A method involves forming a metal layer on a metal seed layer, the metal seed layer formed on a carrier wafer. A surface of the metal layer defines a first metal bonding layer. A second metal bonding layer is provided on a target substrate having recording head subassemblies. Mating surfaces of the first and second metal bonding layers are activated and the carrier wafer is flipped and joined with the target substrate such that the first and second metal bonding layers are bonded and the metal layer is integrated with the recording head as a near-field transducer.

A method involves forming a metal layer on a metal seed layer, the metal seed layer formed on a carrier wafer. A surface of the metal layer defines a first metal bonding layer. A second metal bonding layer is provided on a target substrate having recording head subassemblies. Mating surfaces of the first and second metal bonding layers are activated and the carrier wafer is flipped and joined with the target substrate such that the first and second metal bonding layers are bonded and the metal layer is integrated with the recording head as a near-field transducer.

A method comprises forming a single-crystal-like metal layer on a metal seed layer, the metal seed layer formed on a carrier wafer. The method comprises forming a first diffusion layer on the single-crystal-like metal layer. The method also comprises forming a second diffusion layer on a dielectric layer of a target substrate, the target substrate comprising one or more recording head subassemblies. The method further comprises flipping and joining the carrier wafer with the target substrate such that the first and second diffusion layers are bonded and the single-crystal-like metal layer is integrated with the recording head as a near-field transducer.

A method comprises forming a single-crystal-like metal layer on a metal seed layer, the metal seed layer formed on a carrier wafer. The method comprises forming a first diffusion layer on the single-crystal-like metal layer. The method also comprises forming a second diffusion layer on a dielectric layer of a target substrate, the target substrate comprising one or more recording head subassemblies. The method further comprises flipping and joining the carrier wafer with the target substrate such that the first and second diffusion layers are bonded and the single-crystal-like metal layer is integrated with the recording head as a near-field transducer.