A method for suppressing error propagation in (1,7) MDFE detectors

MDFE (multilevel decision feedback equalization) type detectors have been proposed for high recording densities and high data rates in magnetic recording. However, error propagation is a serious problem in all DFE approaches. In this paper, we present some solutions to the error propagation problem using existing signals with less complexity in MDFE and M3DFE detectors. We discuss the effectiveness of these suppression techniques with respect to simulation results and experimental results in the MDFE read channel. The results show that the methods can considerably suppress error propagation.