IP Library Granted Patent US 8,320,219
Granted Patent B1
US 8,320,219 · App. 12/815,934 · Granted Nov 27, 2012

Trailing edge optimized near field transducer

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,320,219
App. No.
12/815,934
Granted
Nov 27, 2012
Kind
B1
Abstract

An energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) head for writing to a recording media is disclosed. The EAMR head includes a write pole for providing a magnetic field for writing to the recording media; and a near field transducer disposed adjacent to the write pole and comprising a disk section and a pin section extending towards an air bearing surface (ABS) from the disk section. At least a portion of the pin section is electrically isolated from the write pole by an insulator material.

Claims (29)

1. An energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) head for writing to a recording media, the EAMR head comprising:

a write pole for providing a magnetic field for writing to the recording media;

at least one laser for providing energy to the recording media to assist the writing;

a near field transducer (NFT) disposed adjacent to the write pole and coupled with the at least one laser, the NFT configured to direct the energy to a corresponding thermal spot on the recording media,

wherein the NFT comprises a disk section and a pin section extending towards an air bearing surface (ABS) from the disk section, and

wherein the disk section is separated from the write pole by a heat sink layer and at least a portion of the pin section is separated from the write pole by an insulating layer.

2. The EAMR head of claim 1 , wherein at least the disk section of the NFT comprises a first material capable of supporting a surface-plasmon resonance in the disk section when subjected to the energy.

3. The EAMR head of claim 2 , wherein the first material is selected from a group consisting of Au, Ag, Cu, and Al.

4. The EAMR head of claim 1 , wherein the disk section of the NFT comprises a substantially circular disk comprising Au.

5. The EAMR head of claim 1 , wherein the disk section and the pin section of the NFT comprise Au.

6. The EAMR head of claim 2 , wherein the disk section is coupled to the write pole via a heat sink layer comprising a second material.

7. The EAMR head of claim 6 , wherein the disk region of the NFT has a thickness in a range between about 10 and 100 nm, and the heat sink layer has a thickness in a range between about 10 and 100 nm.

8. The EAMR head of claim 6 , wherein the second material is selected from a group consisting of Cu, Au, Ag, and Al.

9. The EAMR head of claim 6 , wherein the first material exhibits a stronger surface-plasmon resonance than the second material.

10. The EAMR head of claim 6 , wherein the first material is Au, and the second material is Cu.

11. The EAMR head of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding thermal spot does not extend into a region of the recording media below the write pole.

12. The EAMR head of claim 1 , wherein the insulating layer prevents a skin depth penetration of the energy into a corresponding portion of the write pole adjacent to the insulating layer.

13. The EAMR head of claim 1 , wherein the pin section has a rectangular cross section in a plane parallel to the ABS.

14. The EAMR head of claim 1 , wherein the pin section has a non-rectangular cross section in a plane parallel to the ABS.

15. The EAMR head of claim 1 , wherein the pin section has a thickness in an along-track direction of between about 10 and 100 nm.

16. The EAMR head of claim 1 , wherein the pin section has a width in a cross-track direction of between about 10 and 500 nm.

17. The EAMR head of claim 1 , wherein the insulating layer has a thickness of between about 10 and 100 nm.

18. The EAMR head of claim 1 , wherein the insulator layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of Si 3 N 4 , Al 2 O 3 , AlN, GaN, SiO 2 , and BN 4 .

19. The EAMR head of claim 1 , wherein the EAMR head is configured to write a plurality of radially-spaced overlapping data tracks of data on the recording media.

20. The EAMR head of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding spot has a width not less than a track pitch of the recording media.

21. An energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) head for writing to a recording media comprising:

a write pole for providing a magnetic field for writing to the recording media; and

a near field transducer disposed adjacent to the write pole and comprising a disk section and a pin section extending towards an air bearing surface (ABS) from the disk section,

wherein the disk section is separated from the write pole by a heat sink layer and at least a portion of the pin section is electrically isolated from the write pole by an insulator material.

Assignments (8)
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - DDTL LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067045/0156 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - A&R LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064715/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 038710 FRAME 0845 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC; WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058965/0445 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2019
From: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 050450/0582 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 5, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
Reel/Frame 045501/0158 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 16, 2016
From: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038710/0845 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 16, 2016
From: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038744/0675 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 16, 2016
From: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038744/0755 →