Magnetisation reversal in media with perpendicular anisotropy

Abstract In this paper, we discuss two key aspects of magnetisation reversal in magnetic thin films with perpendicular anisotropy. Firstly, a study has been made of the additional field required to erase data written perpendicular to a thin film recording disk as the linear data density is increased. It has been found that an increase in data density from 40 to 360 kfci results in an increase of 1.25 kOe in the field required to erase the data. Secondly, the effect of varying the level of exchange coupling by co-sputtering CoCrPt samples with SiO2 has been studied using a characterisation technique that is independent of the self-demagnetising field. It has been found that the samples are fully exchange de-coupled when the film contains >9.8% SiO2 and the activation volume of reversal remains constant for higher levels of SiO2.