Heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) head with main pole having recess for plasmonic material

A magnetic recording head, comprising:

• a main pole having a first surface disposed at a gas-bearing surface (GBS), a second surface perpendicular to the first surface, and a third surface disposed between the first surface and the second surface, the third surface being parallel to the first surface;
• a near-field transducer (NFT) disposed adjacent to the second surface of the main pole, the NFT having an output tip disposed at the GBS;
• and
• a thermal shunt disposed between the NFT and the second surface of the main pole, wherein a first portion of the thermal shunt is disposed within a plasmonic recess, the plasmonic recess being disposed at the GBS between the first surface of the main pole and the output tip of the NFT, wherein the plasmonic recess extends from the GBS to the third surface of the main pole.

A magnetic recording head, comprising:

• a main pole having a first portion disposed at a gas-bearing surface (GBS) and a second portion recessed from the GBS, the first portion having a first width in an along-the-track direction and the second portion having a second width in the along-the-track direction greater than the first width;
• a near-field transducer (NFT) disposed adjacent to the main pole, the NFT having an output tip disposed at the GBS;
• a thermal shunt disposed between the NFT and the main pole;
• and
• a plasmonic material disposed at the GBS between the main pole and the output tip of the NFT, the plasmonic material extending from the GBS to the second portion of the main pole.