Abstract: A heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) write head contains a main pole, a waveguide, and a near-field transducer containing an antenna disposed between the waveguide and the main pole. A first portion of the antenna includes a layer stack of three or more gold-based component layers that contain a waveguide-side outermost gold-based component layer, a pole-side outermost gold-based component layer, and one or more intermediate gold-based component layers. An intermediate gold-based component layer of the one or more intermediate gold-based component layers includes at least one platinum group metal (PGM) at a maximum total atomic percentage that is greater than a total atomic percentage of the at least one PGM in the waveguide-side outermost gold-based component layer and is greater than a total atomic percentage of the at least one PGM in the pole-side outermost gold-based component layer.

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 plasmonically enhanced electro-optic device includes a dielectric layer; a plurality of nanopillars arranged in a periodic array such that each nanopillar has a protruding portion that extends beyond a surface of the dielectric layer; a metallic layer formed on the surface of the dielectric layer and on portions of the plurality of nanopillars by an oblique directional deposition such that the metallic layer defines a periodic array of nano-holes and nano-antennas, each nano-hole of the periodic array of nano-holes being in a deposition shadow region of a corresponding nanopillar; and an electrode electrically connected to at least one nanopillar of the plurality of nanopillars at an end opposing the protruding portion thereof.