US Patent 11894031 Self-aligned hybrid near field transducer with single peg grain

A near field transducer (NFT) having improved reliability is disclosed. In some embodiments, a NFT includes a resonator body layer having a front side at a first plane that is recessed a first distance from an air bearing surface (ABS), and a peg layer that is a single layer made of a noble metal or alloy thereof. The peg layer includes a peg portion or peg with a front side at the ABS, a back side at the first plane, and two sides aligned orthogonal to the ABS and separated by the first cross-track width. The peg portion or the peg having a single peg grain with or without a desired (