# US 10,311,898 B1 · Near field transducers (NFT) including oxide layer

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- Number: US 10,311,898 B1
- Document ID: US10311898B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/391,906
- Filed: 2016-12-28
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-28
- Assignees: Seagate Technology LLC
- Applicants: Seagate Technology LLC
- Inventors: Mark Anthony Gubbins; Peter Kevin McGeehin; Marcus Benedict Mooney; Michael James Hardy
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10311898B1

## CPC

- G11B 5/3163: {Fabrication methods or processes specially adapted for a particular head structure, e.g. using base layers for electroplating, using functional layers for masking, using energy or particle beams for shaping the structure or modifying the properties of the basic layers}
- G11B 2005/0021: {Thermally assisted recording using an auxiliary energy source for heating the recording layer locally to assist the magnetization reversal}
- G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R)

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
depositing a mixed material, the mixed material comprising at least one plasmonic material selected from: silver (Ag), copper (Cu), or combinations thereof and at least one sacrificial metal selected from: aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W), or combinations thereof; and
oxidizing at least a portion of the at least one sacrificial metal to form a surface layer comprising an oxide of the sacrificial metal on the mixed material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the plasmonic material comprises silver (Ag) and the sacrificial metal comprises aluminum (Al), tantalum (Ta), or combinations thereof and the step of oxidizing at least a portion of the at least one sacrificial metal comprises annealing the deposited material in an oxygen rich environment.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the plasmonic material comprises copper (Cu) and the sacrificial metal comprises aluminum (Al); and the step of oxidizing at least a portion of the at least one sacrificial metal comprises annealing the deposited material in an oxygen reduced environment.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 further comprising removing at least a portion of the surface layer of the oxide of the sacrificial metal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of oxidizing the sacrificial metal is accomplished by annealing the deposited material at a temperature of at least 200° C.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the mixed material is deposited by sputter deposition from a composite target, more than one targets, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the mixed material comprises not greater than 10 at % of the at least one sacrificial metal.