Oxidizing or reducing atmosphere for heat-assisted magnetic recording
US11475924B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 19, 2021 |
| Grant date | Oct 18, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 19, 2041 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B2005/0021
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A heat-assisted magnetic recording device is disposed in a hermetically sealed enclosure. The device includes a slider comprising a reader, a writer, and an optical waveguide configured to couple light from a light source to a near-field transducer situated at or near an air bearing surface of the slider. The near-field transducer comprises an enlarged portion and a peg extending from the enlarged portion in a direction of the air bearing surface. A fill gas is provided within the enclosure. The fill gas comprises a mixture of a low-density, inert gas and at least one gas that oxidizes carbon, where the total carbon oxidizing gas concentration of the fill gas is 3-50% by volume. In certain embodiments, the fill gas comprises a hydrogen concentration sufficient to retard oxidation of the peg when the peg is at an operating temperature associated with write operations.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.