Write curent undershoot for a heat-assisted magnetic storage device

A method for modulating current in a heat assisted magnetic recording device comprising:

• applying an overshoot current to a write head for a predefined overshoot current duration during writing of a bit;
• applying an undershoot current to the write head for a predefined undershoot current duration during writing of the bit;
• and
• applying, after the undershoot current duration, a steady-state current to the write head during writing of the bit and while a near-field transducer is transmitting energy to a recording medium, the steady-state current being greater than the undershoot current.

An apparatus, comprising:

• an interface circuit operable to communicate with a write head, the write head comprising a near-field transducer configured to transmit energy to create a thermal spot on a recording medium;
• a controller coupled to the interface circuit, the controller operable to provide instructions to the interface circuit to:
• apply an overshoot current to the write head for a predefined overshoot current duration during writing of a bit;
• apply an undershoot current to the write head for a predefined undershoot current duration during writing of the bit;
• and
• apply, after the undershoot current duration, a steady-state current to the write head during writing the bit and while the near-field transducer is transmitting energy to the recording medium, the steady-state current being greater than the undershoot current.