Near Field Transducer Heat Sink Thermal Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Near field transducers (NFTs) in heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) systems face overheating issues due to poor thermal conductance of waveguide materials, leading to reliability concerns.
Innovation Solution
A near field transducer design incorporating a heat sink aligned with the disk, featuring a peg and a heat sink with a main portion and a tip portion, is developed, along with a method for forming the NFT using photoresist masks and directional material deposition to enhance thermal management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the NFT feature size is reduced to achieve the right resonance frequency and thermal spot size, then the coupling efficiency is improved, but the temperature increase at the NFT region becomes excessively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat sink function from the waveguide material by introducing a separate heat sink structure positioned adjacent to the NFT. This separates the optical coupling function (performed by the small NFT) from the thermal management function (performed by the heat sink), allowing the NFT to maintain its small size for efficient coupling while the heat sink handles the thermal load.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat sink acts as an intermediary thermal management component between the NFT and the surrounding environment. It provides a dedicated thermal conduction path that mediates the heat transfer process, preventing excessive temperature buildup at the NFT while maintaining the NFT's small dimensions for optimal optical coupling.
2Use of energy by moving object
If waveguide materials are used to couple laser light onto the NFT, then the light coupling is achieved, but the thermal conductance is very poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the thermal management function from the optical coupling function by introducing a separate heat sink structure. The waveguide material retains its primary function of light coupling, while the heat sink handles thermal conduction, creating specialized components for each function rather than relying on the waveguide material to perform both roles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material strategies by combining the waveguide material (optimized for optical coupling) with a heat sink structure (optimized for thermal conduction). This composite approach allows each material to be selected and designed for its optimal performance in its specific function, rather than requiring a single material to excel at both optical and thermal properties.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design improves thermal coupling efficiency and reduces overheating, enhancing the reliability of HAMR heads by effectively managing heat distribution within the NFT.
Implementation Method 1
Waveguide materials normally have very poor thermal conductance... enormous temperature increases at the region of the NFT
Implementation Method 2
An NFT is able to confine light far beyond the diffraction limit by generating localized surface Plasmon (LSP)
Implementation Method 3
forming a first photoresist mask on a substrate, the first photoresist mask having inside edges
Data Source
AI summary
A near field transducer (NFT) that includes a disk, the disk having a top surface, a side surface, and a center; a peg, the peg positioned adjacent the side surface of the disk; and a heat sink, the heat sink positioned on the top surface of the disk, and the heat sink having an effective center, wherein the NFT has a peg axis, which is defined by the location of the peg adjacent the side surface of the disk, and a non-peg axis, which is perpendicular to the peg axis, and wherein the effective center of the heat sink is positioned at about the center of the disk.