METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING NEAR-FIELD LIGHT GENERATION ELEMENT, NEAR-FIELD LIGHT GENERATION ELEMENT, NEAR-FIELD LIGHT HEAD, AND INFORMATION RECORDING/REPRODUCING DEVICE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for manufacturing a near-field light generation element, a near-field light generation element, a near-field light head, and an information recording/reproducing device, which can generate near-field light having a desired spot size while suppressing an increase in manufacturing cost.;SOLUTION: In a first patterning step, a core base material 123 is patterned such that a first base material 123a and a second base material 123b tapered from one end to the other end and a third base material 123c extending from the second base material 123b to the other end with a constant width remain. In a second patterning step, the core base material 123 and a metal film base material 171 are sputter etched in plasma to remove the third base material 123c of the core base material 123.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT