LASER OPTICAL POWER MONITORING USING THERMAL SENSOR OF A HEAD TRANSDUCER

摘要

A light source is configured to produce light, a waveguide is optically coupled to the light source and configured to direct the light to an intended focus location, and a slider is configured to use the light as an energy source for heating a region of a magnetic recording medium. A thermal sensor is situated on the slider at a location outside of a light path that includes the intended focus location. The thermal sensor is configured for sensing a short time constant change in temperature resulting from light source heating of the thermal sensor, wherein the sensed change in thermal sensor temperature is representative of optical intensity of the light delivered to the intended focus location.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a light source configured to produce light; a slider configured to communicate the light to a near-field transducer that uses the light as an energy source for heating a region of a magnetic recording medium; and a thermal sensor situated on the slider at a location unexposed to the light and configured for sensing a change in temperature resulting from direct heating of the thermal sensor by the light, wherein the sensed change in thermal sensor temperature is representative of optical intensity of the light delivered by the light source.