Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

Richard M Brockie

Pierre-Olivier Jubert

Sukumar Rajauria

A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a magnetic media, wherein the head comprises a laser and a near field transducer (NFT). A thermal gradient produced in the magnetic media by the NFT is periodically measured, and a failure of the NFT is predicted based on a slope of the thermal gradient measurements.

Data storage device predicting failure of near field transducer based on slope of thermal gradient

A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of tracks. A plurality of interlaced recording (IR) zones are defined on the disk, wherein each IR zone comprises a plurality of top tracks partially overlapping a plurality of bottom tracks. First data is written to the bottom tracks of a first IR zone, and the first IR zone is identified as a cold IR zone that is storing cold data. In response to identifying the first IR zone as a cold IR zone, second data is written to the top tracks of the first IR zone.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Richard M Brockie