Method for providing a plurality of energy assisted magnetic recording EAMR heads

A method for providing a plurality of energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) heads using a substrate having a front side, a back side, and a plurality of apertures therein, the plurality of apertures being through-holes between the front side and the back side, the method comprising:

• filling the plurality of apertures with an index-matching material including at least one of boron phosphate silicon glass, alumina, silica gel and tantalum oxide;
• fabricating a plurality of EAMR transducers corresponding to the plurality of EAMR heads on the front side of the substrate, each of the EAMR plurality of transducers including an optical system and a wave guide and corresponding to the plurality of apertures;
• electrically insulating the back side of the substrate;
• providing a plurality of electrical contacts and a plurality of heat sinks for a plurality of lasers on the back side of the substrate;
• actively aligning a plurality of laser bars including the plurality of lasers to the plurality of electrical contacts and the plurality of heat sinks using the plurality of apertures;
• electrically and mechanically coupling the plurality of lasers to the back side of the substrate, the plurality of lasers corresponding to the plurality of EAMR heads and configured to provide light through the plurality of apertures, the optical system for coupling the light from an aperture of the plurality of apertures to the waveguide of a corresponding EAMR transducer;
• and
• separating the substrate into the plurality of EAMR heads.