Detection of Readout Signals on High-track Density MO-Disk Using an Optical Phase Shifter and Deep Land/groove Recording

Abstract

We report the results of magneto-optical (MO) detection using an optical phase shifter and a deep land/groove disk. We measured the recording characteristics in the direction of incident linear polarization and found that polarization perpendicular to the groove is best for a deep groove disk. Using perpendicular polarization, with a 693 nm wavelength diode laser and a 0.55-NA objective lens, sufficient readout and recording margins to guard against optical errors were obtained by the experiments at an area density of 3.69 Gbit/in2, which was obtained using a 0.35-µm bit length and a 0.5-µm track pitch.