The use of high temperature superconducting films for the magnetic storage of information

The authors discuss the first use of high-temperature superconducting films as an information recording medium in a format that could be modified for use in a large disc drive system. The system uses Abrikosov vortices to store integer units of magnetic flux in a hysteresis loop. A proof-of-principle system has been assembled using a 0.3 mu m film of YBCO on LaAlO/sub 3/ with T/sub c/=81 K; bits approximately 1.9 mm in diameter were recorded and read. It is noted that there are a great many improvements needed to make the system design a practical recording medium. However, this material has the potential advantage of being able to store a single bit of information with a single flux quantum, and thus the possibility for the storage of information with very high densities.<
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