Abstract: An apparatus includes a slider configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording. The slider comprises an input coupler configured to receive light excited by a light source and a waveguide. The waveguide comprises a waveguide core tapering along a light propagation direction from a first cross-sectional width to a second cross-sectional width. The second cross sectional width is smaller than the first cross sectional width. The waveguide core comprises a trench at an output end. The waveguide comprises at least one cladding layer surrounding the waveguide core. The waveguide is configured to provide a surface plasmon-enhanced near-field radiation pattern proximate the output end in response to the received light.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a slider configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording. A near-field transducer comprising a peg is situated at or near an air bearing surface of the slider, and an optical waveguide of the slider is configured to couple light from a light source to the near-field transducer. The peg comprises a hyperbolic metamaterial, and the near-field transducer may further include an enlarged portion from which the peg extends, where the enlarged portion may also comprise a hyperbolic metamaterial.

Abstract: A recording head that includes a bearing surface and a write pole having a front surface that forms a portion of the bearing surface. The recording head also includes a side shield for the write pole. The side shield includes a low saturation magnetization cap layer having a front surface that forms a portion of the bearing surface. The side shield also includes a main side shield layer having a saturation magnetization that is higher than a saturation magnetization value of the low saturation magnetization cap layer.

Abstract: A recording head has a magnetic write transducer proximate a side of a plasmonic gap waveguide. The magnetic write transducer has a first write pole section that tapers in a crosstrack direction and downtrack direction to form a tapered tip. The first write pole section includes a high-moment, seed layer on one side. A second write pole section is coupled to the first write pole section. The second write pole section extends a second distance away from the media-facing surface less than that of the first write pole section. A tip of the second write pole section is tapered in the crosstrack and downtrack directions.

Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT) the NFT includes a bulk of at least one plasmonic material and at least one sacrificial metal; and a surface layer that includes an oxide of the at least one sacrificial metal.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a slider having a media-facing surface and that is configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording. The slider comprises a write pole, a heatsink layer, and a diffusing metal. The write pole includes two or more sides extending into the slider and a pole tip at the media-facing surface. The heatsink layer is proximate at least part of the two or more sides of the write pole, and a first portion of the heatsink layer is proximate the pole tip. The diffusing metal is disposed proximate the write pole.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a slider configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording. An input coupler of the slider is configured to-receive light produced by a light source. A waveguide of the slider comprises a waveguide core tapering from a first portion having a first cross sectional width to a second portion having a second cross sectional width along the light propagation direction. The second cross sectional width being smaller than the first cross sectional width, and the second portion having an output end. The waveguide includes at least one cladding layer comprising a metallic material. The at least one cladding layer surrounds at least the core. The at least one cladding layer is configured to sink heat away from the waveguide core. The waveguide is configured to provide a surface plasmon-enhanced near-field radiation pattern proximate the output end in response to the light received at the transducer region.

Abstract: The presently disclosed technology teaches integrating disc drive electronics into a transducer head. Decreased electrical transit times and data processing times can be achieved by placing the electronics on or within the transducer head because electrical connections may be made physically shorter than in conventional systems. The electronics may include one or more of a control system circuit, a write driver, and/or a data buffer. The control system circuit generates a modified clock signal that has a fixed relation to phase and frequency of a bit-detected reference signal that corresponds to positions of patterned bits on the disc. The write driver writes outgoing data bits received from an external connection to off-head electronics directly to the writer synchronized with the modified clock signal. The data buffer stores and converts digital data bits sent from the off-head electronics to an analog signal that is synchronized with the modified clock signal.

Abstract: A near-field transducer has an enlarged portion with a peg extending towards a media-facing surface. Two reflectors are located co-planar with near-field transducer and located on either side of the near-field transducer in a crosstrack direction. The two reflectors are separated by a gap proximate the peg of the near-field transducer. The two reflectors each include a first edge at the media facing surface and a second edge at an acute angle to the media-facing surface. The second edge faces the near-field transducer. The two reflectors concentrate the light on the peg of the near-field transducer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of forming one or more transducer elements in a transducer region of a slider by electrodepositing one or more metal ions from an ionic liquid solvent, and related sliders.

