Method and system for providing an energy assisted magnetic recording head in a wafer packaging configuration

A method for providing a plurality of energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) heads including a plurality of sliders, each of the plurality of sliders having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the method comprising:

• fabricating an EAMR transducer for each of the plurality of EAMR heads on a substrate having a front face corresponding to the trailing edge of each of the plurality of sliders, the EAMR transducer being fabricated on the front face and residing at the trailing edge of the slider;
• providing an overcoat layer on the EAMR transducer, the overcoat layer including a plurality of transducer contacts and at least one laser contact, the EAMR transducer residing between the overcoat layer and the trailing edge;
• providing a laser for the EAMR transducer on each of the plurality of sliders, the laser for providing light to the EAMR transducer, the laser being electrically coupled to the at least one laser contact and electrically insulated from at least a portion of the plurality of transducer contacts;
• enclosing the laser in a capping layer for each of the plurality of EMAR heads, the capping layer having a laser-facing surface including a laser cavity therein, at least one via, a trailing surface, and a plurality of EAMR pads on the trailing surface, the laser cavity enclosing the laser between the overcoat layer and the capping layer, the at least one via for providing electrical connection to the plurality of transducer contacts;
• providing a device identification for each of the plurality of EAMR heads on the trailing surface of the capping layer;
• and
• separating the substrate into the plurality of EAMR heads.

A method for providing a plurality of energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) heads including a plurality of sliders, each of the plurality of sliders having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the method comprising:

• fabricating a plurality of EAMR transducers for the plurality of EAMR heads on a substrate having a front face corresponding to the trailing edge, each of the plurality of EAMR transducers being fabricated on the front face and residing at the trailing edge of the slider;
• providing an overcoat layer on the plurality of EAMR transducers, the overcoat layer including a plurality of transducer contacts, at least one laser contact, and a laser heat sink for each of the plurality of EAMR heads, the plurality of EAMR transducers residing between the overcoat layer and the trailing edge;
• providing an antireflective coating (ARC) on the overcoat layer, the ARC including a plurality of apertures therein for allowing a plurality of lasers to be electrically coupled to the at least one laser contact, the ARC layer electrically insulating the plurality of lasers from at least a portion of the plurality of transducer contacts;
• providing a plurality of contacts through the plurality of apertures to the at least one laser contact and an electrical current path coupling the at least the portion of the plurality of transducer contacts;
• providing a plurality of laser bond pads on the ARC and electrically connected with the contacts;
• providing a plurality of lasers bonded to the plurality of laser bond pads, the plurality of lasers for providing light to the plurality of EAMR transducers, each of the plurality of lasers being electrically coupled to the at least one laser contact and electrically insulated from at least a portion of the plurality of transducer contacts;
• enclosing the plurality of lasers in a capping layer bonded to a carrier substrate, the capping layer having a laser-facing surface including a plurality of laser cavities therein, and a plurality of via holes therein, a trailing surface, the plurality of laser cavities enclosing the plurality of lasers between the overcoat layer and the molded capping layer, the plurality of via holes for allowing electrical connection to the plurality of transducer contacts;
• removing the carrier substrate;
• plating a plurality of vias in the via holes, the electrical current path allowing electrical connection to the at least the portion of the plurality of transducer contacts during the plating;
• providing a device identification for each of the plurality of EAMR heads on the trailing surface of the capping layer;
• and
• separating the substrate into the plurality of EAMR heads, a portion of the electrical current path being removed in the separating such that the at least the portion of the plurality of transducer contacts are not electrically connected through the electrical current path.

An energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) head comprising:

• a slider including a leading edge and a trailing edge;
• at least one EAMR transducer residing on the trailing edge of the slider;
• an overcoat layer on the EAMR transducer, the overcoat layer including a plurality of transducer contacts and at least one laser contact, the at least one EAMR transducer residing between the overcoat layer and the trailing edge;
• at least one laser for providing light to the EAMR transducer, the at least one laser being electrically coupled to the at least one laser contact and electrically insulated from at least a portion of the plurality of transducer contacts, the overcoat layer residing between any portion of each of the at least one laser and the at least one EAMR transducer;
• a capping layer having a laser-facing surface for enclosing the at least one laser, at least one via, a trailing surface, and a plurality of EAMR pads on the trailing surface, the at least one laser residing between the overcoat layer and the capping layer, the at least one via for providing electrical connection to the plurality of transducer contacts.

An energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) head comprising:

• a slider including a leading edge and a trailing edge;
• at least one EAMR transducer residing on the trailing edge of the slider;
• an overcoat layer on the EAMR transducer, the overcoat layer including a plurality of transducer contacts and at least one laser contact, the at least one EAMR transducer residing between the overcoat layer and the trailing edge;
• at least one laser for providing light to the EAMR transducer, the at least one laser being electrically coupled to the at least one laser contact and electrically insulated from at least a portion of the plurality of transducer contacts;
• a capping layer having a laser-facing surface for enclosing the at least one laser, at least one via, a trailing surface, and a plurality of EAMR pads on the trailing surface, the at least one laser residing between the overcoat layer and the capping layer, the at least one via for providing electrical connection to the plurality of transducer contacts;
• and
• a device identification on the trailing surface of the capping layer.