Akihiro Tachibana

Recording and Readout Mechanisms of Super-Resolution Near-Field Structure Disc with Silver-Oxide Layer

We observed recorded and readout states of a super-resolution near-field structure disc with a AgO layer by the use of a transmission electron microscope. It was confirmed that recording is caused by the explosion of AgO and that the deformation of the layers due to the explosion becomes a recorded mark. The Ag particles which irreversibly precipitate after a high readout power irradiation are considered to be the origin of the super-resolution readout.

Super-Resolution Near-Field Structure and Signal Enhancement by Surface Plasmons

We describe surface plasmon enhancement by near-field interaction with Ag-scattering centers. By inserting mark trains between two Ag-scattering centers, the near-field signals were further enhanced in a super-resolution near-field structure. Observing the enhancement in more detail, it was found that surface plasmons are generated along the mark trains and are dispersed in a range of 1 µm along the marks and 40–50 nm normal to the multilayer stack.