First and second nominal head-to-media spacings of a magnetic recording head are determined that result in tracks being written to a magnetic recording medium at respective narrower and wider tracks widths. Three or more adjacent tracks of user data are written to the magnetic recording medium using one of the first and second nominal head-to-media spacings so that the adjacent tracks alternate between the narrower and wider track widths.

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.

A first waveguide portion receives light from an energy source in a fundamental transverse electric (TE.sub.00) mode. A mode converter converts a portion of the light to higher-order transverse electric (TE.sub.10) mode. A second waveguide portion receives the light at the TE.sub.10 mode and delivers the light to a near-field transducer that heats a recording medium in response thereto. An optical spatial mode filter prevents remnant light in the TE.sub.00 mode from affecting the recording medium while passing the light at the TE.sub.10 mode.

A storage device includes a storage medium having a plurality of data tracks. At least one data track of the plurality of data tracks includes a number of super parity sectors. The number of super parity sectors selected for the at least one data tracks is selected based on a distance between an inner diameter of the storage medium and the data track. The number of super parity sectors provides error correction code for the at least one data track.

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.

A storage device disclosed herein stores data on a storage media using interlaced magnetic recording (IMR) and it includes a storage controller configured to determine power levels applied to the power source such that power levels applied to heat various tracks can be different from each other. An implementation of the storage device determines the track density, linear densities and power levels for even and odd tracks in IMR HAMR for the storage media.

A storage device disclosed herein stores data on a storage media using interlaced magnetic recording (IMR) and it includes a storage controller configured to determine power levels applied to the power source such that power levels applied to heat various tracks can be different from each other. An implementation of the storage device determines the track density, linear densities and power levels for even and odd tracks in IMR HAMR for the storage media.

A storage device includes a transducer head including a first write element configured to write data at a first write width and a second write element configured to write data at a second write width less than the first write width. According to one implementation, the first write element writes data at a first linear density and to alternating data tracks and the second write element writes data at a second linear density and to data tracks interlaced with the alternating data tracks.

A storage device includes a storage medium having a plurality of data tracks. At least one data track of the plurality of data tracks includes a number of super parity sectors. The number of super parity sectors selected for the at least one data tracks is selected based on a distance between an inner diameter of the storage medium and the data track. The number of super parity sectors provides error correction code for the at least one data track.

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.