IP Library Granted Patent US 12,400,680
Granted Patent B1
US 12,400,680 · App. 18/652,371 · Granted Aug 26, 2025

Head and media overcoats for heat assisted magnetic recording

Inventors: Quang Le (San Jose, CA); Tan Duy Trinh (San Jose, CA); Hassan Osman (San Jose, CA); Maki Maeda (Fujisawa, JP); Qing Dai (San Jose, CA); Hisashi Takano (Fujisawa, JP)
Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
G11B5/7264G11B5/84G11B13/08G11B2005/0021
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,400,680
App. No.
18/652,371
Granted
Aug 26, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a magnetic recording drive comprising a write head disposed over a media. The write head comprises a main pole, a waveguide disposed adjacent to the main pole, a near field transducer (NFT) coupled between the main pole and the waveguide at a media facing surface (MFS) and a head overcoat disposed on the MFS, the head overcoat comprising SiN. The head overcoat has an extinction coefficient (k) value of about 0.0. The media comprises a media overcoat disposed adjacent to the head overcoat. The media overcoat comprises a first layer of C and a second layer of SiN disposed on the first layer. The media overcoat has a k-value of about 0.5 or greater. The head overcoat is transparent while the media overcoat is heat absorbent.

Claims (35)

1. A magnetic recording drive, comprising:

a write head, the write head comprising a head overcoat disposed on a media facing surface (MFS), the head overcoat comprising SiN; and

a media disposed adjacent to the MFS of the write head, the media comprising a media overcoat comprising a first layer of SiN disposed over a second layer of C, wherein the media overcoat has an extinction coefficient (k) value of about 0.5 or greater.

2. The magnetic recording drive of claim 1 , wherein the head overcoat has k-value of about 0.0.

3. The magnetic recording drive of claim 1 , wherein the head overcoat is transparent.

4. The magnetic recording drive of claim 1 , wherein the media overcoat is heat absorbent.

5. A magnetic recording drive, comprising:

a write head, the write head comprising a head overcoat disposed on a media facing surface (MFS), the head overcoat comprising SiN; and

a media disposed adjacent to the MFS of the write head, the media comprising a media overcoat comprising a first layer of SiN disposed over a second layer of C, wherein the head overcoat has an extinction coefficient (k) value of less than or equal to about 0.1.

6. The magnetic recording drive of claim 1 , wherein the head overcoat is formed by atomic layer deposition (ALD).

7. A magnetic recording drive, comprising:

a write head, the write head comprising:

a main pole;

a waveguide disposed adjacent to the main pole;

a near field transducer (NFT) coupled between the main pole and the waveguide at a media facing surface (MFS); and

a head overcoat disposed on the MFS adjacent to the NFT, the head overcoat comprising SiN and having an extinction coefficient (k) value of about 0.0; and

a media disposed adjacent to the MFS of the write head, the media comprising a media overcoat comprising a bilayer of SiN and C, with the C layer having a k-value of 0.5 or greater.

8. The magnetic recording drive of claim 7 , wherein the head overcoat is formed by atomic layer deposition (ALD).

9. The magnetic recording drive of claim 7 , wherein the SiN layer of the media overcoat is deposited using ALD, and wherein the C layer of the media overcoat is deposited using chemical vapor deposition.

10. The magnetic recording drive of claim 7 , wherein the SiN layer of the media overcoat is disposed over the C layer of the media overcoat.

11. The magnetic recording drive of claim 7 , further wherein the head overcoat has an extinction coefficient (k) value of less than or equal to about 0.1.

12. The magnetic recording drive of claim 7 , wherein the head overcoat is transparent.

13. The magnetic recording drive of claim 7 , wherein the media overcoat is heat absorbing.

14. A magnetic recording drive, comprising:

a write head, the write head comprising:

a main pole;

a waveguide disposed adjacent to the main pole;

a near field transducer (NFT) coupled between the main pole and the waveguide at a media facing surface (MFS); and

a transparent head overcoat disposed on the MFS adjacent to the NFT, the head overcoat comprising SiN and having an extinction coefficient (k) value of less than about 0.1; and

a media disposed adjacent to the MFS of the write head, the media comprising a heat absorbent media overcoat comprising a first layer of C and a second layer SiN, the first layer of C having a k-value of 0.5 or greater.

15. The magnetic recording drive of claim 14 , wherein the head overcoat has an extinction coefficient (k) value of about 0.0.

16. The magnetic recording drive of claim 14 , wherein the second layer of SiN is disposed on the first layer of C.

17. The magnetic recording drive of claim 14 , wherein the head overcoat and the second layer of SiN of the media overcoat are deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD).

18. The magnetic recording drive of claim 14 , wherein the first layer of C of the media overcoat is deposited using chemical vapor deposition.

19. The magnetic recording drive of claim 14 , wherein the head overcoat is transparent, and wherein the media overcoat is heat absorbing.

Assignments (2)
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT (AR) Recorded Aug 23, 2024
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS THE AGENT
Reel/Frame 068762/0695 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2024
From: LE, QUANG; TRINH, TAN DUY; OSMAN, HASSAN; MAEDA, MAKI; DAI, QING; TAKANO, HISASHI
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067296/0500 →