Information recording apparatus

摘要

In an information recording apparatus for recording information onto a recording medium by utilizing a technology in a near-field microscope, the information recording apparatus carries out recording with reliability and density. An optical probe ( 1 ) or micro-cantilever ( 12 ) utilized in a near-field microscope is used as a recording probe ( 26 ). The recording probe ( 26 ) at its tip is heated by laser light ( 28 ) illumination or heating by an electric heating element to radiate microscopic-region thermal energy through the tip to a recording medium ( 3 ). This makes it possible to record microscopically information onto the recording medium ( 3 ) that varies in physical properties due to heating. Furthermore, thermal energy is provided to a recording position through an auxiliary heat radiating means thereby enabling recording more positively.