NARROW TRACK RECORDING CHARACTERISTICS IN THIN-FILM MEDIA

In this paper, we report a combined spin-stand measurement and microma gnetic simulation study on narrow track recording characteristics in t hin film media. It is found that the onset recording density of nonlin ear partial erasure is determined by intertransition percolations near the track edges where the head field gradient is poor. Trimming into the shared pole in merged MR/thin film heads is necessary for performa nce at both high linear and high track densities. Increasing head fiel d magnitude with respect to medium coercivity increases the width of e rase band but not the actual transition track width. When the head is skewed, the edge field overwrites on-track transitions, resulting in a reduction of effective transition track width. The trimming of the sh ared pole in merged MR/thin film heads can significantly reduce this e dge overwrite effect. It is suggested that servo writing schemes shoul d be modified to take into account the phenomena described in this pap er.