Methods of forming materials
Methods of forming a near field transducer (NFT), the methods including the steps of depositing plasmonic material on a substrate; laser annealing at least a portion of the deposited plasmonic material at a wavelength from 100 nm to 2.0 micrometers (μm) to induce liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) in the annealed deposited plasmonic material to form a epitaxially modified plasmonic material; and forming a NFT from at least a portion of the epitaxially modified plasmonic material are disclosed as well as other methods and devices such as those formed.
1. A method of forming a near field transducer (NFT), the method comprising the steps of:
forming a mold on a substrate, the mold comprising tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), carbon (C), oxides, nitrides, carbides, or borides, combinations thereof;
depositing a plasmonic material on at least a portion of the mold;
laser annealing at least a portion of the deposited plasmonic material to induce liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) in the annealed deposited plasmonic material to form a epitaxially modified plasmonic material, wherein the mold controls at least the in-plane gradient in the plasmonic material and the mold comprises trenches, pits, rods, pillars, or combinations thereof; and
forming a NFT from at least a portion of the epitaxially modified plasmonic material.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold comprises tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), carbon (C), or combinations thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold is an amorphous material.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold is a crystalline material.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising pre-patterning the plasmonic material before laser annealing.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming a capping layer on the plasmonic material before laser annealing the plasmonic material.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising removing the capping layer after laser annealing the plasmonic material.