Abstract: In a thermally-assisted magnetic recorder configured to heat a medium with a heat source like a light beam and thereby decrease the coercive force of a recording portion so as to magnetically record information on the recording portion decreased in coercive force by applying a recording magnetic field from a recording magnetic pole thereto, relative timing between heating of the medium and magnetic recording is optimized by locating a reversing point of magnetization, in which the coercive force of the recording portion equals the intensity of the recording magnetic field, in the leading side of the trailing edge of the recording magnetic pole.

Abstract: Electrons are directed from an electron emitter towards a magnetic recording medium to heat a recording portion of the magnetic recording medium and magnetic information is written by a magnetic recording head to the temperature-elevated recording portion. Otherwise, a magnetic head having a magnetic pole is used and the magnetic pole serves as an electron emitter as well. Alternatively, a space between the electron emitter and recording medium is made shorter smaller the mean free path of electrons in the atmosphere to considerably improve the recording density.

Abstract: A phase change recording medium comprises a substrate, an interference layer formed on the substrate and a recording layer formed on the interference layer. In this, the reflectance of the crystalline region in the recording layer is lower than that of amorphous region therein, and the interference layer comprises at least three layers of which the dielectric constant differs from that of the adjacent layers. With that constitution, the optical characteristics and the thermal characteristics of the medium are all optimized.

Abstract: A magnetic recording apparatus includes a magnetic recording medium including a substrate and a magnetic recording layer formed on the substrate and having a structure in which magnetic grains are dispersed in a nonmagnetic matrix, a means for recording magnetic information on the magnetic recording medium, and a means for reproducing magnetic information from the magnetic recording medium wherein the magnetic grains are separated from the substrate by a part of the matrix and form a substantially single layer parallel to the main surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A magnetic disk including a substrate, a recording track section which is made of a magnetic member for recording and reproducing information magnetically and is provided on the substrate, and a guard band member which is provided between the recording track sections adjacent to each other so that they are substantially continued in a track direction and is harder than the magnetic member and is made of a non-magnetic material. Moreover, the magnetic member is not provided or magnetic members with a different thickness from the magnetic member forming the recording track section is provided on a lower area of the guard band member.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium comprising a substrate and a magnetic film formed on the substrate, the magnetic film including magnetic crystal grains in a non-magnetic matrix and satisfying the condition given below:d.sup.2 .multidot.t.multidot.Ir/(v.multidot.Isb).gtoreq.0.75wheret: a thickness of the magnetic film;Ir: a remanent magnetization moment of the magnetic film;d: an average particle size of the magnetic crystal grains in an intra-film direction of the magnetic film; andv.multidot.Isb: an activated magnetization moment of the magnetic film.

Abstract: A magnetic disc apparatus includes a magnetic recording medium and member for recording/reproducing information in/out of the magnetic recording medium, the magnetic recording medium including a recording layer of a magnetic thin film formed on a non-magnetic substrate, and a non-magnetic protective layer formed on and thicker than the recording layer. The particular construction permits diminishing the thickness of the recording layer, making it possible to achieve a high density recording.

Abstract: A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus comprises a magnetic recording medium provided with tracks for recording/reproducing information, an arm situated above the magnetic recording medium in a direction crossing the tracks, an arm driver for moving the arm in a longitudinal direction of the arm, and a plurality of recording/reproducing elements for recording/reproducing information on the tracks, the recording/reproducing elements being arranged on the arm along the longitudinal direction of the arm at an interval less than a maximum movement amount of the arm moved by the arm driver. At least one of the recording/reproducing elements records/reproduces parity information on the other elements.

Abstract: This invention provides a magnetic recording medium having a magnetic thin film made of magnetic metal grains and a nonmagnetic matrix, wherein the hardness of the nonmagnetic matrix is larger than that of the magnetic metal grains, the magnetic metal grains have shape magnetic anisotropy and magneto-crystalline anisotropy, and in the nonmagnetic matrix the content of a magnetic metal element in a central portion between the magnetic metal grains is 20 atomic % or less. This invention also provides a magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus including a magnetic recording medium consisting of a nonmagnetic matrix, which is continuously present in the direction of film thickness and the in-plane direction of a magnetic thin film, and magnetic metal grains held in the nonmagnetic matrix, and a magnetic head for reproducing a signal from the magnetic recording medium by using a resistance change caused by a magnetic field.

Abstract: Light beams having two different power levels are radiated on a magneto-optical medium having a recording layer and a bias layer magnetostatically coupled to the recording layer, thereby recording and erasing information. Upon radiation of a high level beam, a beam irradiated portion of the recording layer is heated to reach a magnetization reversal temperature, and the direction of magnetization of the irradiated portion follows a direction of a leakage field generated by a magnetization distribution formed by heating of the bias layer. Upon radiation of a low level beam, a beam irradiated portion of the recording layer is heated to reach a magnetization reversal temperature to cause the bias layer to generate a leakage field having a magnitude smaller than that upon radiation of the high level beam. In this case, the direction of magnetization of the recording layer is opposite to that of the leakage field obtained upon radiation of the high level beam.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium including a recording layer and a bias layer being stacked one upon the other to apply coupling interaction which is mainly magnetostatic interaction to each other, the bias layer having a magnetization-reversing temperature higher than that of the recording layer. The medium is irradiated with laser beam pulses having a recording level and an erasing level lower than the recording level, thereby recording and erasing the information. When the medium is irradiated with the laser beam pulse having the recording level and the irradiated region is cooled to the magnetization reversing temperature T.sub.rR, the magnetization of the beam-irradiated region of the recording layer is aligned with a direction of the leakage magnetic field leaking from the recording layer. When the medium is irradiated with the laser beam pulse having the erase level and the irradiated region is cooled to T.sub.

Abstract: A method of magneto-optically recording and erasing information which comprises irradiating pulse-like laser beam onto a magneto-optical information storage medium including recording and bias layers which has perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and which are stacked one upon the other to apply coupling interaction which is mainly magnetostatic interaction to each other, and magnetization-reversing temperature of the bias layer being higher than that of the recording layer. When the recording laser beam is irradiated onto the medium, the beam-irradiated portion of the medium is heated to form a reversed magnetic domain in the bias layer, magnetization of the recording layer is reversed by first leakage magnetic field applied to the recording layer when beam-irradiated portion is then cooled, and magnetization of the bias layer is directed in same direction as that under initial state by second leakage magnetic field, applied to the bias layer.