A magnetic recording head comprises a write pole having a pole tip adjacent to an air bearing surface, a return pole, an optical near field transducer positioned adjacent the pole tip and an air bearing surface for exposing a portion of a magnetic storage medium to high energy radiation. The energy is directly provided to the near field transducer by a ridge waveguide with tapered coupling elements, by a two dimensional straight or curved waveguide with a beveled end with a metal/dielectric coating for delivering energy to the near field transducer, or by a curved waveguide. The waveguide with tapered coupling elements or with beveled end can be fabricated by means of conventional wafer processing.