Patent ID: 8395973

Claim:
A waveguide for converting incident light into near-field light, comprising: a metallic member made of a metallic material; and a dielectric member made of a dielectric material, the metallic member sandwiching the dielectric member in such a manner that a first interface and a second interface between the metallic member and the dielectric member are disposed to have a shorter inter-interface distance therebetween toward first ends from second ends thereof, the first ends and the second ends being sandwiched between two planes so that locations of the two planes, with respect to each other, are defined, one of the two planes serving as a light incident surface on which the incident light is incident, the other one of the two planes serving as a light exit surface from which the incident light is emitted, and at least one of the first interface and the second interface including a flection so as to change a rate of a change of the inter-interface distance.