituting part of the front end face, the first and second metal materials are higher in electrical conductivity than the third metal material, the third metal material is higher in Vickers hardness than the first and second metal materials, the first layer has a plasmon exciting part configured to excite a surface plasmon thereon through coupling with evanescent light generated from a core through which light propagates, and the front end face generates near-field light based on the surface plasmon.