A noncontact communication medium includes a coil and a processor mounted on a magnetic tape cartridge. The processor communicates with a communicatee by coupling between the coil and the communicatee by electromagnetic induction through an external magnetic field applied from the communicatee. The communicatee merges a command into the external magnetic field. The processor executes processing corresponding to the command merged into the external magnetic field. The processor changes a response time of the processor in response to the command, according to a characteristic of at least one of the magnetic tape cartridge, the noncontact communication medium, or the communicatee.

A noncontact communication medium includes a coil and a processor mounted on a magnetic tape cartridge. The processor communicates with a communicatee by coupling between the coil and the communicatee by electromagnetic induction through an external magnetic field applied from the communicatee. The communicatee merges a command into the external magnetic field. The processor executes processing corresponding to the command merged into the external magnetic field. The processor changes a response time of the processor in response to the command, according to a characteristic of at least one of the magnetic tape cartridge, the noncontact communication medium, or the communicatee.

An apparatus includes a substrate. A laser is formed on a non-self supporting structure and bonded to the substrate. A waveguide having a gap portion is deposited proximate the laser. The waveguide is configured to communicate light from the laser to a near-field transducer (NFT) that directs energy resulting from plasmonic excitation to a recording medium. An optical isolator is disposed over the gap portion.

A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes a medium facing surface, a main pole, a waveguide, and a plasmon generator. A second metal layer of the plasmon generator includes a second front end facing the medium facing surface. A third metal layer of the plasmon generator includes a narrow portion located on the second metal layer. The narrow portion includes a front end face located in the medium facing surface and configured to generate near-field light from a surface plasmon, and a rear end opposite the front end face. The rear end is located farther from the medium facing surface than is the second front end.

An apparatus includes a substrate. A laser is formed on a non-self supporting structure and bonded to the substrate. A waveguide having a gap portion is deposited proximate the laser. The waveguide is configured to communicate light from the laser to a near-field transducer (NFT) that directs energy resulting from plasmonic excitation to a recording medium. An optical isolator is disposed over the gap portion.

An apparatus includes a substrate. A laser is formed on a non-self supporting structure and bonded to the substrate. A waveguide having a gap portion is deposited proximate the laser. The waveguide is configured to communicate light from the laser to a near-field transducer (NFT) that directs energy resulting from plasmonic excitation to a recording medium. An optical isolator is disposed over the gap portion.

A noncontact communication medium includes a coil and a processor mounted on a magnetic tape cartridge. The processor communicates with a communicatee by coupling between the coil and the communicatee by electromagnetic induction through an external magnetic field applied from the communicatee. The communicatee merges a command into the external magnetic field. The processor executes processing corresponding to the command merged into the external magnetic field. The processor changes a response time of the processor in response to the command, according to a characteristic of at least one of the magnetic tape cartridge, the noncontact communication medium, or the communicatee.

A noncontact communication medium includes a coil and a processor mounted on a magnetic tape cartridge. The processor communicates with a communicatee by coupling between the coil and the communicatee by electromagnetic induction through an external magnetic field applied from the communicatee. The communicatee merges a command into the external magnetic field. The processor executes processing corresponding to the command merged into the external magnetic field. The processor changes a response time of the processor in response to the command, according to a characteristic of at least one of the magnetic tape cartridge, the noncontact communication medium, or the communicatee.

The present invention is in the field of an atomic scale data storage device which uses vacancy manipulation, a method of providing said device, and a method of operating said device. Prior art mass data storage devices typically rely on magnetic materials forming discrete arrays or on nanoscale transistors. Further examples are e.g. optical systems such as a DVD and a compact disk. These devices and systems have a large, but for some applications still limited, storage capacity.

According to one embodiment, a system includes a head, where the head includes: an optical signal source configured to emit a first optical signal, and a near-field transducer (NFT) configured to focus the first optical signal on a moving ferroelectric storage medium positioned below the head. The system also includes a detector operatively coupled to the head, where the detector is configured to detect a second optical signal generated in and reflected from the ferroelectric storage medium, and where the second optical signal has twice the optical frequency as the first optical signal.