A cubic discretization procedure of the micromagnetic energy functional is used to carry out numerical studies of the magnetization process in ferromagnetic cubes. Equilibrium magnetization configurations and their switching behavior are calculated for particle sizes in the range from 100 to 550 Å. In the model calculations the particles are assumed to have uniaxial crystalline anisotropy with an anisotropy constant of 18 500 erg/cm3, a saturation magnetization of 370 emu/cm3, and an exchange constant of 10−6 erg/cm. For particle sizes smaller than 520 Å the remanent state has a flowerlike magnetization configuration. Beyond 520 Å this state is replaced by a vortex structure about the easy axis. For particles smaller than 450 Å switching occurs by approximately uniform rotation of the flower state. The switching fields are larger than the corresponding Stoner–Wohlfarth value. Beyond 450 Å the application of an external field leads to the formation of a vortex configuration. The switching of the vortex configuration involves rotation of the vortex axis at a reduced value of the switching field. The angular dependence of the coercive field is calculated for particle sizes of 200, 400, and 550 Å.

Bit Patterned Media (BPM) for magnetic recording provides a route to thermally stable data recording at >1 Tb/in 2 and circumvents many of the challenges associated with extending conventional granular media technology. Instead of recording a bit on an ensemble of random grains, BPM is comprised of a well ordered array of lithographically patterned isolated magnetic islands, each of which stores one bit. Fabrication of BPM is viewed as the greatest challenge for its commercialization. In this article we describe a BPM fabrication method which combines rotary-stage e-beam lithography, directed self-assembly of block copolymers, self-aligned double patterning, nanoimprint lithography, and ion milling to generate BPM based on CoCrPt alloy materials at densities up to 1.6 Td/in 2 (teradot/inch 2 ). This combination of novel fabrication technologies achieves feature sizes of <10 nm, which is significantly smaller than what conventional nanofabrication methods used in semiconductor manufacturing can achieve. In contrast to earlier work which used hexagonal closepacked arrays of round islands, our latest approach creates BPM with rectangular bitcells, which are advantageous for integration of BPM with existing hard disk drive technology. The advantages of rectangular bits are analyzed from a theoretical and modeling point of view, and system integration requirements such as provision of servo patterns, implementation of write synchronization, and providing for a stable head-disk interface are addressed in the context of experimental results. Optimization of magnetic alloy materials for thermal stability, writeability, and tight switching field distribution is discussed, and a new method for growing BPM islands from a specially patterned underlayer -referred to as "templated growth" -is presented. New recording results at 1.6 Td/in 2 (roughly equivalent to 1.3 Tb/in 2 ) demonstrate a raw error rate <10 -2 , which is consistent with the recording system requirements of modern hard drives. Extendibility of BPM to higher densities, and its eventual combination with energy assisted recording are explored.Index Terms-Bit patterned media, hard disk drive, block copolymer, self-assembly, double patterning, e-beam lithography, sequential infiltration synthesis, nanoimprint lithography, templated growth, thermal annealing, Co alloys, magnetic multilayers, interface anisotropy, magnetic recording, write synchronization, prepatterned servo, areal density.

We describe a magnetic recording media composed of antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) magnetic recording layers as an approach to extend areal densities of longitudinal media beyond the predicted superparamagnetic limit. The recording medium is made up of two ferromagnetic layers separated by a nonmagnetic layer whose thickness is tuned to couple the layers antiferromagnetically. For such a structure, the effective areal moment density (Mrt) of the composite structure is the difference between the ferromagnetic layers allowing the effective magnetic thickness to scale independently of the physical thickness of the media. Experimental realizations of AFC media demonstrate that thermally stable, low-Mrt media suitable for high-density recording can be achieved.

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