Measurement of vector minor loops

An experimental vector analysis of the rotational magnetization, remanent magnetization and reversible magnetization properties of longitudinal recording samples is presented. It is found that for large fields the locus of the magnetization vector, the remanent magnetization vector and the reversible magnetization are all ellipses whose aspect ratios are fundamentally different. For smaller rotating fields, the trajectory of the magnetization vector and the remanent magnetization vector are spirals whose limit cycle is an ellipse; however, the reversible magnetization vector is an ellipse. These experimental results are In agreement with a recently proposed vector hysteresis model for recording media.