Abstract: An apparatus includes a magnetic layer, a heat sink layer, and a thermal resistor layer between the magnetic layer and the heat sink layer. The apparatus may be configured as a thin film structure arranged for data storage. The apparatus may also include an interlayer positioned between the magnetic layer and the thermal resistor layer.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a magnetic layer, a heat sink layer, and a thermal resistor layer between the magnetic layer and the heat sink layer. The apparatus may be configured as a thin film structure arranged for data storage. The apparatus may also include an interlayer positioned between the magnetic layer and the thermal resistor layer.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a recording media including a substrate, a plurality of tracks of magnetic material on the substrate, and a non-magnetic material between the tracks; a recording head having an air bearing surface positioned adjacent to the recording media, and including a magnetic pole, an optical transducer, and a near-field transducer, wherein the near-field transducer directs electromagnetic radiation onto tracks to heat portions of the tracks and a magnetic field from the magnetic pole is used to create magnetic transitions in the heated portions of the tracks; and a plasmonic material positioned adjacent to the magnetic material to increase coupling between the electromagnetic radiation and the magnetic material.

Abstract: A method includes: constructing a multilayer structure including a first layer of Pt, a first layer of A1 phase FePt on the first layer of Pt, and a second layer of Pt on the layer of FePt, and annealing the multilayer structure to convert the A1 phase FePt to L10 phase FePt.

Abstract: Magnetic layers are described that include the use of magnetic grains and non-magnetic grain boundaries with hybrid additives. Hybrid additives include the use of at least two different additives in the composition of the grain boundaries of a magnetic layer in magnetic recording media. The use of hybrid additives in the grain boundaries results in improved recording media. Methods for forming magnetic layers and magnetic recording media with the hybrid additive grain boundaries are also described.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). In an illustrative example, a device includes a magnetic write pole having a convex pole tip; a magnetic opposing pole longitudinally displaced from the magnetic write pole; and a thermal-source component disposed proximate to the magnetic write pole and comprising a laterally elongated thermal-source peg disposed proximate to the convex pole tip.

Abstract: A thin film structure including a plurality of grains of a first magnetic material having a first Curie temperature embedded in a matrix of a second material having a second Curie temperature, wherein the second Curie temperature is lower than the first Curie temperature and the second material comprises one or more of an oxide, a sulfide, a nitride, and a boride.

Abstract: A thin film structure comprises a first layer including a first plurality of grains of magnetic material having a first intergranular exchange coupling, and a second layer positioned adjacent to the first layer and including a second plurality of grains of magnetic material having a second intergranular exchange coupling, wherein the second intergranular exchange coupling is larger than the first intergranular exchange coupling and wherein the Curie temperature of the first layer is greater than the Curie temperature of the second layer. A data storage system including the thin film structure is also provided.

Abstract: A magnetic recording system is disclosed in which the magnetization dynamics of the write head and recording medium are highly damped. The system may comprise a perpendicular recording head having a write pole, and a recording medium including a hard magnetic recording layer and a soft magnetic underlayer (SUL). The increased magnetic damping in the write pole and SUL suppresses precessional motion of the respective magnetizations, leading to a reduction in transition jitter caused by spurious head field fluctuations. The damping may be increased by providing films or multilayer structures that are doped with rare earth or transition metal elements. Exchange coupled laminates of doped and undoped layers may optimize both the effective damping and write field in the recording system.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of bilayer structures positioned adjacent to each other, each of the bilayer structures including a first layer of magnetic material having a first Curie temperature and a second layer of magnetic material positioned adjacent to the first layer, wherein the second layer has a second Curie temperature that is lower than the first Curie temperature, and magnetic grains of the first layer are unstable when the second layer of magnetic material is heated above the second Curie temperature. The recording temperature is reduced due to the smaller switching volume achieved by using vertically decoupled laminations at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a magnetic layer, a heat sink layer, and a thermal resistor layer between the magnetic layer and the heat sink layer. The apparatus may be configured as a thin film structure arranged for data storage. The apparatus may also include an interlayer positioned between the magnetic layer and the thermal resistor layer.

