Patent ID: 8593916

Claim:
A magnetic recording head which records information on a magnetic recording medium, comprising: an air bearing surface facing the magnetic recording medium; a near-field light generating unit disposed on the ABS surface; a heat conducting unit that includes a heat conductor disposed in contact with the near-field light generating unit, is formed from a metal, and extends substantially perpendicular to a track of the magnetic recording medium; and a heat absorbing unit disposed in contact with the heat conducting unit and proximate to the near-field light generating unit, oriented substantially parallel to the ABS surface, and comprising a heat absorbing element and an electrically insulating layer formed by a thermal conductor disposed between the heat conducting unit and the heat absorbing element, wherein the heat absorbing element includes a Peltier element having a heat absorbing layer, an electrode layer, a semiconductor layer, a conductive layer, and a radiating layer that are sequentially stacked on a leading surface of the heat conducting unit, and wherein the heat absorbing layer is configured to absorb a thermal energy from the heat conducting unit; and the radiating layer is disposed on a surface of the Peltier element opposite to a surface of the Peltier element that is in contact with the heat conducting unit and configured to radiate the thermal energy absorbed by the heat absorbing layer.