FDTD Readout Analysis of a Near-Field Patterned Media Magnetooptical Recording System

Using a combination of diffraction analysis and the three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain technique, the readout behavior of a near-field magnetooptical-patterned media-based storage system incorporating a blue laser and a solid immersion lens is analyzed. It is demonstrated that the phase response of the islands themselves plays a more dominant role than the magnetization in the system readout behavior. Additionally, it is shown that, despite this characteristic, the recovery of a suitable readout signal is still possible at an island size and separation close to the system´s optical limit, and also that the appearance of the readout signal is highly dependent upon the island height