REFLECTIVE HEATSINK STRUCTURES FOR HEAT-ASSISTED MAGNETIC RECORDING HEADS

A recording head comprises a waveguide core extending to an air-bearing surface, and a near-field transducer is centrally aligned with the waveguide core and positioned proximate a first side of the waveguide core in a down-track direction. First and second mirror portions form a mirror surrounding the near-field transducer in a cross-track direction with a gap therebetween. The mirror extends in the direction normal to the air-bearing surface a first distance that is less than a second distance the near-field transducer extends in the direction normal the air-bearing surface. First and second reflective heatsink structures are respectively coupled to the first and second mirror portions. The heatsink structures are spaced apart from the near-field transducer in the cross-track direction and extend in a direction normal the air-bearing surface, such that proximate the air-bearing surface the first and second reflective heatsink structures extend substantially parallel to, or converge toward, each other.