CN1269047A - Slider for optical disc data storage system - Google Patents

Abstract

An optical disc data storage system (10), comprising an optical disc (12) having a data side. A drive arm (24) having a distal end may be selectively positioned radially proximate to the data plane. The sensing element (30) is carried on a slider (20), which is coupled to the end of the actuator arm (24). The slider (20) includes an air bearing surface (56), and the sensing element (30) includes a fiber optic table adjacent to the air bearing surface (56). The optical fiber mesa (54) is separated from the data plane, thereby preventing contact between the data plane and the mesa structure (54).

Description

The slider pad of optical disc storage system

Background of invention

The present invention relates generally to CD and relates to storage system.The invention particularly relates to the slider pad (slider) that uses in the optical head everything balanced type assembly (optical head gimbal assembly) of optical disc data storage system.

Optical data storage disc (disc) system is a kind of up-and-coming technology that is used for storing mass data.Data are also to detect from the light of data surface reflection or emission by the data surface that focuses the laser beam into dish to visit.

Usually, in optical memory system, data are (physical) or the mark pattern of magnetic of physics, and these marks are carried on the surface of dish, can detect with laser light reflected.In this area, people have known several different optical discs.For example, at present compact discs (compact disc) is used for storing numerical data such as computer program or digitized music.Usually, compact-disc is a permanent recording during manufacture.The optical system of another kind of type is " write-once is repeatedly read (WORM) " system, the user can be in blank disc writing information permanently.People require to provide a kind of system of wiping, as phase change and the magnetic-optics (system of M-O).By the variation of sensing reflectivity, the phase change system detects data.M-O system comes reading of data by the rotation of measuring the incident light polarization that produces owing to storage medium.

High-density optical record, especially near-field recording (that is, M-O or phase change system) require a kind of optical head everything balanced type assembly (OHGA) that is used for carrying senser element on the data surface of optical medium usually.OHGA comprises a slider pad, and when dish rotated under high speed, it pressed close to the optical disc data surface and " flight ".Driver (actuator) is used for radially slider pad being positioned on panel surface.United States Patent (USP) 5,497 has provided the slider pad that uses in a kind of optical disc data storage system in 359.

Adopt the optical disc data storage system of " near field " (or gradually evanescent field (evanescent field)) to comprise one " solid immersion lens (SIL) ".A kind of like this near field technique sees that the title that licensed to people such as Corle on June 30th, 1992 is the United States Patent (USP) 5 of " optical recording system (OpticalRecording System Employing a Solid Immersion Lens) that adopts solid immersion lens ", 125, licensed to people such as Mamin on March 5th, 750 and 1996, title is the United States Patent (USP) 5 of " optical disc data storage system (Optical Disc Data Storage System withRadiation-Transparent Air-Bearing Slider) with radiation-transparent air cushion slider pad ", 497,359.Typical SIL structure comprises that one is positioned at hemispheric lens cap on the slider pad top and the optics mesa structure on air cushion side that is positioned at slider pad.The optics table top must be very close to the optical disc data face, so that they are near field optic couplings.Usually this is less than on the order of magnitude of several wavelength.

Summary of the invention

The invention provides a kind of slider pad, this slider pad has a table top, and this table top is prevented from and the contacting of optical disc data storage system.In a kind of optical disc data storage system, CD comprises a data surface.Having terminal drive arm is radially to be positioned at close data surface selectively.The sensing element that includes light source is used for heat transfer agent.Be used for to the drive arm location with the controller of drive arm and sensing element coupling, and by sensing element, heat transfer agent on data surface.Slider pad carrying sensing element with the coupling of the end of drive arm.Slider pad comprises an end face, and one is suitable for the air cushion surface that close data surface moves when disc spins.Table top is positioned on the air cushion surface.An inventive point of the present invention is that air cushion surface includes a bossing.The optics table top is along the direction of being separated by with data surface and bossing certain interval apart, and prevented contacting between data surface and the optics table top.Another inventive point of the present invention is that it comprises and makes the slider pad angle (pitching the slider) that tilts, thereby table top can not run into data surface.

