Near-field transducer with thermally robust peg embedded into an enlarged portion
A near-field transducer has an enlarged portion with a layer of soft plasmonic material. A peg formed of a thermally robust plasmonic material includes an embedded part that is partially embedded within the enlarged portion and has an exposed surface facing away from the enlarged portion. An intersection between a lower edge of the enlarged portion and the embedded part has a discontinuity.
1. A near-field transducer, comprising:
an enlarged portion comprising a layer of soft plasmonic material and having a lower edge facing a recording medium, the lower edge extending in a crosstrack direction; and
a peg formed of a thermally robust plasmonic material, the peg comprising an elongated outer part extending towards the recording medium from an embedded part of the peg that is enlarged in the crosstrack direction relative to the elongated outer part and partially embedded within the enlarged portion, the embedded part having an exposed edge that is not embedded in the enlarged portion and that extends in the crosstrack direction, the exposed edge facing towards the recording medium, an intersection between the lower edge of the enlarged portion and the exposed edge of the embedded part having a discontinuity in the crosstrack direction.
2. The near field transducer of claim 1 , wherein the discontinuity is due to a difference in size of the enlarged portion and embedded part in the crosstrack direction.
3. The near-field transducer of claim 2 , wherein the embedded part has a smaller crosstrack width than the enlarged part.
4. The near-field transducer of claim 1 , wherein the discontinuity is due to a difference in profile between the enlarged portion and embedded part.
5. The near-field transducer of claim 1 , wherein the embedded part and a first part of the enlarged portion are shifted a crosstrack distance relative to a centerline of the near-field transducer, the intersection between a second part of the enlarged portion and the embedded part forming the discontinuity.
6. The near-field transducer of claim 1 , wherein the soft plasmonic material comprises Au and the thermally robust plasmonic material comprises Rh, Ir, Pt, Pd, or an alloy thereof.
7. The near-field transducer of claim 1 , wherein the peg is joined to the embedded part via rounded fillets.
8. The near-field transducer of claim 1 , wherein the lower edge of the enlarged portion comprises a first flat edge and the exposed edge of the embedded part comprises a flat lower edge, the embedded part comprising a rectangular shape.
9. A near-field transducer, comprising:
an enlarged portion comprising a layer of soft plasmonic material; and
a peg formed of a thermally robust plasmonic material, the peg comprising an embedded part that is partially embedded within the enlarged portion and having an exposed surface facing away from the enlarged portion, an intersection between a lower edge of the enlarged portion and the embedded part having a discontinuity, wherein the lower edge of the enlarged portion comprises a flat edge and the embedded part comprises a curved lower edge.
10. The near-field transducer of claim 9 , wherein the embedded part comprises a circular shape.
11. The near-field transducer of claim 9 , wherein the embedded part comprises a half-circular shape.
12. A recording head, comprising:
a magnetic write transducer;
a waveguide; and
a near-field transducer proximate the magnetic write transducer and the waveguide, the near-field transducer comprising:
an enlarged portion comprising a layer of soft plasmonic material and having a lower edge facing a recording medium, the lower edge extending in a crosstrack direction; and
a peg formed of a thermally robust plasmonic material, the peg comprising an elongated outer part extending towards the recording medium from an embedded part of the peg that is enlarged in the crosstrack direction relative to the elongated outer part and partially embedded within the enlarged portion, the embedded part having an edge that is not embedded in the enlarged portion and that extends in the crosstrack direction, the exposed edge facing towards the recording medium, an intersection between the lower edge of the exposed edge of the enlarged portion and the embedded part having a discontinuity in the crosstrack direction.
13. The recording head of claim 12 , wherein the discontinuity is due to a difference in size of the enlarged portion and embedded part in the crosstrack direction.
14. The recording head of claim 13 , wherein the embedded part has a smaller crosstrack width than the enlarged part.
15. The recording head of claim 12 , wherein the discontinuity is due to a difference in profile between the enlarged portion and embedded part.
16. The recording head of claim 15 , wherein the lower edge of the enlarged portion comprises a flat edge and the embedded part comprises a curved lower edge.
17. The recording head of claim 16 , wherein the embedded part comprises a circular shape.
18. The recording head of claim 16 , wherein the embedded part comprises a half-circular shape.
19. The recording head of claim 12 , wherein the embedded part and a first part of the enlarged portion are shifted a crosstrack distance relative to a centerline of the near-field transducer, the intersection between a second part of the enlarged portion and the embedded part forming the discontinuity.
20. The recording head of claim 12 , wherein the soft plasmonic material comprises Au and the thermally robust plasmonic material comprises Rh, Ir, Pt, Pd, or an alloy thereof.
21. The recording head of claim 12 , wherein the peg is joined to the embedded part via rounded fillets.
22. The recording head of claim 12 , wherein the lower edge of the enlarged portion comprises a first flat edge and the embedded part comprises a flat lower edge, the embedded part comprising a rectangular shape.