Abstracts Physics

Interaction of the focused laser beam with the grooved surface of optical disk: Evanescent coupling and vector diffraction effects

by Wei-Hung Yeh

The primary objective of this dissertation is to present a clear physical picture and useful insights of polarization effects in the diffraction of focused beams by grooved, multilayer-coated disks. The reading process of optical disk systems significantly relies on the reaction of the incident focused beam to the disk structure, may it be the groove profile or coating materials. The resulting complex-amplitude from diffraction is the main source for the readout signal. In the presence of the periodic pattern and the focused beam, however, different polarization states usually result in different complex-amplitudes. A good understanding of polarization effects in grooved multilayer disks is thus required for the optimum design of optical data storage systems. The pursuit of high-density recording inevitably drives the optical data storage industry to reduce the wavelength of light sources, decrease the track pitch of optical disks, and increase the numerical aperture of objective lenses. The track pitch and the size of the focused spot gradually approach the optical wavelength. Under these circumstances, the analysis of the interaction of focused beams with this type of high-frequency periodic disk using conventional scalar diffraction theory is no longer adequate. Only through vector diffraction study of polarization effects in the interaction of the focused beam with the periodic pattern can the characteristics of an optical disk system be fully understood and improved. Starting from the introduction of various polarization effects in optical disk systems and basic concepts of both scalar and vector diffraction theory, we then focus on the studies of diffraction patterns at the exit pupil of the objective lens and on the disk surface. Different behavior on the baseball pattern and in the effective groove depth is observed for the two polarization states. The use of the solid immersion lens to extensively increase the area density of optical disk systems prompts us to investigate the influence of evanescent-wave coupling on the near-field optical disk system. Finally, we study the feasibility of using a novel differential polarization microscope to reduce polarization effects and to increase the image contrast of magnetic domains on magneto-optical disks.