MEDIA FOR 10 GB IN(2) HARD-DISK STORAGE - ISSUES AND STATUS/

Future 10 Gb/in.(2) recording densities represent submicron trackwidth s and sub-100 nm bit lengths. This requires extremely small magnetic s witching units and very high coercivities of the media to satisfy the signal-to-noise ratio requirements. At the same time the question of m agnetic thermal stability and the lack of transducers capable of perfo rming at these densities makes it difficult to evaluate media. An unco upled, highly uniform magnetic grain size of about 10 nm is a compromi se toward maintaining an adequately low media noise and yet maintainin g magnetic stability. Here we discuss current media construction, the detrimental role of substrate roughness, the role of new media structu res and alloys on microstructure and magnetic properties as well as te chniques for evaluating media performance prior to the availability of the required playback heads. (C) 1996 American Instirute of Physics.