Thermally assisted recording head having recessed waveguide with near field transducer and methods of making same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a near field transducer comprising a conductive metal film; and
an optical waveguide for illumination of the near field transducer, a light guiding core layer of the optical waveguide being spaced from the near field transducer by less than about 100 nanometers and greater than 0 nanometers,wherein a longitudinal axis of the optical waveguide is substantially perpendicular to an air bearing surface.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a near field transducer comprising a conductive metal film; and an optical waveguide for illumination of the near field transducer, a light guiding core layer of the optical waveguide being spaced from the near field transducer by less than about 100 nanometers and greater than 0 nanometers, wherein a longitudinal axis of the optical waveguide is substantially perpendicular to an air bearing surface.
43 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. An apparatus, comprising:
-
a near field transducer comprising a conductive metal film; and an optical waveguide for illumination of the near field transducer, a light guiding core layer of the optical waveguide being spaced from the near field transducer by less than about 100 nanometers and greater than 0 nanometers, wherein a longitudinal axis of the optical waveguide is substantially perpendicular to an air bearing surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An apparatus, comprising:
-
a near field transducer comprising a conductive metal film; an optical waveguide for illumination of the near field transducer, a light guiding core layer of the optical waveguide being spaced from the near field transducer by less than about 100 nanometers, wherein a longitudinal axis of the optical waveguide is substantially perpendicular to an air bearing surface; a magnetic head, the near field transducer being in the magnetic head; a magnetic medium; a drive mechanism for passing the magnetic medium over the magnetic head; and a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head for controlling operation of the magnetic head. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method, comprising:
-
forming a near field transducer structure having an air bearing surface (ABS) side and a second side opposite the ABS side; forming a cladding layer adjacent the second side of the near field transducer structure, wherein a portion of the cladding layer extends along the near field transducer structure; and forming a core layer adjacent to the portion of the cladding layer extending along the near field transducer structure and above a second portion of the cladding layer, the core layer being separated from the near field transducer via the cladding layer, wherein a longitudinal axis of the core layer is substantially perpendicular to the ABS side of the near field transducer. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method, comprising:
-
forming a lower cladding layer; forming a near field transducer structure above the lower cladding layer; forming a second cladding layer adjacent the near field transducer structure and above the lower cladding layer, wherein a portion of the second cladding layer extends along the near field transducer structure; and forming a core layer above the second cladding layer. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
-
Specification