Perpendicular magnetic recording technology at 230 Gbit/in

A perpendicular recording system that allows areal densities beyond 200 Gbit/in² has been designed and tested to investigate the major challenges in perpendicular magnetic recording. The integrated write/read head has a trailing shield to improve the write head field gradient and a conventional CIP–GMR reader. The medium is a low-noise CoPtCr-based oxide medium with a CoTaZr soft underlayer. On track byte error rates at ∼ 50 Mb/s are better than 10⁻⁴ at ∼1000 kbpi. Using a 15% off-track criterion at 10⁻² byte error rate, track densities between 200–240 ktpi are realized, yielding areal densities of 210–233 Gbit/in². High-resolution magnetic force microscopy (hrMFM) has been employed to investigate the write characteristics of these heads with improved cross-track resolution. Using a quantitative analysis method, many parameters, such as transition curvature and transition width, are estimated from the hrMFM image. Significant transition curvature is found, which increases the width of the read head response to a transition, T₅₀, by 2–3 nm.These results give insights into the recording physics of perpendicular recording and in particular point out improvements required for achieving even higher areal densities.     

Recording simulation beyond 2 Tbit/in on bit-patterned media with shielded planar head

A simple technique for bit-patterned media was proposed to increase achievable areal recording densities beyond 2 Tbit/in². Introduction of longitudinal magnetic anisotropy to the media indicated reduced effect of magnetostatic interaction between the dots. Recording simulation with a shielded planar pole head exhibited increased write shift margins in both down and cross track directions compared with that of the perpendicular anisotropy media. It was suggested that recording of an areal density of 2.5 Tbit/in² would be realized with a down and cross track margins of 3.5 and 4.0 nm, respectively. Better recording performance at high areal densities is expected if suitable head could be designed.     

Design and recording simulation of 1 Tbit/in patterned media

Design of patterned media for an areal density of 1 Tbit/in² with thermal stability is presented based on perpendicular M–H loops of the media. Required perpendicular magnetic anisotropy was estimated to be achieved with known materials. However, it is indicated that magnetostatic interaction between the dots becomes a limiting factor for achieving higher densities. Recording simulation using a Karlqvist pole head on the designed media exhibited possibility of the recording of 1 Tbit/in². Shift margin of the write head in the cross-track direction was found to be increased with elongated dots in the down-track direction. Recording simulation with an FEM-analyzed field of a side-shielded multi-surface pole head exhibited successful recording with increased cross-track shift margins as well as the effect of the elongated dot shape.     

Micromagnetic modeling for heat-assisted magnetic recording

Heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) is one of the candidate systems beyond the perpendicular recording technology. Here, a micromagnetic model and a heat transfer model are introduced to study the heating and cooling processes in the HAMR media; then, by integration of the SPT head and the laser heating source, the recording performance is simulated and investigated on a single track at an area density of 1 Tb/in². In the HAMR system, the temperature in the medium under the laser wave guide is increased by heating, and decreased by air bearing and heat conduction when the write process really occurred. The target of this study is to find the proper design of the head-laser assembly for optimum recording. It is found that the proper distance between the laser wave guide and the head's main pole rear/front edge is only 41.4/1.4 nm for optimum recording performance.     

Iterative decoding algorithm using attenuated information in PMR with bit-patterned medium

In this paper, a low-density parity check (LDPC) coding and iterative decoding system is studied in perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) with a bit-patterned medium. We propose the efficient iterative decoding algorithm attenuating reliability information, and evaluate the sector error rate (SER) performance of the LDPC coding and iterative decoding system by R/W computer simulations. It is clarified that the proposed systems provide better SER performances than that of the conventional system at an areal density of 1 Tbit/in² and can also prevent the error floor which appears in the performance of conventional system.     

Interface solution for writing-induced nano-deformation of slider body

Writing-induced nano-deformation of slider body becomes a big concern when the mechanical spacing between the head and disk is continuously reduced to achieve higher magnetic recording areal density. Reduced head–disk spacing increases the risk of head/disk contact and causes the thermal instability in head–disk interface (HDI). This paper reports authors’ efforts towards exploration of interface solutions for writing-induced instability in ultra-low head–disk spacing magnetic system. Multi-shallow step structure with optimized rail position is analyzed and a new femto slider with such structure is explored. The results of numerical simulation indicate that the multi-shallow step structure is an effective approach in reducing the flying height change caused by the writing-induced nano-deformation of the slider body.     

