Correlation of thermal stability and signal-to-noise ratio of thin film recording media

Abstract

The thermal stability of data stored in thin film recording media is closely tied to signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), yet is not correlated in a simple way. Indeed grain size strongly affects both SNR and thermal stability, but macroscopic magnetic properties as well as recording conditions are equally influential. This is illustrated by measurements of SNR and signal thermal decay along with a simple model analysis. Dependence of areal density on key magnetic properties, under SNR and stability constraints, is formulated.