According to one embodiment, a system includes a head, where the head includes: an optical signal source configured to emit a first optical signal, and a near-field transducer (NFT) configured to focus the first optical signal on a moving ferroelectric storage medium positioned below the head. The system also includes a detector operatively coupled to the head, where the detector is configured to detect a second optical signal generated in and reflected from the ferroelectric storage medium, and where the second optical signal has twice the optical frequency as the first optical signal.