Patent ID: 8867170
Filing Date: 2014-10-21
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. A plasmon generator having a front end face, comprising: a metal portion; and a multilayer film portion, wherein the metal portion has a bottom surface, a top surface opposite to the bottom surface, and an end face facing toward the front end face, the multilayer film portion includes a first metal layer, a second metal layer and an intermediate layer, and covers the end face and at least part of the top surface of the metal portion, the intermediate layer is interposed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer, each of the first metal layer, the second metal layer and the intermediate layer has an end located in the front end face, each of the metal portion, the first metal layer and the second metal layer is formed of a metal material, the intermediate layer is formed of a material that is higher in Vickers hardness than the metal material used to form the metal portion, the metal material used to form the first metal layer and the metal material used to form the second metal layer, and the metal portion is greater in thickness than the first metal layer, the second metal layer and the intermediate layer, the plasmon generator being configured so that a surface plasmon is excited on the bottom surface of the metal portion 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.