Western Digital (fremont), Inc.

Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

Yufeng Hu

Ut Tran

Zhongyan Wang

Shawn M Tanner

Jinshan Li

Ruolin Li

Kris Vossough

Mirzafer K Abatchev

Changqing Shi

Ge Yi

Hongxing Yuan

Sergei L Sochava

Steven C Rudy

Zhong Shi

Tsung Yuan Chen

Wei Gao

Wentao Yan

Mark D Moravec

Jinwen Wang

Nurul Amin

Eric R McKie

Xiaokai Zhang

Armen Kirakosian

Yugang Wang

Matthew R Gibbons

Marc A Finot

Guanxiong Li

Kevin K Lin

Yanfeng Chen

Jikou Zhou

Jerome S Marcelino

John Love

A method and system provides a near-field transducer (NFT) for a heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) transducer. The method and system include forming the disk of the NFT and forming the pin of the NFT. The disk is formed from a first material. The pin is formed from a second material different from the first material. The pin contacts the disk. At least a portion of the pin is between the disk and an air-bearing surface (ABS) location.

Near-field transducer (NFT) for a heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) device

Method for providing a near-field transducer (NFT) for a heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) device

A heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) writer is described. The HAMR writer is coupled with a laser and has an air-bearing surface (ABS) that resides near a media during use. The HAMR writer includes a waveguide, a near-field transducer (NFT), a main pole, coil(s) and at least one of a first and a second diffusion barrier layer. The waveguide is optically coupled with the laser and directs energy from the laser toward the ABS. The NFT is optically coupled with the waveguide and focuses the energy onto a region of the media. The main pole writes to the region of the media. The main pole has a top, a bottom, and a plurality of sides. The first diffusion barrier layer is between at least the NFT and the bottom of the pole. The second diffusion barrier layer is adjacent to the plurality of sides of the main pole.

Heat assisted magnetic recording head having a plurality of diffusion barrier layers

A method fabricates an interferometric tapered waveguide (ITWG) for a heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) transducer. The ITWG is defined from at least one waveguide layer. The waveguide layer(s) include an energy sensitive core layer. The energy sensitive core layer has an index of refraction that varies in response to exposure to energy having a particular wavelength range. The step of defining the ITWG includes defining a plurality of arms for the ITWG. At least one phase difference between the arms is determined. At least one of the arms is exposed to the energy such that the index of refraction of the energy sensitive core layer in the arm(s) is changed and such that the phase difference(s) between the arms is changed.

Method for compensating for phase variations in an interferometric tapered waveguide in a heat assisted magnetic recording head

A method for fabricating a structure in a magnetic recording transducer is described. A trench having sidewalls converging in a corner and a depth is formed. A dielectric layer is deposited using physical vapor deposit (PVD). The dielectric layer thickness is not more than one-half of the trench depth. A remaining portion of the trench is unfilled by the dielectric layer and has a top and a bottom. A portion of the dielectric layer is plasma etched. The plasma etch removes the portion of the dielectric layer at the top of the trench at a first rate and removes the portion of the dielectric layer at the bottom of the remaining portion of the trench at a second rate less than the first rate. An additional dielectric layer is deposited, also using PVD. The plasma etch and additional dielectric layer depositing steps are optionally repeated until the trench is filled.

Method for providing a structure having reduced voids in a magnetic recording transducer

A system for providing transducer(s) including a disk structure and having an air-bearing surface (ABS) are described. The disk structure resides a distance from the ABS and has a disk dimension substantially perpendicular to the ABS. Lapping control and disk windage ELGs are provided. The lapping control ELG has first and second edges first and second distances from the ABS. The disk windage ELG has edges different distances from the ABS. A difference between these edges corresponds to the disk dimension. A windage resistance of the disk windage ELG is measured and a disk windage determined. The disk windage corresponds to a difference between designed and actual disk dimensions perpendicular to the ABS. A lapping ELG target resistance is determined based on the disk windage. The transducer is lapped. Lapping is terminated based on a resistance of the lapping control ELG and the lapping ELG target resistance.

System for adjusting lapping of a transducer using a disk windage

An energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) is described. The EAMR transducer includes at least one near-field transducer (NFT) and an electronic lapping guide (ELG) substantially coplanar with a portion of the at least one film. In some aspects, the NFT includes a disk portion and a pin portion. The pin is between the disk portion and the ABS. The pin portion corresponds to a critical dimension of the NFT from an ABS location.

