We have written and read bit patterns on arrays of square islands cut with
a focused ion beam into granular perpendicular magnetic recording media. Us
ing a static write-read tester, we have written square-wave bit patterns on
arrays of islands with sizes between 60 and 230 nm, matching the recording
linear density to the pattern period. These measurements reveal the onset
of single-domain behavior for islands smaller than 130 nm, in agreement wit
h magnetic force microscope images. The recording performance of patterned
regions is systematically compared to that of unpatterned regions. (C) 2001
American Institute of Physics.