Near field optical head having flexible structure

摘要

An optical information device has a suspension arm, a moving mechanism for movably supporting the suspension arm relative to a recording medium, an optical head supported by the suspension arm proximate the recording medium and having a slider and a flexible structure for linking the slider to the suspension arm so that the slider undergoes relative sliding movement with respect to the recording medium for at least one of recording information to the recording medium and reading information from the recording medium, and an optical waveguide for guiding light between the suspension arm and the slider. The optical waveguide is integrally formed with the flexible structure and preferably comprises patterned films formed on the optical head.