A read/write head for an optical storage medium is provided. The read/write
head comprises a waveguide having an end face and a plasmon-enhanced
device provided on the end face of the waveguide. The plasmon-enhanced
device comprises a metal film having a first surface and a second surface,
the first surface being fixed to the waveguide end face, the metal film
having an aperture provided therethrough. The metal film has a periodic
surface topography provided on at least one of the first and second
surfaces of the metal film. Light incident on one of the surfaces of the
metal film interacts with a surface plasmon mode on at least one of the
surfaces of the metal film thereby enhancing transmission of light through
the aperture in the metal film which is directed onto and/or collected
from the optical storage medium. A read/write head with an integral light
source is also provided. The invention also provides an array of precisely
aligned read/write heads, and an array of precisely aligned read/write
heads with integral light sources, as well as side-emitting lasers and
vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) with enhanced
transmission.
