A disk drive read head includes a slider. The slider has an air bearing surface, a trailing face, and a mounting face opposite the air bearing surface. The mounting face includes a mounting face recession. An interior surface of the mounting face recession includes an electrically conductive terminal. The read head also includes a magnetic transducer disposed on the trailing face of the slider. The read head also includes a laser device affixed to the electrically conductive terminal by a solder material. The laser device is at least partially recessed into the mounting face recession.