Drive-based recording analyses at >800 Gfc/in using shingled recording

Since the introduction of perpendicular recording, conventional perpendicular scaling has enabled the hard disk drive industry to deliver products ranging from ∼130 to well over 500 Gb/in² in a little over 4 years. The incredible areal density growth spurt enabled by perpendicular recording is now endangered by an inability to effectively balance writeability with erasure effects at the system level. Shingled magnetic recording (SMR) offers an effective means to continue perpendicular areal density growth using conventional heads and tuned media designs. The use of specially designed edge-write head structures (also known as ‘corner writers’) should further increase the AD gain potential for shingled recording. In this paper, we will demonstrate the drive-based recording performance characteristics of a shingled recording system at areal densities in excess of 800 Gb/in² using a conventional head.Using a production drive base, developmental heads/media and a number of sophisticated analytical routines, we have studied the recording performance of a shingled magnetic recording subsystem. Our observations confirm excellent writeability in excess of 400 ktpi and a perpendicular system with acceptable noise balance, especially at extreme ID and OD skews where the benefits of SMR are quite pronounced. We believe that this demonstration illustrates that SMR is not only capable of productization, but is likely the path of least resistance toward production drive areal density closer to 1 Tb/in² and beyond.     

Optimisation of bit patterned media for 1 Tb/in

Micromagnetic simulations were used to investigate the influence of patterned media geometry on the signal to noise ratio (SNR), adjacent track erasure and write margin for a target recording density of 1 Tb/in². For an ideal patterned medium the readback noise was a maximum when the read head was directly over the dots and a minimum at the transitions. The SNR improved for smaller dots due to the larger dot separation. However, the ideal media with the highest SNR were also the most susceptible to dispersions of dot size and position. Low temperature simulations suggest that large write margins are available; however, at room temperature the write margin can be much reduced. Increasing the rise time of the write head had a deleterious effect on the write margin and the write margin was zero for rise times of more than 0.45 ns. Nevertheless, error-free writing at 1 Tb/in² could be achieved using appropriate head geometries and material parameters.     

Read channel simulation based on microtrack and micromagnetic modeling for 1 Tb/in magnetic recording

Channel design for ultra-high-density perpendicular magnetic recording requires fast and precise modeling to generate readback signals corrupted by media noise. In this paper, we present a geometric-dependent approach to model random readback pulses, where a three-dimensional head and media combination for 1 Tb/in² density design is considered in the micromagnetic simulation. A systematic approach is developed to extract media noise statistics from micromagnetic modeling and generate readback pulses based on a fast microtrack model incorporating nonlinear effects. The feasibility of the proposed model is demonstrated through bit-error-rate (BER) simulation of a turbo equalization scheme over a low-density parity-check (LDPC) coded, general-partial-response (GPR) equalized perpendicular recording channel.     

Playback performance of perpendicular magnetic recording tape media for over-50-TB cartridge by facing targets sputtering method

Perpendicular magnetic recording tape medium with laminated soft magnetic underlayers was successively formed on a 4.5 μm thin plastic film by the facing targets sputtering method at room temperature. The tape medium showed extremely high SNR values with sharp transitions in playback tests by a drum tester, compared to a linear format commercial tape medium. An areal density of 45.0 Gb/in.² of perpendicular tape medium was confirmed by a high-resolution contact tester. These results suggest that the perpendicular recording tape medium by the facing targets sputtering method is a promising candidate for a tape cartridge of over 50-TB.     

Constructive ITI-coded PRML system based on a two-track model for perpendicular magnetic recording

In this paper, we study not only the new constructive inter-track interference (CITI) code based on the equalized level but also Viterbi detection algorithm taking into account the ITI from adjacent tracks for the perpendicular magnetic recording channel without a differentiator of two-track model. Although the investigation of this paper was not practical but theoretical, the result shows that the permissible percentage of ITI for conventional Viterbi detection to attain better performance compared with the case of single track is 26%, while the percentage for the proposed one is improved up to 50%. Further investigation has to be required under a more realistic system and moreover may be expanded into patterned media perpendicular magnetic recording.     

