According to one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a magnetic pole, a first shield, a magnetic layer, a first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer. The magnetic layer is provided between the magnetic pole and the first shield. The first conductive layer includes at least one of Cu, Ag, Au, Al and Cr, and is provided between the magnetic pole and the first shield. A direction from the first conductive layer toward the magnetic layer crosses a first direction from the magnetic pole toward the first shield. A second conductive layer includes at least one of Ta, Pt, W, Ru, Mo, Ir, Rh, and Pd and is provided at one of a first position or a second position. The first position is between the first conductive layer and the first shield. The second position is between the magnetic pole and the first conductive layer.

A microwave-assisted magnetic recording writer is disclosed wherein a heat sink is formed in a write gap (WG) and adjacent to a spin torque oscillator (STO) formed between a main pole (MP) trailing side and a trailing shield (hot seed layer). The WG comprises an electrically insulating layer with thickness of 5-80 Angstroms on the MP trailing side and STO sides. The heat sink layer may be separate coplanar layers on each STO side, or a single layer wrapping around the STO. A Ru or Cu heat sink has sufficient thermal conductivity to reduce STO temperature rise by 11% and 20%, respectively. Accordingly, the STO has longer lifetime at the same bias current density, or higher buffer head voltage is possible while maintaining STO device reliability. Each heat sink has a front side at an air bearing surface, and a stripe height (SH)to the STO SH.

A microwave-assisted magnetic recording writer is disclosed wherein a heat sink is formed in a write gap (WG) and adjacent to a spin torque oscillator (STO) formed between a main pole (MP) trailing side and a trailing shield (hot seed layer). The WG comprises an electrically insulating layer with thickness of 5-80 Angstroms on the MP trailing side and STO sides and the heat sink layer with a thickness that may be independently optimized and a width from 0.05 micron to 1 micron. A Ru or Cu heat sink has sufficient thermal conductivity to reduce STO temperature rise by 11% and 20%, respectively. Accordingly, the STO has longer lifetime at the same bias current density, or higher buffer head voltage is possible while maintaining STO device reliability. Each heat sink has a front side at an air bearing surface, and a stripe height (SH)to the STO SH.

Disclosed herein are magnetic write heads and methods of designing them, and data storage devices comprising such write heads. A magnetic write head having leading and trailing sides comprises an air-bearing surface (ABS), a main pole between the leading and trailing sides, a first return pole between the main pole and the leading side, at least one optical near-field generator between the first return pole and the main pole, and a second return pole between the main pole and the trailing side. The main pole comprises a first tapered portion comprising a leading-side edge perpendicular to the ABS, a first trailing-side edge at a first angle to the ABS, and a second trailing-side edge recessed from the ABS and at a second angle to the ABS. The second return pole comprises a second tapered portion adjacent to the ABS and extending toward the main pole.

A recording head comprises a waveguide extending to an air-bearing surface, and the waveguide comprises a core surrounded by cladding layers. A near-field transducer is disposed on a first side of the core, and a reflector, comprising a layer of metallic material, is disposed on a second side of the core facing away from the first side. The reflector extends beyond the core in a cross-track direction and extends in a direction normal to the air-bearing surface. The reflector has a thickness in a downtrack direction of less than 200 nm.

Devices having an air bearing surface (ABS), the device including a near field transducer, the near field transducer having a peg and a disc, the peg having a region adjacent the ABS, the peg including a plasmonic material selected from gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), aluminum (Al), or combinations thereof; and at least one other secondary atom selected from germanium (Ge), tellurium (Te), aluminum (Al), antimony (Sb), tin (Sn), mercury (Hg), indium (In), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), silver (Ag), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), and combinations thereof, wherein a concentration of the secondary atom is higher at the region of the peg adjacent the ABS than a concentration of the secondary atom throughout the bulk of the peg. Methods of forming NFTs are also disclosed.

A microwave assisted magnetic recording writer has a main pole (MP) with a write gap formed between the MP trailing side and a trailing shield, a side gap between each MP side and a side shield, and a leading gap between the MP leading side and a leading shield. A spin torque oscillator (STO) is formed in at least each side gap and recessed from the air bearing surface to reduce wear. Each STO has a flux guiding layer (FGL) with a magnetization that flips to a direction substantially opposite to the gap field when a current of sufficient density is applied from the adjacent shield towards the MP thereby forcing additional flux out of the MP at the ABS to enhance writability on a magnetic recording medium. Accordingly, the gap between the recessed STO and ABS is reduced to provide enhanced area density capability without sacrificing overwrite.

Disclosed herein are magnetic write heads and data storage devices comprising such write heads. A magnetic write head comprises a leading side, a trailing side, an air-bearing surface (ABS), a main pole disposed between the leading side and the trailing side and extending to the ABS, a first return pole disposed between the main pole and the leading side, and a second return pole disposed between the main pole and the trailing side. One or both of the main pole and the second return pole may be tapered.

An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a magnetic read transducer comprised of a sensing portion and proximate magnetic shields, and a wear-resistant in-situ film on a media-facing side of the read transducer. The in-situ film is comprised of material derived from a flexible medium. The in-situ film is primarily above the read transducer.

A method is disclosed for forming a perpendicular magnetic recording writer with an all wrap around (AWA) shield design wherein a surface of the leading shield that contacts the lead gap has a notch that is recessed 20 to 120 nm from the air bearing surface (ABS) and has a first side with a down-track dimension of 20-200 nm that is aligned parallel to the ABS. In one embodiment, the notch is aligned below the main pole leading side and has a cross-track width substantially the same as the track width of the main pole trailing side. The notch has two sidewalls formed equidistant from a center plane that bisects the leading shield wherein each sidewall intersects the first side at an angle of 90 to 170 degrees. Accordingly, overwrite and bit error rate are improved while adjacent track interference and tracks per square inch capability are substantially maintained.