A heat-assisted recording head is moved onto a ramp such that the recording head is thermally isolated from a moving disk. A heating device is activated on the recording head to cause the recording head to obtain a high temperature that is not obtainable when proximate to the moving disk. The recording head is moved over the moving disk such that the recording head reaches an operating temperature that is below the high temperature. One or more temperatures between the high temperature and the operational temperature are determined at which a laser of the recording head experiences mode-hopping. The one or more temperatures are stored and accessed by a controller to mitigate mode hopes during an operation of the recording head.

A recording head for writing data on tracks of a data storage medium. The recording head includes a writer having a write pole and a trailing shield. The write pole includes a pole tip configured to write on the tracks of the data storage medium. The recording head also includes a writing-assistance wire that is positioned between the pole tip and the trailing shield in a down-track direction.

A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of servo tracks and a plurality of data tracks defined by the servo tracks. Each servo track is defined by a first set of servo sectors interleaved with a second set of servo sectors, wherein each servo sector comprises a servo burst field. The servo burst field of the first set of servo sectors has a first length and the servo burst field of the second set of servo sectors has a second length longer than the first length. Data is written to a first data track by reading at least one of the second set of servo sectors and skipping the read of at least part of one of the first set of servo sectors, and servoing the head over the first data track in response to reading the second set servo sector.

An apparatus comprises a slider configured for heat assisted magnetic recording and comprising a substrate. At least one component of the slider generates heat when energized. At least one thermal via extends through a portion of the slider from a location proximate the component to the substrate. The thermal via is configured to conduct heat away from the component and to the substrate.

A write head includes a waveguide, a magnetic pole, and a near-field transducer. The near-field transducer includes an enlarged portion and a peg. The peg is separated from the magnetic pole in a downtrack direction by a dielectric gap. A peg coupler covers a bottom surface of the magnetic pole and is separated from the peg. The peg coupler is formed of a first plasmonic material. A pad extends from the peg coupler into part of the gap in the downtrack direction towards the peg. The pad is formed of a second plasmonic material and extends into the write head away from the media-facing surface a distance L that is less than a corresponding distance of the peg coupler.

Light is directed from a light source at a coupling surface of a slider into a delivery waveguide of the slider. The delivery waveguide couples a first portion of the light into a near-field transducer at a media-facing surface. A second portion of the light is coupled into a splitter waveguide. The second portion of light is detected to perform an active alignment of the light source on the slider.

An apparatus comprises a slider configured for heat assisted magnetic recording and comprising a substrate. At least one component of the slider generates heat when energized. At least one thermal via extends through a portion of the slider from a location proximate the component to the substrate. The thermal via is configured to conduct heat away from the component and to the substrate.

Methods and apparatuses for detecting mode hopping in a laser diode or other optical energy source in heat-assisted magnetic recording. An output power of the laser diode or other optical energy source is measured and the output power is differentiated over time to determine a rate of change. If it is determined that the rate of change exceeds a threshold value, a fault signal is asserted indicating a potential mode hopping event.

An apparatus, according to one embodiment, comprises a near field transducer; an adhesion layer on a media facing side of the near field transducer, the adhesion layer comprising Ni and Cr; and a protective layer on a media facing side of the adhesion layer. Other apparatuses, systems and methods are described in additional embodiments.

An apparatus includes a waveguide that delivers energy from an energy source, a write pole located proximate the waveguide at a media-facing surface, and a near-field transducer located proximate the write pole in a down track direction. The near-field transducer includes an enlarged portion and a peg extending from the enlarged portion towards the media-facing surface. The peg comprises a taper facing away from the write pole, and the taper causes a reduced down track dimension of the peg near the media-facing surface.