The accompanying drawing summary

Fig. 1 is the sketch according to optical memory system of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is the side view according to slider pad among Fig. 1 of one embodiment of the present of invention.

Fig. 3 A is the slider pad ground plan according to another embodiment, and Fig. 3 B is its side view.

Fig. 4 is the ground plan according to the slider pad with bossing of another embodiment.

Fig. 5 is according to the side view that has the slider pad of bossing between the track of the slider pad of another embodiment and the table top.

Fig. 6 A is the side view according to the slider pad of another embodiment, and Fig. 6 B is its ground plan, and wherein, the gradient of slider pad is used for making table top and optical disc data face to separate.

The detailed description of preferred embodiment

The present invention relates to optical data memory system.The invention particularly relates to the slider pad that adopts optical data memory system, the optical data memory system here adopts the optical record technology near field (or gradually evanescent field), have the slider pad of carrying sensing head, be used for and the data surface optical coupled, in order to read in the above and/or write data.A kind of optical data memory system like this adopts slider pad, at the local bearing optical sensing element near the data surface of optical storage medium (as CD).On March 5th, 1996 authorized, title is the United States Patent (USP) 5 of " optical disc data storage system (Optical Disc DataStorage System with Radiation-Transparent Air-Bearing Slider) with radiation-transparent air cushion slider pad ", described in 497,359 a kind of be used for optical recording and the design slider pad.

When information was carried out optical recording, optical sensor comprised the solid immersion lens (or SIL) that for example is carried on the slider pad that flies on disk when adopting near field (or gradually evanescent field).A kind of solid immersion lens like this sees that title is the United States Patent (USP) 5,125,750 of " optical recording system (OpticalRecording System Employing a Solid Immersion Lens) that adopts solid immersion lens ".In order to write a data bit on dish, laser is heated to above a point temperature of Curie (Curie) more than the temperature of medium on dish by solid immersion lens.The magnetic coil that carries on the air cushion surface of slider pad is subjected to excitatory, and with laser shutdown.When the temperature of magnetic medium is lower than Curie point when following, hot spot has just become desired magnetic aligning.

Solid immersion lens comprises that a hemispheric pattern or one are positioned at lens cap on the end face of slider pad and one and are positioned at and the lip-deep relative optics table top of slider pad air cushion.An inventive point of the present invention is to recognize, the optics table top is a main element in the optical recording, in its optical characteristics in addition tiny deterioration all can influence the performance of system significantly.In the slider pad of typical prior art, be not take measures to prevent that table top and data surface from carrying out unnecessary contact.In addition, in the system of typical prior art, may on the table top or near particulate appears.These situations can change the optical characteristics of table top.The present invention also comprises a table top depression with respect to the bossing that extends from the air cushion surface.Thereby this bossing guaranteed table top the operating period of optical disc storage system be forever and data surface separate.

Fig. 1 is the sketch according to a kind of optical recording system 10 of employing slider pad 20 of the present invention.System 10 comprises the CD 12 of the data surface with bearing optical coded message.CD 12 pivots, and is driven by the spindle motor of installing on the base 18 16.Slider pad 20 is positioned on the adjacent CD 12, and is coupled with driver 22, and driver 22 comprises armature 24 and a driver motor 26 that is coupled with base 18.Slider pad 20 comprises an optical sensor 30.Optical sensor comprises light source/sensor device 32.Controller 34 and device 32, driver 26 and data bus 36 couplings, and be used for the operation of control system 10.

During operation, CD 12 rotation places radially slider pad 20 along on the position of the data surface of CD 12 with driver 22.The position of controller 34 control slider pad 20, thus can read information from the data surface of CD 12 with light source/sensor device 32, and on data bus 36, receive and transmission information.

