Near-field transducer with multiple heat sinks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016125901-A1
Application number	US-201514865303-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2015
Priority date	Oct 31, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a writer, a near-field transducer (NFT), a channel waveguide proximate the NFT, a dielectric layer between the NFT and waveguide, and a plurality of heat sinks. A first heat sink comprises a gap and contacts the NFT and the writer. A second heat sink extends across the gap of the first heat sink and between the NFT and a heat reservoir component, such as a return pole of the writer. The channel waveguide may contact the second heat sink, such as by encompassing a peripheral portion of the second heat sink. The second heat sink may have at least an outer surface comprising a plasmonic material, and may be configured to enhance plasmonic excitation of the NFT.

First claim

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a slider of a heat assisted magnetic recording head; a writer on the slider; a near-field transducer (NFT) on the slider and comprising:
an enlarged region having a first surface; and
a peg region extending from the enlarged region;
an optical channel waveguide proximate the first surface of the NFT; a dielectric layer between the NFT and the optical channel waveguide; and a heat sink extending from the first surface of the enlarged region of the NFT, passing through the dielectric layer and the optical channel waveguide, and terminating at a heat reservoir component of the slider.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink comprises a column having a rounded cross-section.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is oriented substantially normal to the first surface of the NFT.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink has an elongated shape and extends substantially normal from the first surface of the NFT.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink has an outer surface comprising a plasmonic material and is configured to enhance plasmonic excitation of the NFT.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer has a refractive index lower than that of the optical channel waveguide.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat reservoir component comprises a return pole of the writer.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the writer comprises a write pole and a return pole; the NFT comprises a second surface opposing the first surface, the second surface of the NFT contacting the write pole; and the heat sink terminates at the return pole.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the NFT has a second sloped surface opposing the first surface and contacting a write pole of the writer; the first surface of the NFT is substantially planar; and the heat sink extends from the first surface of the NFT.

10 . An apparatus, comprising:
a slider of a heat assisted magnetic recording head comprising
a near-field transducer (NFT);
an optical channel waveguide proximate the NFT; and
a heat sink extending from the NFT, passing through the optical channel waveguide, and terminating at a heat reservoir component of the slider.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the heat sink comprises a column having a rounded cross-section.

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the heat sink is oriented substantially normal to the first surface of the NFT.

13 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the heat sink has an elongated shape and extends substantially normal from the first surface of the NFT.

14 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the heat sink has an outer surface comprising a plasmonic material and is configured to enhance plasmonic excitation of the NFT.

15 . The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
a dielectric layer between the NFT and the optical channel waveguide; wherein the dielectric layer has a refractive index lower than that of the optical channel waveguide.

16 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the heat reservoir component comprises a return pole of the writer.

17 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
the writer comprises a write pole and a return pole; the NFT comprises a second surface opposing the first surface, the second surface of the NFT contacting the write pole; and the heat sink terminates at the return pole.

18 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
the NFT has a second sloped surface opposing the first surface and contacting a write pole of the writer; the first surface of the NFT is substantially planar; and the heat sink extends from the first surface of the NFT.

19 . A method comprising:
communicating optical energy through an optical channel waveguide of a slider configured for heat assisted magnetic recording; causing the optical energy to propagate to a near-field transducer (NFT), the optical energy causing a surface plasmon resonance of the NFT; and conducting heat away from the NFT via a heat sink that passes through the optical channel waveguide and terminates at a heat reservoir component of the slider.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the optical energy causes a surface plasmon resonance of the heat sink that enhances surface plasmon resonance of the NFT.

Assignees

• Seagate Technology Llc

Inventors

• Lee Tae-Woo
• Scholz Werner

Classifications

• G11B5/314 Primary

  where the layers are extra layers normally not provided in the transducing structure, e.g. optical layers (G11B5/3196 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G11B5/4866 Primary

  the arm comprising an optical waveguide, e.g. for thermally-assisted recording · CPC title

• G11B2005/0021

  Thermally assisted recording using an auxiliary energy source for heating the recording layer locally to assist the magnetization reversal · CPC title

• G11B5/6088

  Optical waveguide in or on flying head · CPC title

• G11B7/1387

  using the near-field effect · CPC title