Abstract: A waveguide structure with a light polarization rotator section for converting transverse electric light from a TE light source to transverse magnetic light which is subsequently coupled to a plasmon generator (PG) is disclosed. Wavelengths above 800 nm are advantageously used to reduce resistive heating in the PG, and in adjacent cladding and write pole layers to improve the thermally assisted magnetic recording head lifetime. The light polarization rotator section has a length determined by TE LD light wavelength, and the effective mode index of the two orthogonal fundamental modes, and preferably has a symmetric structure including a sloped side with a 45 degree angle with respect to a bottom surface. A vertical side of the light polarization rotator section may be coplanar with sides of adjacent waveguide sections. Offsets to the cross-track width are used to improve symmetry for higher TE to TM polarization conversion efficiency.

Abstract: Three structures, and processes for manufacturing them, that improve the performance of a TAMR feature in a magnetic write head are disclosed. This improvement is achieved by making the separation between the edge plasmon generator and the plasmon shield less than the separation between the edge plasmon generator and the optical wave-guide.

Abstract: A method of taper-etching a layer to be etched that is made of a dielectric material and has a top surface. The method includes the steps of: forming an etching mask with an opening on the top surface of the layer to be etched; and taper-etching a portion of the layer to be etched, the portion being exposed from the opening, by reactive ion etching so that a groove having two wall faces intersecting at a predetermined angle is formed in the layer to be etched. The step of taper-etching employs an etching gas containing a first gas contributing to the etching of the layer to be etched and a second gas contributing to the deposition of a sidewall protective film, and changes, during the step, the ratio of the flow rate of the second gas to the flow rate of the first gas so that the ratio increases.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a coil, a main pole, a write shield, and a return path section. The return path section includes a yoke layer located on the front side in the direction of travel of a recording medium relative to the main pole, and a coupling part coupling the main pole and the yoke layer to each other. The coupling part includes a plurality of magnetic path portions that separate a magnetic flux into a plurality of fluxes and allow the fluxes to pass therethrough in parallel. The coil includes a plurality of winding portions disposed around the plurality of magnetic path portions, respectively.

Abstract: A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes a main pole, a waveguide, and a plasmon generator. The waveguide includes a core and a cladding. The plasmon generator is configured to excite a surface plasmon based on light propagating through the core. The plasmon generator has a front end face located in a medium facing surface, and a first inclined surface connected to the front end face and facing toward the medium facing surface. The main pole includes an interposition part interposed between the first inclined surface and the medium facing surface. The interposition part has a second inclined surface that is opposed to the first inclined surface with an insulating film interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A plasmon generator has a front end face located in a medium facing surface of a magnetic head. The plasmon generator includes a first layer formed of a first metal material, a second layer formed of a second metal material, and a third layer formed of a third metal material. Each of the second and third layers has an end portion constituting part of the front end face. The first layer does not have any portion constituting part of the front end face. The first and second metal materials are higher in electrical conductivity than the third metal material. The third metal material is higher in Vickers hardness than the first and second metal materials. The first layer has a plasmon exciting part.

Abstract: Three structures, and processes for manufacturing them, that improve the performance of a TAMR feature in a magnetic write head are disclosed. This improvement is achieved by making the separation between the edge plasmon generator and the plasmon shield less than the separation between the edge plasmon generator and the optical wave-guide.

Abstract: A method of taper-etching a layer to be etched that is made of a dielectric material and has a top surface. The method includes the steps of: forming an etching mask with an opening on the top surface of the layer to be etched; and taper-etching a portion of the layer to be etched, the portion being exposed from the opening, by reactive ion etching so that a groove having two wall faces intersecting at a predetermined angle is formed in the layer to be etched. The step of taper-etching employs an etching gas containing a first gas contributing to the etching of the layer to be etched and a second gas contributing to the deposition of a sidewall protective film, and changes, during the step, the ratio of the flow rate of the second gas to the flow rate of the first gas so that the ratio increases.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic head includes the step of forming an accommodation part and the step of forming a return path section. The return path section lies between a main pole and a top surface of a substrate, and connects a shield and part of the main pole away from a medium facing surface to each other so that a space through which part of a coil passes is defined. The accommodation part accommodates at least part of the return path section. The step of forming the return path section forms first to third portions simultaneously. The first portion is located closer to the top surface of the substrate than is the space. The second portion is located closer to the medium facing surface than is the space. The third portion is located farther from the medium facing surface than is the space.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a plasmon generator includes the steps of: forming an etching mask on a dielectric layer; forming an accommodation part by etching the dielectric layer using the etching mask; and forming the plasmon generator to be accommodated in the accommodation part. The step of forming the etching mask includes the steps of: forming a patterned layer on an etching mask material layer, the patterned layer having a first opening that has a sidewall; forming a structure by forming an adhesion film on the sidewall, the structure having a second opening smaller than the first opening; and etching a portion of the etching mask material layer exposed from the second opening.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a pole layer accommodated in a groove. The pole layer has a track width defining portion and a wide portion. The pole layer includes a plurality of magnetic films stacked. At least one of the plurality of magnetic films includes a first portion included in the track width defining portion, a second portion included in the wide portion, and a third portion coupling the first and second portions to each other. In a cross section passing through the center of the pole layer taken in the track width direction, the second portion is smaller than the first portion in thickness and the top surface of the third portion is inclined with respect to a direction perpendicular to a medium facing surface.

