Simulation on parameter optimization of gold nano-antenna attached to semiconductor ring resonator for heat-assisted magnetic recording device

Heat-assisted magnetic recording is a technology to improve recording density for hard disks. The authors’ group has proposed a device, in which a gold nano-antenna as a near-field transducer is attached to a semiconductor ring resonator as an integrated light source. Localized surface plasmon resonance at the tip of nano-antenna excites near-field light to form small recorded marks to increase recording density. In this study, to improve the device performance, the dependence of spot size and energy density of near-field light on tip curvature, length, and bottom diameter of nano-antenna was investigated through a numerical simulation. Cylinder type and cone type nano-antennas were considered. For both types, as the tip curvature of nano-antenna increased, the spot size decreased and the energy density increased. It was possible to reduce the spot size to 18?×?18 nm². For cylinder type, there was an optimal length of nano-antenna where the energy density became maximum, and the optimal length changed depending on the presence or absence of recording medium. This was because of the difference in plasmon resonance condition. Moreover, for cone type, there was an optimal bottom diameter of nano-antenna where the energy density became maximum, and the optimal bottom diameter changed depending on the length of nano-antenna.