Nonlinear partial erasure and its correlation with transition noise in longitudinal thin-film media

Nonlinear partial erasure and the supralinear noise enhancement at high recording densities are the two critical factors limiting linear recording density in longitudinal thin-film disk media. In this paper, via spin stand measurements, nonlinear partial erasure was studied in terms of medium magnetic parameters, such as M(r)T,H-c and orientation ratio, and recording conditions, such as fly height and write current optimization. It is found that the nonlinear partial erasure and the supralinear noise increase always occur at the same recording density, independent of media magnetic properties and recording condition. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.