Abstract: During field operation of a heat-assisted magnetic recording data storage device, a laser adjustment procedure is performed. The laser adjustment procedure involves writing on a recording medium at least three tracks. If a bit error rate of a middle tracks has increased, the laser current is swept while recording test tracks to determine a new laser current that results in a minimum bit error rate. The new laser current is used for subsequent write operations.

Abstract: During field operation of a heat-assisted magnetic recording data storage device, a laser adjustment procedure is performed. The laser adjustment procedure involves writing on a recording medium at least three tracks. If a bit error rate of a middle tracks has increased, the laser current is swept while recording test tracks to determine a new laser current that results in a minimum bit error rate. The new laser current is used for subsequent write operations.

Abstract: A laser power applied to a recording head is changed for a plurality of iterations. Each iteration involves, via the recording head at each laser power, writing multiple adjacent tracks to a heat-assisted recording medium and determining a bit error rate for at least one of the adjacent tracks at each laser power. A first laser power is found that achieves a minimum bit error rate of the iterations. An operational value of laser power that is smaller than the first laser power is used during operational recording to reduce adjacent track interference.

Abstract: A data storage device and associated methods may provide at least a data storage medium that is separated from a heat assisted magnetic recording data writer and is connected to a controller. The controller can be configured to change a laser power of the heat assisted magnetic recording data writer in response to a tested bit error rate of a median data track of a plurality of adjacent data tracks reaching an identified threshold.

Abstract: A recording head writes data to a recording medium for one or more iterations. Each iteration involves adjusting a linear data density, a track pitch, and a laser power. From the iterations, a selected linear data density, a selected track pitch, and a selected laser power are determined that together achieve a target areal density and are used to write user data to the recording medium during operation of a hard disk drive.

Abstract: During field operation of a heat-assisted magnetic recording data storage device, a laser adjustment procedure is repeatedly performed. The laser adjustment procedure involves writing, at a designated location on a recording medium at least three tracks at an unsqueezed pitch, a first track being in the middle of the at least three tracks. A first bit error rate of the first track is compared with a reference bit error rate. In response to the comparison satisfying a threshold, the laser current is swept while recording squeezed test tracks at the designated location to determine a new laser current that results in a minimum bit error rate. The new laser current is used for subsequent write operations.

Abstract: A data storage device and associated methods may provide at least a data storage medium that is separated from a heat assisted magnetic recording data writer and is connected to a controller. The controller can be configured to change a laser power of the heat assisted magnetic recording data writer in response to a tested bit error rate of a median data track of a plurality of adjacent data tracks reaching an identified threshold.