Heat-assisted magnetic recording head with constant-width gap between near-field transducer and side shield

A recording head comprising:

• a waveguide core extending to a media-facing surface of the recording head;
• a write pole extending to the media-facing surface and downtrack from the waveguide core;
• a near-field transducer between the waveguide core and the write pole, the near-field transducer comprising an enlarged part with first and second tapered sides that are joined by a peg at the media-facing surface, the peg extending towards and normal to the media facing surface;
• and
• first and second side shields on either crosstrack side of the near-field transducer, the first and second shields having edges facing and conformal with the first and second tapered sides and the peg of the near-field transducer such that there are respective first and second constant-width gaps therebetween, the first and second side shields extending beyond the waveguide core in a downtrack direction, the first and second side shields separated from crosstrack sides of the waveguide core by third and fourth constant cross-section dielectric gaps.

A recording head comprising:

• a waveguide core extending to a media-facing surface of the recording head;
• a write pole extending to the media-facing surface and downtrack from the waveguide core;
• a near-field transducer between the waveguide core and the write pole, the near-field transducer comprising an enlarged part and the peg extend from the enlarged part towards and normal to the media facing surface;
• and
• first and second side shields on either crosstrack side of the near-field transducer, the first and second side shields forming first and second gaps near the peg and a lower portion of the enlarged part, the first and second gaps having a first part normal and proximate to the media-facing surface and a second part at an angle to the media-facing surface, the first and second parts forming a path with constant cross-section normal to the path along the peg and enlarged part, the first and second side shields having a downtrack dimension that is greater than that of the near-field transducer such that the first and second side shields extend partially into the waveguide core.

A method comprising:

• directing light into a waveguide core that extends to a media-facing surface of the recording head;
• coupling the light from the waveguide core to a near-field transducer between the waveguide core and the write pole, the near-field transducer comprising an enlarged part with first and second tapered sides that are joined by a peg at the media-facing surface, the coupled light causing near-field plasmons to be directed from the peg to a recording medium;
• and
• reducing spreading of the near-field plasmons proximate the peg via first and second side shields on either crosstrack side of the near-field transducer, the first and second shields having edges facing and conformal with the first and second sides and the peg of the near-field transducer such that there are respective first and second constant-width gaps therebetween, the first and second shields being formed of a first material facing the media-facing surface and a liner of a second material facing the near-field transducer, the first material being more mechanically robust than the second material, the second material being more reflective than the first material.