Patent ID: 9396749
Filing Date: 2016-07-19
CPC Classification: G11B

Claim Text:
1. An apparatus comprising: a write pole proximate a media-facing surface of a recording head; a near-field transducer adjacent to the write pole; and a waveguide having a core layer extending from an energy source to the media-facing surface, the core layer comprising a region of reduced downtrack thickness proximate the near-field transducer, the region of reduced downtrack thickness defined by a notch comprising a rectangular prism with a surface parallel to the media-facing surface, the notch facing away from the near-field transducer, a material of the notch having a different index of refraction than an index of refraction of the core layer, wherein the region of reduced downtrack thickness has a thickness between 40% and 60% less than that of a portion of the core layer that extends away from the region of reduced downtrack thickness.