Optically-assisted magnetic recording targeting over 1 Tbit/in2

Optically-assisted magnetic recording (OAMR) can solve fundamental problems concerning thermal fluctuation and write capability in magnetic recording, and it is regarded as the key technology in achieving density exceeding 1 Thit/in(2). OAMR is classified into magnetic dominant recording and optical dominant recording, and differences with respect to the recording method and effect between them are described. Magnetic dominant recording was conducted on longitudinal synthetic ferrimagnetic media to prove the fundamental effectiveness. Both SNR and overwritability without thermal erasure were assured. A theoretical estimation in optical dominant recording suggests that OAMR enables 10 times density compared with conventional magnetic recording. Butted grating should provide good optical characteristics as the heating element for optical dominant recording, and it also has compatibility with the conventional magnetic head for integration.