Tabu Search Aided Multi-Track Detection Scheme for Bit-Patterned Media Recording

Abstract

A tabu search (TS) aided multi-track detection scheme for bit patterned magnetic recording is proposed. The proposed detection scheme adopts the simplified multi-track detector with a two-dimensional generalized partial response (GPR) target, uses a priori information, and employs a reliability test and a TS detector. The proposed detection scheme processes signals in three stages. First, the single-track detector with a one-dimensional GPR target detects the data for the main-track and side-tracks. Second, the reliability test is performed to detect bits with low reliability in the side-tracks by comparing the distance between the readback signal and the estimated and reconstructed readback signal. If the distance is greater than a specific value, the TS detector is conducted to improve the reliability of bits with low reliability in the side-tracks. Lastly, the simplified multi-track detector detects the main-track data using a priori information from the outputs of the TS or single-track detectors for the side-track data. The proposed and conventional detection schemes are compared in terms of the bit error rate performances. Simulation results show that the proposed detection scheme with slightly additional complexity has more than 3 dB gains compared to the conventional detection schemes.