Patent ID: 8654618
Filing Date: 2014-02-18
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. TAMR (thermally assisted magnetic recording) head, comprising: a magnetic write pole which, when energized, produces a magnetic field for writing on a magnetic recording medium rotating beneath an ABS (air bearing surface) end; a dynamic flying height (DFH) heater apparatus for producing thermal protrusions of the ABS about said head, thereby controlling the effective magnetic distance between said pole and said magnetic recording medium; a source of electromagnetic radiation; a waveguide for directing said electromagnetic radiation onto a plasmon generator; wherein said plasmon generator is formed on said magnetic write pole and is adjacent to said waveguide and separated from said waveguide by a gap or a plasmon shield, whereby said electromagnetic radiation is coupled to a surface plasmon mode propagating towards said ABS, wherein a near field portion of said propagating surface plasmon mode is confined to a region within a recording medium beneath said plasmon generator and whereby said near field transfers energy to said region within said recording medium and whereby said recording medium is heated, thereby facilitating a recording process; and an HDI (head-disk interference) sensor mounted adjacent to said waveguide, wherein said sensor is formed of a material that converts temperature variations to resistance changes, whereby effects of TD (touchdown) induced vibrations of said ABS are measured and temperature variations of the head are monitored.