Energy-assisted recording near-field transducer with inlay to improve coupling efficiency

A recording head, comprising:

• a write pole having a pole tip extending to a media-facing surface of the recording head;
• a peg coupler on a substrate-parallel surface of the pole tip and extending to the media-facing surface;
• a near-field transducer proximate the media-facing surface, the near-field transducer comprising a plate-like, enlarged part with a peg extending from the enlarged part towards the media-facing surface, the peg separated in a downtrack direction from the peg coupler by a coupling gap, the enlarged part having a coupling surface facing the write pole, the enlarged part comprising an inlay on or near the coupling surface and spaced away from the peg, the inlay formed of a first material different than a second material of the enlarged part, the inlay extending at least partially through a thickness of the enlarged part in the downtrack direction and extending between opposing crosstrack edges of the enlarged part;
• a cap layer of the second material covering the inlay and the coupling surface;
• and
• a middle disc disposed between the enlarged part and the peg coupler, the middle disc partially covering the inlay.