Materials and Processes in Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording

Abstract

The conventional magnetic recording has approached its physical limits. Further growth of the areal density is limited by the superparamagnetic effect and by the limited possibilities to further improve write heads design and pole materials in order to enhance the writing field. A new technology proposed to surpass these limits is theheat assisted magnetic recording(HAMR). The principle of HAMR and the structure of a HAMR system are discussed, as well as the processes characterizing the writing process and the requirements for the materials needed for this type of recording. Some important challenges of the HAMR technology are summarized.