US 12,374,357 B1 · Heat-assisted magnetic recording head with a solid immersion mirror

Abstract

A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a near-field transducer, a waveguide, and a solid immersion mirror. The near-field transducer is configured to focus and emit an optical near-field. The waveguide is configured to receive electromagnetic radiation and propagate the electromagnetic radiation toward and proximal to the near-field transducer. The solid immersion mirror is disposed proximal to the near-field transducer and along a media-facing surface of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head. The solid immersion mirror includes a first segment and a second segment disposed on opposite sides of the near-field transducer relative to a cross-track dimension of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head. The solid immersion mirror includes a thermally robust metal having a melting temperature of at least 1500 degrees Celsius. The thermally robust metal is a primary material of the solid immersion mirror.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A heat-assisted magnetic recording head comprising:

a near-field transducer configured to focus and emit an optical near-field;
a waveguide configured to receive electromagnetic radiation and propagate the electromagnetic radiation toward and proximal to the near-field transducer;
and
a solid immersion mirror disposed proximal to the near-field transducer and along a media-facing surface of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head,
wherein the solid immersion mirror comprises a first segment and a second segment disposed on opposite sides of the near-field transducer relative to a cross-track dimension of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head,
wherein the solid immersion mirror comprises a thermally robust metal having a melting temperature of at least 1500 degrees Celsius, and
wherein the thermally robust metal is a primary material of the solid immersion mirror.

4 more elements

A heat-assisted magnetic recording head comprising:

a near-field transducer configured to focus and emit an optical near-field;
a waveguide configured to receive electromagnetic radiation and propagate the electromagnetic radiation toward and proximal to the near-field transducer;
and
a solid immersion mirror disposed proximal to the near-field transducer and along a media-facing surface of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head,
wherein the solid immersion mirror comprises a first segment and a second segment disposed on opposite sides of the near-field transducer relative to a cross-track dimension of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head,
wherein the solid immersion mirror comprises a magnetic material,
wherein the near-field transducer is divided into substantially symmetric halves by a plane of symmetry that is substantially parallel to a media-facing dimension and an up-track dimension of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head,
wherein the first segment and the second segment are substantially symmetric about the plane of symmetry,
wherein each of the first segment and the second segment of the solid immersion mirror comprises an edge,
wherein a part of the edge of each of the first segment and the second segment faces the near-field transducer,
wherein the edge of each of the first segment and the second segment is separated from the near-field transducer by a gap,
wherein the part of the edge of each of the first segment and the second segment that faces the near-field transducer comprises a profile around a part of the near-field transducer when viewed along the up-track dimension of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head,
wherein the edge of each of the first segment and the second segment extends a length in the up-track dimension of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head, the extension of the edge of each of the first segment and the second segment defining a surface of each of the first segment and the second segment, respectively, and
wherein at least a part of the surface of each of the first segment and the second segment faces the near-field transducer.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Heat-assisted magnetic recording head with a solid immersion mirror

Life of this patent

Heat-assisted magnetic recording head with a solid immersion mirror

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18