Narrow-track perpendicular write heads

Narrow-track perpendicular write heads are reviewed. Because of the strong magnetic interaction between the write head and double-layered medium in perpendicular recording, various types of media are also considered. Current technology is discussed to illustrate design issues; then, for areal densities beyond 1 Tb/in², future technological requirements, including single-pole-type (SPT) heads for discrete track and bit-patterned media, are examined based on numerical simulations.     

CPP-GMR heads with a current screen layer for high areal density

We investigated the potential for high-areal-density recording in current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistive (CPP-GMR) heads with a current screen layer. The current screen layer is a nano-oxide layer with confined current paths. We fabricated the current screen CPP-GMR heads with a narrow sensor width of 40–50 nm, a high MR ratio of 17%, and low-resistance-area (RA) product of 0.2 Ω μm². The fabricated heads showed a sufficiently high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 30–40 dB. No extra noise, such as spin-torque noise, was observed. Linear density of 1360 kFCI from the head with the magnetic read width of 45 nm was obtained. Distribution of sensor resistance due to nano-hole area distribution in the current screen layer can be reduced with low-RA film. Spin-torque noise can be suppressed by reducing the current-induced field and controlling the shape anisotropy. Accordingly, the current screen CPP-GMR head is a promising candidate that has the potential for high-areal-density recording.     

Adjacent track interference analysis of shielded perpendicular writers

In order to achieve high track density in perpendicular recording, write-field leakage from the main pole to adjacent tracks needs to be minimized. We used a 3-D finite-element method to investigate the optimal writer design, which minimizes fringing fields. We also confirmed the results using experimentally by studying adjacent track interference (ATI) on a spinstand. According to both modeling and experimental data, we found that ATI performance can be clearly improved with a wrap-around-shielded (WAS) writer while maintaining enough write-ability. In order to reduce the fringing field, a WAS having thick throat, high permeability and high saturated magnetic flux density was required. We also confirmed that variations of ATI performance due to flare length distributions can be effectively suppressed with the WAS writer.     

Thermal stability and switching field of hard/soft-stacked perpendicular media

The time dependence of remanence coercivity and thermal stability were investigated for hard/soft-stacked media consisting of a magnetically hard granular layer underneath a very thin soft layer with a large saturation magnetization, M_s. The values of remanence coercivity at measurement times t′=10³ and 10⁻⁵ s (pulse field) were measured, and defined as H_r and H_r^P. The remanence coercivity on the recording time scale, H_r (1 ns), and the energy barrier, ΔE/kT, were evaluated by fitting H_r and H_r^P to Sharrock's equation taking into account the power law variation of the energy barrier, n. The value of H_r (1 ns) for a (Co–Pt)–SiO₂ (9 nm)/Co–SiO₂ (2 nm) stacked medium with an interfacial coupling control layer was about 9 kOe, which was less than half of that of a (Co–Pt)–SiO₂ (9 nm) conventional medium (=21.3 kOe). The value of ΔE/kT for the stacked medium was about 111 (n=0.7), and was not significantly different from the conventional medium. Moreover, no significant difference in the rate of decrease of H_r with increasing temperature was observed between media with and without interlayers. These results indicate that the use of a thin soft layer with high M_s was effective at significantly reducing H_r with no notable change in thermal stability.     

Performance of GPRML-AR system in perpendicular magnetic recording channel with thermal decay

The bit-error rate (BER) performance of the generalized partial response maximum likelihood with autoregressive (GPRML-AR) channel model system in perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) channel with thermal decay is obtained. The 128/130(0,16/8) run-length-limited (RLL) code is used as a recording code. The GPR channel consists of the PR1 channel followed by the reduction circuit of predicted noise. The BER performance is evaluated by computer simulation using a thermal decay model. The model has been obtained by using an approximate equation that represents amplitude degradation of the reproducing waveform with elapsed time based on the experimental data for CoPtCr-SiO₂ PMR media. The Viterbi detector with an AR channel model is employed. Furthermore, long-term degradation of the required SNR to achieve a BER of 10⁻⁴ with elapsed time is obtained and the performance is compared with that of PR1ML system. The results show that the poorer the thermal stability of the medium becomes, the larger the SNR gain of the GPR1ML-AR system over the PR1ML system becomes. The SNR gain also increases with elapsed time.     

