Abstract: A device that includes a near field transducer (NFT); at least one cladding layer adjacent the NFT; and a discontinuous metal layer positioned between the NFT and the at least one cladding layer.

Abstract: A write head includes a near-field transducer near a media-facing surface of the write head. The write head includes a waveguide having a core with a first side disposed proximate to the near-field transducer. The core overlaps the near-field transducer at a substrate-parallel plane. The core includes one of a step or a taper on a second side facing away from the first side. The step or the taper causes a reduced thickness of the core normal to the substrate-parallel plane. The write head includes a cladding layer that encompassing the second side of the core and that fills in the step or the taper.

Abstract: Devices having an air bearing surfaces (ABS), the devices including a near field transducer (NFT) that includes a disc having a front edge; a peg, the peg having a front surface at the air bearing surface of the apparatus, an opposing back surface, a top surface that extends from the front surface to the back surface, two side surfaces that expend from the front surface to the back surface and a bottom surface that extends from the front surface to the back surface; and a barrier layer, the barrier layer separating at least the back surface of the peg from the disc and the barrier layer having a thickness from 10 nm to 50 nm.

Abstract: A plasmonic transducer includes at least two metal elements with a gap therebetween. The metal elements are elongated along a plasmon-enhanced, near-field radiation delivery axis. Cross sections of the metal elements in a plane normal to the delivery axis vary in shape along the delivery axis. A waveguide is disposed along an elongated side of the plasmonic transducer. The waveguide is optically coupled to the plasmonic transducer along the elongated side.

Abstract: Devices having an air bearing surface (ABS) and including a write pole; a near field transducer (NFT) that includes a peg and a disc, wherein the peg includes a rear peg portion and a peg tip, the rear peg portion and the peg tip are different materials and the peg tip includes: one or more metals; one or more nanoparticles comprising oxides, nitrides, carbides or combinations thereof; one or more conducting oxides, conducting nitrides, conducting bromides, conducting carbides, or combinations thereof; one or more semiconductors; or combinations thereof.

Abstract: A method of making a transducer head disclosed herein includes depositing a spacer layer on an NFT layer of the transducer head, forming an etch stop layer on a spacer layer of a transducer, depositing a cladding layer on the etch stop layer, and milling the cladding layer at a sloped angle such that the milling stops at the etch stop layer.

Abstract: The disclosed methods enable the production of plasmonic near-field transducers that are useful in heat-assisted magnetic recording. The plasmonic near-field transducers have an enlarged region and a peg region. The peg region includes a peg region in proximity to an air-bearing surface above a recording medium and also includes a flared region between and in contact with the enlarged region and the peg region. The flared region can act as a heat sink and can lower the thermal resistance of the peg portion of the near-field transducer, thus reducing its temperature.

Abstract: A polarization rotator for a recording head. The polarization rotator comprises a first waveguide coupled to an input coupler at a first end and a second waveguide. The first waveguide is offset from the second waveguide and a second end of the first waveguide is coupled to a second end of the second waveguide.

Abstract: A method of forming a peg of a NFT, the peg having a tapered portion, the method including depositing a layer of dielectric material; forming a three dimensional shape from at least a portion of the dielectric material the three dimensional shape having two side surfaces and two end surfaces; and depositing plasmonic material on at least one side surface of the three dimensional shape of dielectric material, wherein the plasmonic material deposited on the at least one side surface forms the tapered portion of the peg.

Abstract: A write head includes a near-field transducer near a media-facing surface of the write head. The write head includes a waveguide having a core with a first side disposed proximate to the near-field transducer. The core overlaps the near-field transducer at a substrate-parallel plane. The core includes one of a step or a taper on a second side facing away from the first side. The step or the taper causes a reduced thickness of the core normal to the substrate-parallel plane. The write head includes a cladding layer that encompassing the second side of the core and that fills in the step or the taper.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for fabricating an optical device that includes depositing an etch stop material to form an etch stop layer, wherein the etch stop material has a refractive index in the infrared wavelength range, n1; depositing a core material to form a core layer, wherein the core material has a refractive index in the infrared wavelength range, n2; and etching the core layer using a halide based etch process, wherein the etch stop material has an etch rate in the halide based etch process and the core material has an etch rate in the halide based etch process, wherein the etch rate of the core material is at least about five times higher than the etch rate of the etch stop material, and wherein n1 is not greater than n2.