Abstract: A magnetic field transducer includes a phase transition material exhibiting a change from an antiferromagnetic phase to a ferromagnetic phase when heated above a critical temperature, means for applying a magnetic bias field to the phase transition material, and means for heating the phase transition material above the critical temperature. Magnetic recording heads that include the transducer and magnetic disc drives that include the magnetic recording heads are also described. A method of producing a magnetic field pulse including applying a magnetic bias field to a phase transition material, and heating the phase transition material to cause the phase transition material to change from an antiferromagnetic phase to a ferromagnetic phase, is also provided. The phase transition material can comprise a rare earth-transition metal alloy, where the alloy is heated above a compensation temperature.

Abstract: A thin film structure comprises a first layer including a first plurality of grains of magnetic material having a first intergranular exchange coupling, and a second layer positioned adjacent to the first layer and including a second plurality of grains of magnetic material having a second intergranular exchange coupling, wherein the second intergranular exchange coupling is larger than the first intergranular exchange coupling and wherein the Curie temperature of the first layer is greater than the Curie temperature of the second layer. A data storage system including the thin film structure is also provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining volume and anisotropy field distribution of thin film granular material includes the use of a magneto-optic probe, a lock-in amplifier, and a computer. The magneto-optic probe utilizes the Kerr effect in order to determine the transverse AC susceptibility of the sample. The Lock-in amplifier determines the complex parameters of the susceptibility as a function of the DC field and AC frequency. Separate distribution values of anisotropy field and grain volume can then be determined mathematically from the relationship of complex susceptibility parameters to the DC field strength.

Abstract: A magnetic recording system is disclosed in which the magnetization dynamics of the write head and recording medium are highly damped. The system may comprise a perpendicular recording head having a write pole, and a recording medium including a hard magnetic recording layer and a soft magnetic underlayer (SUL). The increased magnetic damping in the write pole and SUL suppresses precessional motion of the respective magnetizations, leading to a reduction in transition jitter caused by spurious head field fluctuations. The damping may be increased by providing films or multilayer structures that are doped with rare earth or transition metal elements. Exchange coupled laminates of doped and undoped layers may optimize both the effective damping and write field in the recording system.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a substrate, a soft underlayer on the substrate, an interlayer on the soft underlayer, a magnetic layer on the interlayer, wherein the magnetic layer has a granular structure comprising magnetic grains separated by non-magnetic grain boundaries, and an exchange enhancement layer formed on the surface of the granular magnetic layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a magnetic storage medium comprises: forming an underlayer on a heat sink layer; co-sputtering a magnetic material and a thermally insulating nonmagnetic material to form a recording layer on the underlayer, wherein the recording layer includes grains of the magnetic material in a matrix of the thermally insulating nonmagnetic material; and heating the recording layer to align an easy axis of magnetization of the magnetic material in a direction perpendicular to the underlayer. A magnetic storage medium fabricated using the method is also provided.

Abstract: A magnetic field transducer includes a phase transition material exhibiting a change from an antiferromagnetic phase to a ferromagnetic phase when heated above a critical temperature, means for applying a magnetic bias field to the phase transition material, and means for heating the phase transition material above the critical temperature. Magnetic recording heads that include the transducer and magnetic disc drives that include the magnetic recording heads are also described. A method of producing a magnetic field pulse including applying a magnetic bias field to a phase transition material, and heating the phase transition material to cause the phase transition material to change from an antiferromagnetic phase to a ferromagnetic phase, is also provided. The phase transition material can comprise a rare earth-transition metal alloy, where the alloy is heated above a compensation temperature.

Abstract: The invention includes improving or enhancing exchange coupling within a thin film layer. The improvement or enhancement to the exchange coupling occurs between the grains that are deposited to form the thin film. The improvement or enhancement to the exchange coupling between the grains of the thin film results from annealing the thin film at an elevated temperature for a period of time. A thin film structure and/or a magnetic recording layer made in accordance with the invention are disclosed.

Abstract: Magnetic films having magnetic regions and non-magnetic regions are disclosed. The film is subjected to ion irradiation in order to produce chemically disordered regions in the film. The irradiated disordered regions may correspond to the non-magnetic regions of the film. Alternatively, the irradiated disordered regions may correspond to the magnetic regions of the film. In one embodiment, portions of a magnetic CrPt3 film are converted to non-magnetic regions by irradiating the regions with boron ions which disorder the CrPt3 film in the treated regions. The film may be patterned into magnetic regions and non-magnetic regions for applications such as magnetic recording media in computer disc drive systems.