Method and system for providing an energy assisted magnetic recording writer having an integrated NFT, heat sink, and pole

A method for providing an energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) transducer coupled with a laser for providing energy and having an air-bearing surface (ABS) configured to reside in proximity to a media during use, the EAMR transducer including a near field transducer (NFT) proximate to the ABS for focusing the energy onto the region of the media, the method comprising:

• providing a heat sink having a bottom thermally coupled with the NFT and a top surface at an angle with respect to the ABS, the angle being greater than zero and less than ninety degrees, wherein the step of providing the heat sink further includes
• forming a buffer layer having an aperture therein, the aperture residing above a portion of the NFT;
• providing a heat sink plug, a portion of the heat sink plug residing above the aperture and having sidewalls that are reentrant or substantially vertical;
• refilling an optical dielectric layer, the optical dielectric layer covering the heat sink plug;
• forming an angle in the optical dielectric layer such that a first portion of the optical dielectric layer closer to the ABS is thinner than a second portion of the optical dielectric layer distal from the ABS;
• and
• removing a portion of the heat sink plug to expose the top surface of the heat sink;
• providing a write pole configured to write to a region of the media, the write pole having a bottom surface thermally coupled with the top surface of the heat sink;
• and
• providing at least one coil for energizing the write pole.

A method for providing an energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) transducer coupled with a laser for providing energy and having an air-bearing surface (ABS) configured to reside in proximity to a media during use, the EAMR transducer including a near field transducer (NFT) proximate to the ABS for focusing the energy onto the region of the media, the NFT having a top substantially perpendicular to the ABS and the method comprising:

• providing a photoresist post on the NFT;
• depositing the buffer layer covering the photoresist post and an exposed portion of the NFT;
• performing an ion mill at a nonzero angle from the top of the NFT;
• removing the photoresist post to form an aperture in the buffer layer, the aperture residing above a portion of the NFT;
• depositing a heat sink layer, a portion of the heat sink layer residing in the aperture;
• providing a hard mask covering a portion of the heat sink layer above the aperture, the hard mask being larger than the aperture;
• milling an exposed portion of the heat sink layer to form a heat sink plug, a first portion of the heat sink plug residing above the aperture, having a first width, and having sidewalls that are reentrant or substantially vertical, a second portion of the heat sink plug residing in the aperture and having a second width less than the first width;
• removing a remaining portion of the buffer layer using a wet etch;
• providing a photoresist layer covering a portion of the heat sink plug distal from the ABS;
• depositing a stop layer covering the NFT, the heat sink plug, and the photoresist layer;
• removing the photoresist layer;
• depositing a first optical dielectric;
• removing a portion of the stop layer on the heat sink plug using a stop layer wet etch;
• depositing a second optical dielectric, the first and second optical dielectrics forming an optical dielectric structure covering the stop layer, the heat sink plug, and the NFT;
• forming an angle in the optical dielectric structure such that a first portion of the optical dielectric structure closer to the ABS is thinner than a second portion of the optical dielectric structure distal from the ABS;
• ion milling the heat sink plug to form a heat sink having a bottom thermally coupled with the NFT and a top surface at an angle with respect to the ABS, the angle being greater than zero and less than ninety degrees;
• providing a write pole configured to write to a region of the media, the write pole having a bottom surface having a slope corresponding to the angle of the heat sink and adjoining the top surface of the heat sink;
• and
• providing at least one coil for energizing the write pole.