Preparation and recording characteristics of granular-type perpendicular magnetic recording media with thin intermediate layer

Granular-type media with thin Ru intermediate layer were prepared on a highly oriented high-B_s FeCo soft underlayer (SUL). A CoPt–TiO₂ recording layer on a Ru intermediate layer of only 2 nm had high-crystal orientation, high H_c of 6.5 kOe, and a high squareness ratio (SQ) of 0.99. The magnetic property of the SUL was also good. The recording performance was measured for the media with different Ru intermediate thicknesses by using a single-pole-type (SPT) head. The media had large reproduced output even for the Ru intermediate layer thickness of 2 nm.     

Influence of patterning fluctuation on read/write characteristics in discrete track and bit patterned media

The read/write characteristics of non-patterned media (NPM), discrete track media (DTM), and bit patterned media (BPM) are examined by modeling the magnetization distribution of NPM and patterning fluctuation of DTM. By comparing spin-stand measurement with calculation, the magnetization distribution of NPM was well characterized with a new Voronoi cell magnetic cluster model, in which the cluster size at the track edge, 〈D_edge〉, was larger than that at the track center, 〈D_center〉 by a factor of two. Based on an analysis of patterning fluctuations seen in SEM images of DTM, line-edge roughness (LER) was modeled as a long-wavelength center-line roughness (CLR) plus a short-wavelength line-width roughness (LWR). It was confirmed that the standard deviation of the patterning fluctuation was much smaller than that of the magnetic fluctuation for NPM. This allowed DTM to achieve higher off-track performance than NPM. By examining the 747 curves, it was revealed that DTM could have an advantage in track-density of up to approximately 25% assuming patterning fluctuations can be well controlled at high track density. In BPM, fabricating accurate dots is essential. The relationship between dot defect rate and patterning fluctuation was examined, and the maximum allowable standard deviation of LER was derived as 2 nm for achieving 1 Tbspi.     

Bidirectional recording performance of a perpendicular evaporated Co–CoO tape

It is the first report on the recording performance of a perpendicular metal evaporated (ME) tape measured with a giant magnetoresistive head. To solve the application difficulty of oblique evaporated tape media to linear scan tape systems, a perpendicular evaporated Co–CoO tape was proposed instead. The prepared sample showed perpendicular anisotropy with coercivity of 107.3 kA/m, M_rt of 3.9 mA and squareness of 0.25. Identical recording characteristics were obtained for both head-media moving directions, which enables the application of perpendicular evaporated Co–CoO tape to linear scan tape systems. The better carrier-to-noise ratio was also confirmed by comparison with a current advanced product of metal particulate tape, which can realize the higher recording density of linear scan tape systems using ME tape.     

Novel approaches to high-density perpendicular recording media

Two different approaches to reduce the intermediate layer (IL) thickness in perpendicular recording media are proposed. Such a reduction in IL thickness could lead to improvement in writability and recording performance. The first approach involved the introduction of a magnetic intermediate layer (MIL), to obtain C-axis growth. Media with CoCr alloy layer as the MIL were studied. Reasonably good C-axis growth with a Δθ₅₀ of about 3.8° could be obtained for MIL thickness of about 10 nm. Noise could be controlled by introducing exchange-breaking layers. The other approach involved the use of crystalline soft underlayers (SUL) to obtain suitable growth conditions for the recording layers. For this purpose, CoFeTaCr alloys with a FCC(1 1 1) texture were prepared. A good C-axis dispersion in the recording layer with a Δθ₅₀ of about 3.1° could be obtained for IL thickness of about 5 nm. The present study indicates that the recording medium deposited on crystalline SUL is relatively noisier than that deposited on amorphous SUL. Reducing the noise of the crystalline SUL is a way towards higher areal densities.