Optical/magnetic composite head having magnetic and optical heads in one integrated unit

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A photomagnetic composite head includes a magnetic head and an optical head integrated into one unit. An optical waveguide path of the optical head is located on the surface of the magnetic head that faces a recording medium. A laser beam passes through the optical waveguide path and is irradiated on a point on the recording medium where a magnetic field is impressed from the magnetic head. Accordingly recording can be performed under a condition in which the coercivity of the recording medium has been reduced by the laser beam, thus making it possible to achieve high density recording by using a recording medium with a high coercivity.