Fig. 2 is the side view according to the simplification of slider pad 20 of the present invention, has provided sensor element 30.Among the figure, slider pad 20 is depicted data surface 48 as a series of being uneven near the data surface 48 of CD 12 among the figure.In an illustrated embodiment, sensor element 30 comprises a SIL type (solid immersion lens) lens (it is formed by lens cap 50, and has the block of slider pad 20) and is the conductor 52 that coil shape forms.According to the present invention, conductor 52 is the coils around optics table top 54.Slider pad 20 comprises air cushion surface 56 and end face (or forward surface) 58.Table top 54 is carried on the air cushion surface 56.CD 12 is along the direction shown in the arrow 60 rotation, thereby slider pad 20 has behind a forward position 62 and one along 64.

According to the present invention, the slider pad 20 shown in Fig. 2 comprises a bossing 70 that is positioned on the air cushion 56, and it extends along the direction towards data surface 48.Bossing 70 is used as the air cushion contact region, and extends one downwards apart from d at the terminal of table top 54.The embodiment of the slider pad 20 shown in the figure is air cushion tracks 72.Air cushion surface 70 has provided a contact zone, island (contacting islandregion), and wherein, table top is along the direction of leaving data surface, from the end depression of air cushion surface 70.This structure makes can not damaged table top, wearing and tearing table top or on the optical surface of sensitivity talus accumulation be arranged.

Here given embodiment can make with known technology, as ion beam etching, processing, grinding, chemical etching or deposition process.Slider pad air cushion surface 56 preferably is used for and data surface interaction (interaction) according to the feature of medium.Usually, any suitable technique that mesa structure can be by comprising physics depression as shown in Figure 2 with respect to the depression of terminal surface or the gradient (pitch) that adopts air cushion from air cushion surface " make progress " thus this technology in position of determining table top is avoided damaging and chip accumulates and realizes.

Fig. 3 A is the ground plan according to the slider pad 100 of another kind of embodiment, and Fig. 3 B is its side view.Among Fig. 3 A and the 3B, the sacrifice wearing and tearing bed courses (sacrificial wear pad) 102 on a kind of air cushion surface 56 that is positioned at slider pad 100 are provided.For simplicity, similar elements has kept them from the numbering among Fig. 1.This design can be applicable to the design of very low contact force well, and at this moment, can wear and tear at data surface 48 and sacrifice continuous contacting occur between the bed course 102.Preferably sacrifice on the wearing layer 102 total wearing and tearing less than they from wear-resisting bed course depression apart from d.This design can be applicable to many portable application scenarios especially well.Sacrifice bed course 102 according to the invention provides bossing.

Fig. 4 is the ground plan according to the slider pad 120 of another embodiment.In the embodiment shown in fig. 4, wear-resisting bed course (or bossing) 112 is positioned at the place in the forward position 62 of more close air cushion surface 56.Bed course has formed a triangle supporting part, is beneficial to stablize.Yet, also can consider to adopt other structure, this is within the scope of the invention equally.

Fig. 5 is the side view according to the slider pad 130 of another embodiment.In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, slider pad 130 comprises wear-resisting bed course or bossing 132, and they are between table top 54 and track 72, so that desired depression d to be provided.Embodiment shown in Figure 5 provides a kind of design of mixing, and the air cushion feature of track 72 has wherein provided the work hardness that requires, and when the contact on the appearance sacrifice wearing and tearing bed course 132, feasible mechanical vibration sensitivity to slider pad 130 reduces.

Fig. 6 A and 6B are respectively side view and the ground plans according to the slider pad 140 of an alternative embodiment of the invention.In the embodiment shown in the slider pad 140, the gradient of slider pad (pitch) is used for realizing the interval d between table top 54 and the data surface 48.In this design, the position of table top 54 is near track 72.The back is along the back interval s that provides minimum along 64 places of bed course 142 slider pad 140 between air cushion surface 56 and data surface 48.In the present embodiment, track 72 and/or back provide according to bossing of the present invention along bed course 142.Slider pad given here can be made according to the suitable technique of any optics slider pad.In addition, optical element is described although the present invention adopts solid immersion lens, can adopt any suitable optical element that table top or other protruding optical elements are coupled by near field and data surface that has.

