Design of slider and suspension for 4 × 1 probe array type near-field scanning optical microscope

Many information storage devices have been introduced and developed in recent years. The trend for these devices is toward high capacity, compact size, low power consumption, reliability, and removability for data interchange with other devices. In addressing these trends, the near-field scanning microscope (NSOM) technique is in the spotlight as the next generation device. In order for a near-field device to be successfully implemented in a system, a slider and suspension must be introduced as actuating mechanisms. Consequently, a suitable slider and suspension needed to be designed. The optical slider should be designed considering near-field optics with the probe structure. The suspension should function generally to support slider performance and track servo capacity in hard disk drives (HDDs). Moreover, the suspension for an optical slider must meet optical requirements, and is also required to satisfy criteria for shock performance in the mobility of the actuator. In this study, the optical slider and the suspension for a near-field probe array are designed and analyzed.