US 12,190,922 B1
Method for forming a HAMR recording head with a protruding near-field transducer
Michael A. Seigler, Eden Prairie, MN (US); Peng Zhang, Bloomington, MN (US); David James Ellison, Minneapolis, MN (US); James D. Kiely, Edina, MN (US); and Edwin F. Rejda, Bloomington, MN (US)
Assigned to Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed by Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/543,993.
Application 17/543,993 is a division of application No. 17/138,508, filed on Dec. 30, 2020, granted, now 11,222,657.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G11B 5/48 (2006.01); G11B 5/00 (2006.01); G11B 5/31 (2006.01); G11B 5/41 (2006.01); G11B 5/60 (2006.01)
CPC G11B 5/4866 (2013.01) [G11B 5/3169 (2013.01); G11B 5/6029 (2013.01); G11B 5/6076 (2013.01); G11B 2005/0021 (2013.01); G11B 5/41 (2013.01); G11B 5/6088 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of making a recording head on a wafer, comprising:
forming a near-field transducer on the wafer, wherein the forming of the near-field transducer comprises forming an extended portion that extends towards a surface of the recording head, the extended portion being configured to direct plasmons to a recording medium,
lapping the surface of the recording head to form a lapped surface;
forming a feature over the lapped surface in a region of the lapped surface that encompasses the extended portion, the feature comprising a resist or a hardmask;
forming a media facing surface by etching the lapped surface with the feature such that the extended portion protrudes beyond the media-facing surface by a first distance; and
removing the feature to expose the extended portion of the recording head.