Media Thermal Robustness (MTR) test to quantify lifetime for media thermaldecay

A Media Thermal Robustness (MTR) test has been developed to quantify lifeti me for media thermal decay. In this test, erasing currents produced by the write coil of a head were used to stress a written track. Amplitude was mon itored as a function of log(time) to and beyond the failure point of 85% of initial amplitude. The lifetime with current = 0 can be obtained by extrap olating [log(f(o) . lifetime)](2/3) versus current to current = 0, where f( o) similar to 10(9) Hz, is the attempt frequency. This MTR test procedure a llows the media thermal decay lifetime to be determined in similar to2 hour s. Consistency of short and long media lifetime predictions by MTR test was found to be quite good. Repeatability of lifetime prediction was demonstra ted to be within a reasonably narrow range.