Abstract: A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes a waveguide having a core and a cladding, and a plasmon generator. The core has an evanescent light generating surface. The plasmon generator has a plasmon exciting part opposed to the evanescent light generating surface. Assuming a virtual straight line that passes internally through the core and that is parallel to the direction of travel of light propagating through the core, at least part of the evanescent light generating surface and at least part of the plasmon exciting part are both inclined relative to the virtual straight line such that the distance from the virtual straight line decreases with increasing proximity to the medium facing surface.

Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic head includes a main magnetic pole layer, a near-field light generating layer having a generating end part generating near-field light arranged within a medium-opposing surface, and an optical waveguide guiding light to the near-field light generating layer. The optical waveguide has a waveguide end face arranged within the medium-opposing surface and an upper end face on a side closer to the main magnetic pole layer. The thermally assisted magnetic head has an interposed layer which is in direct contact with an outer surface of the optical waveguide. The near-field light generating layer has a near-field light generating part having the generating end part and an expanded part connected with the near-field light generating part. The expanded part has a base part arranged above the upper end face of the optical waveguide and extended base part connected with the base part.

Abstract: A plasmon generator has a near-field light generating part located between an end face of a main pole located in a medium facing surface and an end face of a shield located in the medium facing surface. A waveguide has a core having a front end face facing toward the medium facing surface. The front end face has first and second end portions located at opposite ends in the direction of travel of a recording medium. The first end portion is located closer to the near-field light generating part than is the second end portion. Either a main pole or a shield overlaps only a region of the front end face of the core when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface, the region extending from a midpoint position between the first and second end portions to the first end portion.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a coil, a main pole, a write shield, first and second yoke layers, and first and second coupling parts. The first yoke layer is located on the trailing side relative to the main pole whereas the second yoke layer is located on the leading side relative to the main pole. The first coupling part couples the main pole and the first yoke layer to each other. The second coupling part couples the first yoke layer and the second yoke layer to each other. The first coupling part includes a plurality of first magnetic path portions, and the second coupling part includes a plurality of second magnetic path portions. The coil includes one winding portion extending to pass around the first and second magnetic path portions alternately in a zigzag manner.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a magnetic structure incorporating a write shield. The magnetic structure is formed to include a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer stacked on the first magnetic layer, and a seed layer. The first magnetic layer has a front end face located in the medium facing surface and a top surface. The second magnetic layer has a front end face located in the medium facing surface and a bottom surface. The top surface of the first magnetic layer includes a first region including an end located in the medium facing surface and a second region farther from the medium facing surface than the first region. The seed layer is not present on the first region of the top surface of the first magnetic layer but is present on the second region.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a coil, a main pole, a write shield, and a return path section. The write shield includes a bottom shield located on the rear side in the direction of travel of a recording medium relative to the main pole. The return path section is located on the rear side in the direction of travel of the recording medium relative to the main pole and connects the bottom shield and part of the main pole away from a medium facing surface so as to define a space through which part of the coil passes. The return path section is not exposed in the medium facing surface. The bottom shield includes a base part, and a protruding part protruding from the base part toward the main pole. The base part is greater than the protruding part in length in a direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head is constructed such that a main magnetic pole layer, a write shield layer, a gap layer, and a thin-film coil are laminated on a substrate. The thin-film magnetic head has a shield magnetic layer. The shield magnetic layer has a leading shield part. The leading shield part is disposed on a substrate side of the main magnetic pole layer. The leading shield part has a variable distance structure in which a rearmost part most distanced from the medium-opposing surface is distanced more from the main magnetic pole layer than is a foremost part on the main magnetic pole layer side.

Abstract: A plasmon generator configured to excite a surface plasmon based on light includes a first portion formed of a first metal material and a second portion formed of a second metal material different from the first metal material. The plasmon generator has a front end face. The front end face includes a near-field light generating part that generates near-field light based on the surface plasmon. The second portion includes an end face located in the front end face. The second metal material satisfies at least one of the following requirements: a lower ionization tendency than that of the first metal material; a lower electrical conductivity than that of the first metal material; and a higher Vickers hardness than that of the first metal material.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic head includes the step of forming an accommodation part and the step of forming a return path section. The return path section lies between a main pole and a top surface of a substrate, and connects a shield and part of the main pole away from a medium facing surface to each other so that a space through which part of a coil passes is defined. The accommodation part accommodates at least part of the return path section. The step of forming the return path section forms first to third portions simultaneously. The first portion is located closer to the top surface of the substrate than is the space. The second portion is located closer to the medium facing surface than is the space. The third portion is located farther from the medium facing surface than is the space.