Near-field transducer for heat assisted magnetic recording comprising of thermally stable material layer

• US 10,403,315 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2015
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Takuya, Rawat, Vijay Prakash Singh, Stipe, Barry C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Butcher, Brian M
• Application Number:
  US14/705,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20160329068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/0021 Thermally assisted recording using an auxiliary energy source for heating the recording layer locally to assist the magnetization reversal
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3106 where the integrated or assembled structure comprises means for conditioning against physical detrimental influence, e.g. wear, contamination G11B5/3133 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3133 including layers not usually being a part of the electromagnetic transducer structure and providing additional features, e.g. for improving heat radiation, reduction of power dissipation, adaptations for measurement or indication of gap depth or other properties of the structure G11B5/3106 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/314 where the layers are extra layers normally not provided in the transducing structure, e.g. optical layers G11B5/3196 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/6088 Optical waveguide in or on flying head

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a HAMR head. The HAMR head includes a main pole, a waveguide and a NFT disposed between the main pole and the waveguide. The NFT includes an antenna, and the antenna includes a first portion and a second portion. The second portion may be made of a material having a higher melting point than the material of the first portion. Having the second portion helps reduce the temperature rise of the NFT and reduce the laser power applied to the NFT.

Claims

1. A heat assisted magnetic recording head, comprising:

a main pole;

a waveguide;

a near-field transducer disposed between the main pole and the waveguide, wherein the near-field transducer comprises an antenna, wherein the antenna includes a first portion made of a first material and a second portion consists only of a second material, wherein the second portion is a layer embedded in the first portion, wherein the second material is selected from a group consisting only of B, Re, and alloys of Re; and

a thermal shunt coupled to the antenna, wherein the first portion is in contact with the thermal shunt, wherein the thermal shunt comprises a conductive material.

2. The heat assisted magnetic recording head of claim 1, wherein the second material has a higher melting point than the first material and the second material is immiscible in the first material.

3. The heat assisted magnetic recording head of claim 1, wherein the first material is selected from a group consisting of Au, Ag, Cu and Al.

4. The heat assisted magnetic recording head of claim 1, wherein the second portion is substantially parallel to a media facing surface.

5. The heat assisted magnetic recording head of claim 1, wherein the second portion is substantially perpendicular to a media facing surface.

6. The heat assisted magnetic recording head of claim 1, wherein the antenna further includes a first surface facing the main pole, a second surface at a media facing surface, a third surface facing the waveguide, and a fourth surface connecting the second surface and the third surface, and wherein the second portion comprises a first portion substantially parallel to the fourth surface, a second portion substantially parallel to the third surface, and a third portion substantially parallel to the media facing surface.

7. A heat assisted magnetic recording head, comprising:

a main pole;

a waveguide;

a near-field transducer disposed between the main pole and the waveguide, wherein the near-field transducer comprises an antenna, wherein the antenna includes;

a first portion made of a first material,

a second portion consists only of a second material, wherein the second portion is a layer embedded in the first portion, wherein the second material is selected from a group consisting only of Pt, Pd, B, and Re, and alloys of Pt, Pd and Re, and

a third portion made of a third material, wherein the third material has a higher melting point than the first material, and wherein the third material is distinct from the second material;

a thermal shunt coupled to the antenna, wherein the first portion is in contact with the thermal shunt, wherein the thermal shunt comprises a conductive material; and

a spacer layer disposed between the antenna and the main pole, wherein the third portion is disposed between the second portion and the spacer layer.

8. The heat assisted magnetic recording head of claim 7, further comprising a cladding material disposed between the antenna and the waveguide, wherein the third portion is disposed between the second portion and a media facing surface and between the second portion and the cladding material.

9. A heat assisted magnetic recording head, comprising:

a main pole;

a waveguide;

a heat sink;

a near-field transducer disposed between the main pole and the waveguide, wherein the near-field transducer comprises an antenna, wherein the antenna includes a first portion made of a first material and a second portion consisting only of a second material, wherein the second material has a higher melting point than the first material, wherein the antenna additionally includes a first surface at a media facing surface, and wherein the second portion includes at least a portion of the first surface, wherein the second material is selected from a group consisting only of B, Re, and alloys of Re; and

a thermal shunt disposed between the antenna and the heat sink, wherein the first portion is in contact with the thermal shunt, wherein the thermal shunt comprises a conductive material.

