# US 10,311,906 B2 · Near field transducers (NFTS) including barrier layer and methods of forming > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,311,906 B2 - Document ID: US10311906B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/817,511 - Filed: 2017-11-20 - Published: 2018-03-15 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-28 - Assignees: Seagate Technology LLC - Applicants: Seagate Technology LLC - Inventors: Martin Blaber; Jie Gong; Dimitar Dimitrov; Steven Riemer; Michael Kautzky; Tong Zhao; Yongjun Zhao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10311906B2 ## CPC - G11B 5/6088: {Optical waveguide in or on flying head} - G11B 5/314: {where the layers are extra layers normally not provided in the transducing structure, e.g. optical layers (G11B5/3196 takes precedence)} - 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 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device having an air bearing surface (ABS), the device comprising: a near field transducer (NFT) comprising: a disc having a front edge, the disc comprising gold (Au), rhodium (Rh), silver (Ag), iridium (Ir), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), tantalum (Ta), alloys thereof, or combinations thereof; a peg, the peg comprising gold (Au), rhodium (Rh), silver (Ag), iridium (Ir), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), tantalum (Ta), alloys thereof, or combinations thereof, 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 extend 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 15 nm to 50 nm, wherein the peg is in front of the front edge of the disc and the barrier layer extends from 1 nm to 15 nm in front of and behind the front edge of the disc. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the barrier layer comprises a first interface layer adjacent the peg and a second interface layer adjacent the disc. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device according to claim 2, wherein the first interface layer comprises rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), nickel phosphate (NiP), or combinations thereof; and the second interface layer comprises iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), tellurium (Te), antimony (Sb), alloys thereof, or compounds thereof. ### Claim 4 A device having an air bearing surface (ABS), the device comprising: a near field transducer (NFT) comprising: 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 extend 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 15 nm to 50 nm wherein the barrier layer is entirely in front of the front edge of the disc and the surface of the barrier layer that contacts the back surface of the peg is greater than 2 nm away from the front edge of the disc. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The device according to claim 4, wherein the barrier layer further comprises a portion that separates at least the top and the side surfaces of the peg within the disc from the disc. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device according to claim 5, wherein the barrier layer further comprises a portion that is outside the disc. ### Claim 7 A device having an air bearing surface (ABS), the device comprising: a near field transducer (NFT) comprising: 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 extend 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, the side surfaces and the top surface of the peg from the disc and the barrier layer extending along the top surface and side surfaces of the peg to the air bearing surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device according to claim 7, wherein the barrier layer comprises bismuth (Bi), arsenic (As), gallium (Ga), germanium (Ge), tellurium (Te), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), indium (In), tin (Sn), cadmium (Cd), thallium (Tl) silver (Ag), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), osmium (Os), ruthenium (Ru), technetium (Tc), rhenium (Re), mercury (Hg), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), or combinations thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device according to claim 8, wherein the barrier layer comprises rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), or combinations thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The device according to claim 7, wherein the barrier layer has a thickness from 10 nm to 50 nm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The device according to claim 7, wherein the barrier layer comprises a first interface layer adjacent the peg and a second interface layer adjacent the disc. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device according to claim 11, wherein the first interface layer comprises rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), nickel phosphate (NiP), or combinations thereof; and the second interface layer comprises iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), tellurium (Te), antimony (Sb), alloys thereof, or compounds thereof.