Thermally-assisted magnetic recording head having photoelectric wiring lines integrally formed on waveguide

摘要

An information recording and reproduction apparatus has a magnetic recording medium, a light source that outputs a light beam to heat the medium, and a near-field light head confronting a surface of the medium. An optical waveguide introduces a light beam from the light source into the near-field light head to generate near-field light. A control section supplies a current to a recording element of the near-field light head for generating a recording magnetic field in a direction of the medium. A photoelectric composite wiring line has the optical waveguide and at least one electric wiring line integral with the optical waveguide and electrically connecting the near-field light head to the control section. The optical waveguide and the electric wiring line branch off from a distal side of the photoelectric composite wiring line so as to connect to the near-field light head.