Energy assisted magnetic recording transducer having an electronic lapping guide corresponding to a near-field transducer

A method provides an EAMR transducer. The EAMR transducer is coupled with a laser and has an ABS configured to reside in proximity to a media during use. The method includes providing an NFT using an NFT mask. The NFT resides proximate to the ABS and focuses the laser energy onto the media. A portion of the NFT mask is removed, forming a heat sink mask covering part of the NFT. Optical material(s) are deposited, covering the heat sink mask and the NFT. The heat sink mask is removed, providing an aperture in the optical material(s). A heat sink corresponding to the aperture is provided. The heat sink bottom is thermally coupled with the NFT. A write pole for writing to the media and coil(s) for energizing the write pole are provided. The write pole has a bottom surface thermally coupled with the top surface of the heat sink.

Method and system for providing an energy assisted magnetic recording writer having a self aligned heat sink and NFT

Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward a bi-layer spacer structure and related fabrication processes for improving an interface between a near-field transducer (NFT) and a spacer on an optical waveguide core for an energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) system. The embodiments provide a solution for improving the adhesion between the NFT and the spacer.

Bi-layer NFT-core spacer for EAMR system and method of making the same

A method and system for providing transducer(s) including a disk structure and having an air-bearing surface (ABS) are described. The disk structure resides a distance from the ABS and has a disk dimension substantially perpendicular to the ABS. Lapping control and disk windage ELGs are provided. The lapping control ELG has first and second edges first and second distances from the ABS. The disk windage ELG has edges different distances from the ABS. A difference between these edges corresponds to the disk dimension. A windage resistance of the disk windage ELG is measured and a disk windage determined. The disk windage corresponds to a difference between designed and actual disk dimensions perpendicular to the ABS. A lapping ELG target resistance is determined based on the disk windage. The transducer is lapped. Lapping is terminated based on a resistance of the lapping control ELG and the lapping ELG target resistance.

Method and system for adjusting lapping of a transducer using a disk windage

Improved pump-probe testing methods and apparatuses for measuring the performance of a plasmon element at wafer level are provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a light source configured to output a first light beam on a grating located at a first end of a waveguide, the waveguide being configured to couple energy of the first light beam to the plasmon element located at a second end of the waveguide, and an optical probe assembly positioned above a top surface of the wafer. The optical probe assembly is configured to direct a second light beam on an area of the wafer including the plasmon element and detect a portion of the second light beam reflected from the area.

Methods and apparatuses for performing wafer level characterization of a plasmon element

A structure for measuring energy absorption by a surface plasmon receptor or NFT on a waveguide comprises a first waveguide, a first input grating for coupling light comprising a first wavelength into the first waveguide, a first output grating for coupling light out of the first waveguide, a first plurality of surface plasmon receptors in cooperation with the first waveguide to receive light energy and located between the first input grating and the first output grating. The structure may further comprise a second waveguide, a second input grating for coupling light into the second waveguide, a second output grating for coupling light out of the second waveguide, a second plurality of surface plasmon receptors between the second input grating and the second output grating and in cooperation with the second waveguide to receive light energy, wherein the second plurality may be less than or greater than the first plurality.

Structure and method to measure waveguide power absorption by surface plasmon element

A method provides an EAMR transducer. The EAMR transducer is coupled with a laser and has an ABS configured to reside in proximity to a media during use. The EAMR transducer includes an NFT for focusing the energy onto the media. A sacrificial layer is deposited on the NFT and a mask having an aperture provided on the sacrificial layer. A portion of the sacrificial layer exposed by the aperture is removed to form a trench above the NFT. A heat sink is then provided. At least part of the heat sink resides in the trench. The heat sink is thermally coupled to the NFT. Optical material(s) are provided around the heat sink. A write pole configured to write to a region of the media is also provided. The write pole is thermally coupled with the top of the heat sink. Coil(s) for energizing the write pole are also provided.

Method and system for providing an energy assisted magnetic recording writer having a heat sink and NFT

A method and system for providing an energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) transducer coupled with a laser. The EAMR transducer has an air-bearing surface (ABS) configured to reside in proximity to a media during use. The EAMR transducer includes a write pole, at least one coil, a waveguide and an output device. The write pole is configured to write to a region of the media. The at least one coil is for energizing the write pole. The waveguide has an input optically coupled to the laser and configured to direct energy from the laser toward the ABS for heating the region of the media. The output device is optically coupled to the waveguide. The output device coupling out a portion of the energy not coupled to the media.

Method and system for optically coupling a laser with a transducer in an energy assisted magnetic recording disk drive

A method and system provides an EAMR transducer. The transducer is coupled with a laser for providing energy and has an air-bearing surface (ABS) configured to reside in proximity to a media during use. The EAMR transducer includes a near field transducer (NFT) for focusing the energy onto the region of the media, a write pole, and at least one coil for energizing the write pole. The NFT includes a ring portion having an aperture therein and a pin portion proximate to the ABS. The write pole is configured to write to a region of the media.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Yufeng Hu