Energy-assisted magnetic recording data storage device with opportunistic boosted laser pre-biasing

A method comprising:

• applying, by one or more processing devices individually or in combination, an assistive energy current to an assistive energy emitter comprised in a selected head of a data storage device while applying a write current to a write element comprised in the selected head, and while the write element is positioned proximate to a data sector;
• powering down, by the one or more processing devices individually or in combination, the write current after finishing writing to the data sector;
• and
• applying, by the one or more processing devices individually or in combination, the assistive energy current to the assistive energy emitter at varying levels over time while refraining from applying the write current to the write element.

One or more processing devices comprising, individually or in combination:

• means for applying an assistive energy current to an assistive energy emitter comprised in a selected head of a data storage device while applying a write current to a write element comprised in the selected head, and while the write element is positioned proximate to a data sector;
• means for powering down the write current after finishing writing to the data sector;
• and
• means for applying the assistive energy current to the assistive energy emitter at varying levels over time while refraining from applying the write current to the write element.