A slider is configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording and comprises an NFT and a transparent thermocouple configured to produce a signal indicative of temperature at the NFT. A detector can be coupled to the thermocouple and configured to detect one or both of spacing changes and contact between the slider and a magnetic recording medium.

A method of forming a near field transducer (NFT) layer, the method including depositing a film of a primary element, the film having a film thickness and a film expanse; and implanting at least one secondary element into the primary element, wherein the NFT layer includes the film of the primary element doped with the at least one secondary element.

An optical recording medium includes a reflective layer, a first dielectric layer, a phase-change recording layer, and a second dielectric layer. The phase-change recording layer has an average composition represented by SbxInyMz, in which M is at least one of Mo, Ge, Mn, and Al, and x, y, and z are values in the ranges 0.70x0.92, 0.05y0.20, and 0.03z0.10, respectively, provided that x+y+z=1, the first dielectric layer includes a zirconium oxide-containing composite material or tantalum oxide, and the second dielectric layer includes a chromium oxide-containing composite material or silicon nitride.

An apparatus includes an input coupler configured to receive light excited by a light source. A near-field transducer (NFT) is positioned at a media-facing surface of a write head. A layered waveguide is positioned between the input coupler and the NFT and configured to receive the light output from the input coupler in a transverse electric (TE) mode and deliver the light to the NFT in a transverse magnetic (TM) mode. The layered waveguide comprises a first layer extending along a light-propagation direction. The first layer is configured to receive light from the input coupler. The first layer tapers from a first cross track width to a second cross track width where the second cross track width is narrower than the first cross track width. The layered waveguide includes a second layer that is disposed on the first layer. The second layer has a cross sectional area in a plane perpendicular to the light propagation direction that increases along the light propagation direction. The cross sectional area of the second layer is smaller proximate to the input coupler and larger proximate to the NFT.

An apparatus includes an apparatus comprising a slider. The slider comprises a substrate comprising a media-facing surface, a first side surface perpendicular to the media-facing surface, and a second side surface opposite the first side surface. A heat sink layer is formed proximate to and thermally coupled to the first side surface of the substrate. A write transducer comprises a waveguide core that at least partially extends from the top surface to the media-facing surface. The waveguide core is formed proximate to and thermally coupled to the heat sink layer. A read transducer is formed proximate to the write transducer such that the read transducer is closer to a trailing edge of the slider than the write transducer.

A method of forming a near field transducer (NFT) layer, the method including depositing a film of a primary element, the film having a film thickness and a film expanse; and implanting at least one secondary element into the primary element, wherein the NFT layer includes the film of the primary element doped with the at least one secondary element.

A method of forming a near field transducer (NFT) layer, the method including depositing a film of a primary element, the film having a film thickness and a film expanse; and implanting at least one secondary element into the primary element, wherein the NFT layer includes the film of the primary element doped with the at least one secondary element.

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.

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.

A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes a main pole and a plasmon generator. The plasmon generator includes a first material portion and a second material portion formed of different materials. The first material portion is located away from the medium facing surface. The second material portion includes a near-field light generating surface. The main pole has a front end face including a first end face portion and a second end face portion. The near-field light generating surface, the first end face portion and the second end face portion are arranged in this order along the direction of travel of a recording medium.