Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) head that includes a near-field transducer (NFT) with a trailing bevel. Also disclosed are sliders and data storage devices comprising those HAMR heads, and methods of manufacturing HAMR heads with NFTs having trailing bevels. A HAMR head comprises a waveguide core, a main pole, and a NFT comprising a trailing beveled edge at an acute angle to an air-bearing surface (ABS) of the HAMR head. A method of fabricating a HAMR head comprises depositing material for a NFT, creating a trailing-side surface of the NFT, and creating a trailing beveled edge in the trailing-side surface of the NFT at the ABS, and forming a dielectric layer over the trailing beveled edge. The trailing beveled edge is at an acute angle to the ABS, and a remainder of the trailing-side surface of the NFT is substantially perpendicular to the ABS.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) head that includes a near-field transducer (NFT) with a trailing bevel. Also disclosed are sliders and data storage devices comprising those HAMR heads, and methods of manufacturing HAMR heads with NFTs having trailing bevels. A HAMR head comprises a waveguide core, a main pole, and a NFT comprising a trailing beveled edge at an acute angle to an air-bearing surface (ABS) of the HAMR head. A method of fabricating a HAMR head comprises depositing material for a NFT, creating a trailing-side surface of the NFT, and creating a trailing beveled edge in the trailing-side surface of the NFT at the ABS, and forming a dielectric layer over the trailing beveled edge. The trailing beveled edge is at an acute angle to the ABS, and a remainder of the trailing-side surface of the NFT is substantially perpendicular to the ABS.

Abstract: A magnetic write apparatus includes a pole and a near field transducer. The pole extends in a yoke direction from a media facing surface where the yoke direction extends perpendicular to the media facing surface. The near field transducer includes a near field transducer cap and a near field transducer nose. The near field transducer nose is separated from the pole by the near field transducer cap and a dielectric gap and the near field transducer nose comprises a bevel surface that forms a bevel angle with a plane extending in the yoke direction.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a near-field transducer (NFT) for a heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) write apparatus is described. The HAMR write apparatus is coupled with a laser for providing energy and has a media-facing surface (MFS) configured to reside in proximity to a media during use. The method includes providing a stack on an underlayer. The stack includes an endpoint detection layer, an optical layer and an etchable layer. The optical layer is between the etchable and endpoint detection layers. The etchable layer is patterned to form a mask. A portion of the optical layer is removed. A remaining portion of the optical layer has a bevel at a bevel angle from the MFS location. The bevel angle is nonzero and acute. The NFT is provided such that the NFT has an NFT front surface adjoining the bevel and at the bevel angle from the MFS location.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a near-field transducer (NFT) for a heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) write apparatus is described. The HAMR write apparatus is coupled with a laser for providing energy and has a media-facing surface (MFS) configured to reside in proximity to a media during use. The method includes providing a stack on an underlayer. The stack includes an endpoint detection layer, an optical layer and an etchable layer. The optical layer is between the etchable and endpoint detection layers. The etchable layer is patterned to form a mask. A portion of the optical layer is removed. A remaining portion of the optical layer has a bevel at a bevel angle from the MFS location. The bevel angle is nonzero and acute. The NFT is provided such that the NFT has an NFT front surface adjoining the bevel and at the bevel angle from the MFS location.

Abstract: A method provides a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) location. An intermediate layer having a substantially flat bottom surface is provided. A trench is formed in the intermediate layer. The trench is wider in yoke region than in the pole tip region. The trench has a first depth in the yoke region and a second depth less than the first depth in the pole tip region. A portion of the intermediate layer is at the bottom of the trench at the ABS location. A nonmagnetic layer is provided. The nonmagnetic layer fills part of the trench in the pole tip region such that the trench has a third depth less than the second depth at the ABS location. A main pole is provided. The main pole has a leading bevel adjacent to nonmagnetic layer in the portion of the pole tip region of the trench.

Abstract: A method provides a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface. The method includes providing a main pole that has a plurality of sidewalls. The step of providing the main pole includes providing a trailing bevel. A side shield after the trailing bevel has been provided.

Abstract: A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) location, a pole and a gap. The pole has a bottom and a top wider than the bottom. The gap is on the top of the pole and at least as wide as the top of the pole such that an overhang is formed between a top edge of the gap and a bottom edge of the bottom of the pole. The method includes providing a plurality of bottom antireflective coatings (BARCs). The plurality of BARCs form a BARC layer that fills the overhang. A shield photoresist mask is provided on at least a portion of the BARC layer. The shield, which includes at least one side shield, is provided.

Abstract: Magnetic recording media having improved magnetic properties such as an improved signal-to-noise ratio. The recording media includes a magnetic recording layer and an underlayer disposed beneath the magnetic recording layer. The underlayer is a Cr-based alloy such as CrMo that includes an additive selected from boron (B), silicon (Si) and boron nitride (BN). The additive preferentially segregates to the grain boundaries in the underlayer to reduce the grain size and grain size distribution in the underlayer.