10. The heat assisted magnetic recording head of claim 9, wherein the second portion is substantially perpendicular to the first surface.

11. The heat assisted magnetic recording head of claim 9, wherein the antenna further includes a second surface facing the main pole, a third surface facing the waveguide, and a fourth surface connecting the third surface and the first surface, and wherein the second portion of the antenna includes the first surface, the fourth surface, a portion of the second surface and a portion of the third surface.

12. The heat assisted magnetic recording head of claim 11, wherein the second portion has a uniform thickness.

13. A heat assisted magnetic recording head, comprising:

a main pole;

a waveguide;

a near-field transducer disposed between the main pole and the waveguide, wherein the near-field transducer comprises an antenna, wherein the antenna includes a first portion made of a first material and a second portion consisting only of a second material;

a spacer layer disposed between the near-field transducer and the main pole;

a thermal shunt coupled to the antenna, wherein the thermal shunt comprises a conductive material; and

a metal layer disposed between the thermal shunt and the antenna, wherein the layer is also disposed between the thermal shunt and the spacer layer.

16. The heat assisted magnetic recording head of claim 13, wherein the metal layer comprises a metal element or a metal alloy.

17. The heat assisted magnetic recording head of claim 13, wherein the metal layer consists of a metal element selected from the group consisting of Rh, Co, Ni, Pt, Pd, Ru, B, Mo, W, Ti, Ir, and Re.

18. The heat assisted magnetic recording head of claim 13, wherein the metal layer consists of a metal alloy selected from the group consisting of Rh, Co, Ni, Pt, Pd, Ru, B, Mo, W, Ti, Ir, Re, Au, Ag, Cu, and Al alloys.

14. A hard disk drive, comprising:

a magnetic media;

a magnetic read head; and

a heat assisted magnetic recording magnetic write head, wherein the heat assisted magnetic recording magnetic write head comprises;

a main pole;

a waveguide;

a heat sink;

a near-field transducer disposed between the main pole and the waveguide, wherein the near-field transducer comprises an antenna, wherein the antenna includes a first portion made of a first material and a second portion consisting only of a second material, wherein the second material has a higher melting point than the first material, wherein the antenna additionally includes a first surface at a media facing surface, and wherein the second portion includes at least a portion of the first surface, wherein the second material is selected from a group consisting only of B, Re, and alloys of Re; and

a thermal shunt disposed between the antenna and the heat sink, wherein the first portion is in contact with the thermal shunt, wherein the thermal shunt comprises a conductive material.

15. The hard disk drive of claim 14, wherein the first material is selected from a group consisting of Au, Ag, Cu and Al.

19. A heat assisted magnetic recording head, comprising:

a main pole;

a waveguide;

a near-field transducer disposed between the main pole and the waveguide, wherein the near-field transducer comprises an antenna, wherein the antenna includes a first portion made of a first material, a second portion made of a second material, and a third portion made of a third material, wherein the third material has a higher melting point than the first material, and wherein the third material is distinct from the second material;

a thermal shunt coupled to the antenna, wherein the first portion is in contact with the thermal shunt, wherein the thermal shunt comprises a conductive material; and

a spacer layer disposed between the antenna and the main pole, wherein the third portion is disposed between the first portion and the second portion.

20. The heat assisted magnetic recording head of claim 19, wherein the third portion is substantially parallel to a media facing surface.

21. The heat assisted magnetic recording head of claim 19, wherein the third portion is substantially perpendicular to a media facing surface.

22. The heat assisted magnetic recording head of claim 19, wherein the antenna further includes a first surface facing the main pole, a second surface at a media facing surface, a third surface facing the waveguide, and a fourth surface connecting the second surface and the third surface, and wherein the third portion comprises a first portion substantially parallel to the fourth surface, a second portion substantially parallel to the third surface, and a third portion substantially parallel to the media facing surface.