A method of forming a TAMR (thermally assisted magnetic recording) write head that uses weakly plasmonic materials that are mechanically strong and thermally stable to create plasmon near field energy. The replacement of highly plasmonic materials like Au with a weakly plasmonic material like Rh avoids the thermal deformations of softer metals like Au. To maintain the performance of the head, it includes pre-focusing structures that concentrate plasmon energy as it moves towards the air bearing surface (ABS). A waveguide blocker at the distal end of the waveguide enhances the plasmons at the interface between the blocker and the dielectric material at the distal end of the waveguide. A pair of symmetrically disposed optical side shields (OSS) are formed to either side of the pole tip and a weakly plasmonic optical field enhancer of sharply defined line-width further strengthens the optical field at its point of application. The resulting structure can be effectively used in a magnetic recording apparatus such as a hard disk drive.

In one general embodiment, a method includes forming a first magnetic layer, forming a tunnel barrier layer above the first magnetic layer, and forming a second magnetic layer above the tunnel barrier layer. The tunnel barrier layer includes crystalline alumina. The tunnel barrier layer is formed at a temperature of less than 100 degrees centigrade.

A method of restoring a suspension of a hard disk drive includes detaching a slider, which is mounted on a tongue portion of the suspension via an adhesive, from the suspension, measuring a thickness of the adhesive in a cleaning area of the tongue portion, specifying a first residual area in which the thickness of the adhesive exceeds a threshold value, irradiating a first irradiation area including the first residual area locally with a first laser beam, and irradiating the cleaning area entirely with a second laser beam.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a first magnetic pole, a second magnetic pole, and a magnetic element provided between the first and the second magnetic poles. The magnetic element includes first to fourth magnetic layers, and first to fifth non-magnetic layers. The fourth magnetic layer includes a first element and at least one of Fe, Co or Ni. The first element including at least one selected from the group consisting of Cr, V, Mn, Ti, N and Sc. The fourth non-magnetic layer including at least one selected from the group consisting of Cu, Au, Cr, Al, V and Ag. The fifth non-magnetic layer includes at least one selected from the group consisting of Cu, Au, Cr, Al, V and Ag.

A method for manufacturing a magnetic core module in a magnetic head, the magnetic core module and the magnetic head. The method for manufacturing the magnetic core module includes: a process for placing a magnetic core group in a holder mold cavity as an insert; and a process for injection-molding in the holder mold cavity. A method for manufacturing the magnetic core module allows the magnetic core group and the holder to be integrally injection-molded with a method of injection molding which uses the magnetic core group as an insert. The method simplifies the process of manufacturing a magnetic head to improve production efficiency, and saves labor and production costs. Further, the method prevents failures such as positional displacement and scattering of magnetic cores, which tends to occur when assembling thin and small magnetic cores, and ensures an ideal yield for a product.

A device such as a photo sensor, an optical isolator, and an optical damper is formed via a first process. The device is transfer printed to a waveguide of a read/write head in a second process.

A method provides a magnetic write apparatus. The method includes providing a pole including a pole tip, a yoke, a pole bottom and a pole top. The pole is seam free and formed vertically in a direction from the pole bottom toward the pole top. At least one coil for energizing the pole is also provided. In some aspects, providing the pole may include removing a portion of an intermediate layer to form a trench therein. The trench has a shape and location corresponding to the pole, a bottom, a top and sides. A conductive layer is deposited in the trench and on a top surface of the intermediate layer. Insulating layer(s) are provided on the sides of the trench. Only part of the conductive layer on the trench bottom is exposed. Pole material(s) are grown on the exposed portion of the conductive layer to provide the pole.

A method including depositing a plasmonic material at a temperature of at least 150 C.; and forming at least a peg of a near field transducer (NFT) from the deposited plasmonic material.

Apparatuses and methods of recording read heads with a multi-layer anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) layer are provided. The AFM layer has gradient Manganese (Mn) compositions. A multi-layer AFM layer comprises a plurality of sub-layers having different Mn compositions. An upper sub-layer has a higher Mn composition than an lower sub-layer. Different types of gases may be used to deposit each sub-layer and the flow of each gas may be adjusted.

Various embodiments described herein provide for substrate structures including uniform plating seed layers, and that provide favorable adhesion on dielectric substrate layers. According to some embodiments, a methods for forming a magnetic recording pole is provided comprising: forming an insulator layer; forming a trench in the insulator layer; forming an amorphous seed layer over the insulator layer; forming an adhesion layer over the amorphous seed layer, the adhesion layer comprising a physical vapor deposited (PVD) noble metal; forming a plating seed layer over the adhesion layer, the plating seed layer comprising chemical vapor deposited (CVD) Ru; and forming a magnetic material layer over the plating seed layer.