Abstract: The presently disclosed technology teaches integrating disc drive electronics into a transducer head. Decreased electrical transit times and data processing times can be achieved by placing the electronics on or within the transducer head because electrical connections may be made physically shorter than in conventional systems. The electronics may include one or more of a control system circuit, a write driver, and/or a data buffer. The control system circuit generates a modified clock signal that has a fixed relation to phase and frequency of a bit-detected reference signal that corresponds to positions of patterned bits on the disc. The write driver writes outgoing data bits received from an external connection to off-head electronics directly to the writer synchronized with the modified clock signal. The data buffer stores and converts digital data bits sent from the off-head electronics to an analog signal that is synchronized with the modified clock signal.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a slider configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording. A near-field transducer comprising a peg is situated at or near an air bearing surface of the slider, and an optical waveguide of the slider is configured to couple light from a light source to the near-field transducer. The peg comprises a hyperbolic metamaterial, and the near-field transducer may further include an enlarged portion from which the peg extends, where the enlarged portion may also comprise a hyperbolic metamaterial.

Abstract: A data writer may be configured with a write pole that has one or more sidewalls continuously extending from an air bearing surface. A write pole sidewall can have a plurality of different wall angles. A portion of a write pole sidewall contacting the air bearing surface can have a first wall angle with respect to a trailing edge of the write pole, parallel to the air bearing surface. A second portion of the write pole sidewall can be half or less of the first wall angle. A third portion of the write pole sidewall can be smaller than the second wall angle.

Abstract: A slider includes a slot waveguide configured to receive energy from an input surface. The slot waveguide has first and second high-index regions surrounding a middle region that extends along a light propagation direction. The middle region has a refractive index less than that of the first and second high index regions. A near-field transducer is at an output portion of the middle region at media-facing surface. The near-field transducer has first and second plates parallel to the media-facing surface with a gap therebetween. An active laser region has a front facet optically coupled to the input surface of the slider. A reflective back facet of the laser and the near-field transducer define a single optical resonator.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a slider configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording. An input coupler of the slider is configured to-receive light produced by a light source. A waveguide of the slider comprises a waveguide core tapering from a first portion having a first cross sectional width to a second portion having a second cross sectional width along the light propagation direction. The second cross sectional width being smaller than the first cross sectional width, and the second portion having an output end. The waveguide includes at least one cladding layer comprising a metallic material. The at least one cladding layer surrounds at least the core. The at least one cladding layer is configured to sink heat away from the waveguide core. The waveguide is configured to provide a surface plasmon-enhanced near-field radiation pattern proximate the output end in response to the light received at the transducer region.

Abstract: A waveguide has a first cladding layer surrounding a near-field transducer. A core of the waveguide is disposed on the first cladding layer, and a second cladding layer is disposed on the core opposite the first cladding layer. A coupler is formed of a second plasmonic material and disposed in the waveguide such that a first edge of the coupler is proximate a media-facing surface and a first side of the coupler faces and is spaced apart from a peg of the near-field transducer in a downtrack direction.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of forming one or more transducer elements in a transducer region of a slider by electrodepositing one or more metal ions from an ionic liquid solvent, and related sliders.

Abstract: The presently disclosed technology teaches integrating disc drive electronics into a transducer head. Decreased electrical transit times and data processing times can be achieved by placing the electronics on or within the transducer head because electrical connections may be made physically shorter than in conventional systems. The electronics may include one or more of a control system circuit, a write driver, and/or a data buffer. The control system circuit generates a modified clock signal that has a fixed relation to phase and frequency of a bit-detected reference signal that corresponds to positions of patterned bits on the disc. The write driver writes outgoing data bits received from an external connection to off-head electronics directly to the writer synchronized with the modified clock signal. The data buffer stores and converts digital data bits sent from the off-head electronics to an analog signal that is synchronized with the modified clock signal.

Abstract: The presently disclosed technology teaches integrating disc drive electronics into a transducer head. Decreased electrical transit times and data processing times can be achieved by placing the electronics on or within the transducer head because electrical connections may be made physically shorter than in conventional systems. The electronics may include one or more of a control system circuit, a write driver, and/or a data buffer. The control system circuit generates a modified clock signal that has a fixed relation to phase and frequency of a bit-detected reference signal that corresponds to positions of patterned bits on the disc. The write driver writes outgoing data bits received from an external connection to off-head electronics directly to the writer synchronized with the modified clock signal. The data buffer stores and converts digital data bits sent from the off-head electronics to an analog signal that is synchronized with the modified clock signal.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of forming one or more transducer elements in a transducer region of a slider by electrodepositing one or more metal ions from an ionic liquid solvent, and related sliders.