Patent ID: 8116172

Claim:
A near-field light generating device comprising: a base having a top surface; a waveguide that allows laser light to propagate therethrough and is disposed above the top surface of the base; and a surface plasmon generating element that is disposed above the top surface of the base so as to adjoin the waveguide in a direction parallel to the top surface of the base, wherein: the waveguide has a side surface that faces the surface plasmon generating element; and the surface plasmon generating element includes: a coupling part that is opposed to a part of the side surface of the waveguide with spacing therebetween and causes excitation of a surface plasmon by coupling with evanescent light occurring from the part of the side surface; and a near-field light generating part that generates near-field light based on the surface plasmon excited at the coupling part, the coupling part of the surface plasmon generating element overlaps with the part of the side surface of the waveguide at a surface area, the surface area being substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the base.