Improved Near-Field Recording System for First-Surface Media with an NA=1.9 Solid Immersion Lens

Near-field optical recording using a solid immersion lens is quickly becoming an attractive technology for use in commercial optical data drives. Calculations and experiments show that Near-field optical recording has the potential to enable data storage capacities of more than 150 GB per side on a compact disc (CD)-sized disc, which may prove sufficient to continue the optical recording roadmap beyond Blu-ray Disc. Compared to alternative approaches that aim to achieve high storage densities, near-field recording requires a minimum change in drive architecture and media technology. In this paper we present our progress on the development of a near-field optical recording system with an NA=1.9 Solid Immersion Lens in a conventional actuator, using a single blue laser diode.