Abstract: An electrical lapping guide has a body with a thickness along a wafer axis, the body comprising a layer of conductive material having a resistivity. The conductive material layer comprises a first contact region and a second contact region, the first and second contact regions configured to electrically connect the electrical lapping guide to electrical leads. A lapping edge comprises an air-bearing plane axis perpendicular to a lapping axis, and a back edge opposite the lapping edge, the back edge comprising a plurality of notches.

Abstract: A method of making a transducer head disclosed herein includes depositing a spacer layer on an NFT layer of the transducer head, forming an etch stop layer on a spacer layer of a transducer, depositing a cladding layer on the etch stop layer, and milling the cladding layer at a sloped angle such that the milling stops at the etch stop layer.

Abstract: Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT), the NFT having a disc and a peg, and the peg having five surfaces thereof; and at least one adhesion layer positioned on at least one of the five surfaces of the peg, the adhesion layer including one or more of the following: yttrium (Y), tin (Sn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), carbon (C), holmium (Ho), gallium (Ga), silver (Ag), ytterbium (Yb), chromium (Cr), tantalum (Ta), iridium (Ir), zirconium (Zr), yttrium (Y), scandium (Sc), cobalt (Co), silicon (Si), nickel (Ni), molybdenum (Mo), niobium (Nb), palladium (Pd), titanium (Ti), rhenium (Re), osmium (Os), platinum (Pt), aluminum (Al), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), vanadium (V), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), tungsten (W), hafnium (Hf), carbon (C), boron (B), holmium (Ho), antimony (Sb), gallium (Ga), manganese (Mn), silver (Ag), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), zinc (Zn), ytterbium (Yb), and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A method fabricating a near field transducer for a heat assisted magnetic recording head including forming a peg region of a near field transducer along a first portion of a substrate of a heat assisted magnetic recording head, removing a first portion of the peg region, fabricating a barrier material along a surface of the peg region created by the removal of the first portion of the peg region; and forming an enlarged region adjacent the surface such that the barrier material is disposed at least between the surface of the peg region and the enlarged region.

Abstract: A method of making a transducer head disclosed herein includes depositing a spacer layer on an NFT layer of the transducer head, forming an etch stop layer on a spacer layer of a transducer, depositing a cladding layer on the etch stop layer, and milling the cladding layer at a sloped angle such that the milling stops at the etch stop layer.

Abstract: A polarization rotator for a recording head. The polarization rotator comprises a first waveguide coupled to an input coupler at a first end and a second waveguide. The first waveguide is offset from the second waveguide and a second end of the first waveguide is coupled to a second end of the second waveguide.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a waveguide and a near-field transducer adjacent the waveguide. The near-field transducer includes an enlarged region and a peg region extending from the enlarged region towards an air bearing surface. A write pole is adjacent the near-field transducer and include a first portion having an edge extending towards the air bearing surface at a non-orthogonal angle with respect to the air bearing surface. A second portion of the write pole extends orthogonally to the air bearing surface and is in contact with the first portion. The apparatus includes an insulator-filled gap at the air bearing surface between the second portion of the write pole and the peg region of the near-field transducer. The gap is bounded away from the air bearing surface by the enlarged region of the near-field transducer.

Abstract: A polarization rotator comprises a first waveguide configured to be coupled to an input coupler at a first end and a second waveguide, wherein the first waveguide is offset from the second waveguide and a second end of the first waveguide is coupled to a second end of the second waveguide.

Abstract: A plasmonic transducer includes at least two metal elements with a gap therebetween. The metal elements are elongated along a plasmon-enhanced, near-field radiation delivery axis. Cross sections of the metal elements in a plane normal to the delivery axis vary in shape along the delivery axis. A waveguide is disposed along an elongated side of the plasmonic transducer. The waveguide is optically coupled to the plasmonic transducer along the elongated side.