A waveguide has a first cladding layer surrounding a near-field transducer. A core of the waveguide is disposed on the first cladding layer, and a second cladding layer is disposed on the core opposite the first cladding layer. A coupler is formed of a second plasmonic material and disposed in the waveguide such that a first edge of the coupler is proximate a media-facing surface and a first side of the coupler faces and is spaced apart from a peg of the near-field transducer in a downtrack direction.