A method of controlling writing in a TAR-disk drive (Thermally-assisted-recording) with thermal fly height control

A disk drive with thermally assisted recording (TAR) operates by switching of writing current before the application of heat to the recording layer through the Nahfeldwandler (NFT). In a TAR-disk drive, the thermal fly height control (TFC) used is the TFC-power at a first power level which keeps the write pole at a predetermined altitude. Then, the write current is either turned on simultaneously with a reduction of the TFC-power or thereafter. The write pole reaches its optimal flight altitude as a result of the combination of the current caused by the write-write pole protrusion and retraction caused by the reduction of the TFC performance of the write pole. After the write pole has reached its optimum altitude, heat is applied by the NFT to the recording layer. The combination of write current and heat causes the writing on the optimum write pole flying height takes place.