Acoustically Assisted Magnetic Recording: A New Paradigm in Magnetic Data Storage

A new paradigm in energy-assisted magnetic recording, acoustically assisted magnetic recording (AAMR), is investigated. In this approach, a surface acoustic wave (SAW) is applied to a magnetostrictive recording medium to temporarily lower its coercivity below the write field. Akin to other energy-assisted recording technologies, AAMR provides a strategy to enable writing on high-coercivity media required for thermal stability in high-density disk drives. Using a contact recording tester, it is demonstrated that the write current needed to record data on a galfenol film is reduced in the presence of SAWs. Further, it is shown that standing and focused acoustic waves can, respectively, be used to lower the coercivity in selected regions on the medium.