Recording performance of high-density patterned perpendicular magnetic media

Isolated tracks of magnetic single-domain islands have been fabricated by patterning perpendicular Co70Cr18Pt12 continuous films using focused-ion-beam lithography, reaching areal densities as high as similar to200 Gbit/in2. We demonstrate writing and reading of individual islands using a quasistatic write/read tester. We present results on transition position jitter and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for patterned media and compare them with those on equivalent unpatterned strips of the media. We observe that patterning dramatically reduces jitter and improves SNR, which is independent of track width. Moreover, the synchronization requirements needed for writing bits in patterned media was investigated on a single row of islands revealing a significant "write window," where islands can be written correctly, of about half the island period. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.