Patent ID: 8270259

Claim:
A near field light generating element configured to propagate a luminous flux in the form of light introduced on one end side while condensing the luminous flux on the other end side in a direction different from the direction of introduction, to generate near field light, and to emit the near field light to an outside, the near field light generating element comprising: a polyhedron core comprising a reflecting surface configured to reflect the introduced luminous flux to a direction different from the direction of introduction; a luminous flux condensing unit which is narrow-molded into such a shape that a cross-sectional area orthogonal to a longitudinal direction extending from the one end side toward the other end side is gradually reduced for propagating the reflected luminous flux toward the other end side while condensing the luminous flux; and a near field light generating unit which is further narrow-molded from an end portion of the luminous flux condensing unit to the other end side for generating near field light from the condensed luminous flux and emitting the near field light from the other end side toward the outside, an end surface of the near field light generating unit being exposed to the outside on the other end side and having a size not exceeding the wavelength of the light, and at least one of side surfaces of the near field light generating unit being shielded by a light-shielding film; and a clad formed of a material having a lower index of refraction than that of the core and configured to confine the core in the interior thereof by coming into tight contact with a side surface of the core while exposing the other end side of the core to the outside.