Preferred embodiment describes although The present invention be directed to, and those skilled in the art will recognize, under situation without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, also can do various changes in the form and details.The present invention can adopt the slider pad design of any type.In addition, can consider the position of bossing, accumulate with the pollution effect of avoiding particulate or on contiguous table top.

Claims (20)

1. A CD storage system, characterized in that it comprises: an optical disc having a data side; a drive arm having an end selectively radially located adjacent said data plane; a sensing element, which includes a light source; a controller coupled to the actuator arm and the sensing element for positioning the actuator arm and for sensing information on the data plane via the sensing element; and a slider coupled to the end of the actuator arm and carrying the sensing element, the slider having a top surface and an optical table extending from an air bearing surface adapted to be adjacent to the movement of the data surface, the air bearing surface further includes a raised portion positioned closer to the data surface than the optical table, such that the raised portion prevents a gap between the data surface and the optical table s contact. 2. The optical disc design storage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said raised portion comprises an air cushion element such that said slider is inclined such that the front portion of said slider is in contact with said data surface The distance therebetween is greater than the distance between the rear portion of the slider and the upper surface, and the table is spaced apart from the rear portion of the slider. 3. The optical disc design storage system of claim 2, wherein said air cushion member comprises a track. 4. The optical disc design storage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said air bearing surface comprises a track near a leading edge of said slider, and said mesa is located near a trailing edge of said slider , and the position of the raised portion is between the table and the track. 5. The optical disk design storage system according to claim 1, wherein the position of the raised portion is close to the leading edge of the air cushion surface, and the air cushion surface further includes a position close to the trailing edge of the slider a trailing raised portion, and the table top is located therebetween. 6. The optical disc design storage system according to claim 1, further comprising at least three raised portions carried on the air cushion surface separated from the table top. 7. The optical disc design storage system of claim 1, wherein said raised portion provides an air bearing surface and functions as said air bearing of said slider. 8. The optical disc design storage system according to claim 1, wherein the raised portion does not substantially function as an air cushion of the slider. 9. The optical disc design storage system of claim 1 , wherein the raised portion includes first and second tracks spaced apart on either side of the slider, and the mesa is located therebetween . 10. The optical disc design storage system according to claim 9, wherein the track makes the slider form a slope, thereby increasing the distance between the land and the data plane. 11. The optical disc design storage system as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, it also comprises a position along the trailing edge pad of the trailing edge direction of the slider, so that at the trailing edge of the slider and the Keep the minimum interval s between the data planes. 12. The optical disc design storage system of claim 1, comprising a coil extending around said mesa. 13. The optical disc design storage system of claim 1, wherein the light source includes a focusing mechanism, and the table includes a portion of the focusing mechanism. 14. The optical disc design storage system of claim 13, wherein the focusing mechanism comprises a solid immersion lens. 15. The optical disc design storage system according to claim 1, wherein the mesa is sufficiently close to the data plane so that it can be coupled with the data plane through an optical near field. 16. The optical disc design storage system according to claim 1, wherein the raised portion is in contact with the data surface, so that the raised portion is worn. 17. The optical disc data storage system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the height of the raised portion and the wear rate of the raised portion are such that the raised portion is not damaged during the lifetime of the optical disc data storage system Partial wear does not cause contact of the mesa with the data surface. 18. The optical disc data storage system of claim 1, wherein the raised portion is positioned such that chips are offset from the land. 19. The optical disc data storage system according to claim 1, wherein the raised portion is formed by masking and etching processes. 20. The optical disc data storage system of claim 1, wherein light is coupled to the mesa via an optical fiber.

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