A recording head has a waveguide that delivers optical energy from an energy source and a write pole extending to a media-facing surface of the recording head. The recording head also has a near-field transducer coupled to receive the optical energy from the waveguide and emit surface plasmons from the media-facing surface towards a recording medium while the write pole applies a magnetic field to the recording medium. The near-field transducer has an extended portion that, as-manufactured, protrudes beyond the media-facing surface by a first distance.

The present disclosure relates to pretreating a magnetic recording head. For a HAMR head, a NFT is present. Current can be applied to the NFT to condition the NFT. The current is applied in one of three ways: slowly ramping up the current from a starting level below a level capable of writing data to the optical laser current over a predetermined period of time, applying the current at a fixed value below the optical laser current for the predetermined period of time, or slowly ramping up the current from a starting level below a level capable of writing data to the optical laser current over the predetermined period of time while also intermittently removing the current. By conditioning the NFT in such a manner, the HAMR head can avoid thermal shock and thermal fatigue and thus increase the lifetime of the magnetic media drive.

A submount includes a substrate, the substrate including: a first surface; a second surface that is perpendicular to the first surface; a third surface that is perpendicular to the first surface and the second surface; a fourth surface that is perpendicular to the first surface and the second surface, and is opposed to the third surface; a fifth surface that is perpendicular to the second surface and the third surface, and is opposed to the first surface; a sixth surface that is opposed to the second surface; a first notch part that is provided in a portion at which the second surface and the third surface are adjacent to each other; and a second notch part that is provided in a portion at which the second surface and the fourth surface are adjacent to each other, the first notch part and the second notch part each having a recessed surface.

The present disclosure relates to pretreating a magnetic recording head. For a HAMR head, a NFT is present. Current can be applied to the NFT to condition the NFT. The current is applied in one of three ways: slowly ramping up the current from a starting level below a level capable of writing data to the optical laser current over a predetermined period of time, applying the current at a fixed value below the optical laser current for the predetermined period of time, or slowly ramping up the current from a starting level below a level capable of writing data to the optical laser current over the predetermined period of time while also intermittently removing the current. By conditioning the NFT in such a manner, the HAMR head can avoid thermal shock and thermal fatigue and thus increase the lifetime of the magnetic media drive.

A recording head includes one or more transducer elements, and an electrically insulative layer encasing the one or more transducer elements. The recording head also includes a substrate below the electrically insulative layer. The recording head further includes a heat sinking layer between the electrically insulative layer and the substrate.

A recording head includes one or more transducer elements, and an electrically insulative layer encasing the one or more transducer elements. The recording head also includes a substrate below the electrically insulative layer. The recording head further includes a heat sinking layer between the electrically insulative layer and the substrate.

A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a near-field transducer and a heat sink. The near-field transducer includes a middle disk and a near-field emitter. The near-field emitter includes a peg and an anchor disk. The peg is configured to produce a hot spot on a proximal magnetic disk. The peg is disposed proximal to a media-facing surface of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head. The anchor disk is disposed behind the peg relative to the media-facing surface. The heat sink includes a core and a liner. The core includes a primary metal, and the liner includes a primary metal. The liner is coupled to the core and is disposed along an outer surface of the core. The middle disk is disposed between and coupled to the liner and the anchor disk. The primary metal of the liner comprises at least one of iridium, rhodium, tantalum, tungsten, or ruthenium.

A recording head includes a channel waveguide that delivers light to a media-facing surface. A near-field transducer (NFT) is at an end of the channel waveguide and proximate to the media-facing surface. A laser including an active region has a longitudinal axis corresponding to a propagation direction of the channel waveguide. The active region includes a back facet and a front facet proximate the NFT. The front facet has a surface shape configured to suppress back reflection of the light.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), a head gimbal assembly for mounting a VCSEL, devices incorporating such articles, and to a process for forming a VCSEL. In an embodiment, a VCSEL device provided. The VCSEL device includes a chip for mounting on a slider, the chip having a plurality of surfaces and a notch, the plurality of surfaces comprising: a bottom surface for facing the slider; a top surface opposite the bottom surface; and a plurality of side surfaces, wherein the notch forms a recessed edge spaced away from the bottom surface and toward the top surface, the notch having a shoulder, a side, and an angle (θ1) between the shoulder and the side. The VCSEL device further includes two laser diode electrodes positioned in any combination on one or more of the plurality of surfaces of the chip.

A recording head has a near-field transducer proximate a media-facing surface of the recording head. A waveguide overlaps and delivers light to the near-field transducer, the light having a near-infrared wavelength. Two subwavelength focusing mirrors are at an end of the waveguide proximate the media-facing surface. The subwavelength mirrors are on opposite crosstrack sides of the near-field transducer and separated from a peg of the near-field transducer by a gap. The subwavelength focusing mirrors each include a core having a first edge exposed at the media-facing surface. The core formed of a core material that is resistant to mechanical wear and corrosion, such as a dielectric or robust metal. A liner covers a second edge of the core facing the near-field transducer. The liner includes a plasmonic metal that is has a plasmonic frequency in the ultraviolet range.