Magnetic properties of high-density patterned magnetic media

Structures of patterned magnetic media (PMM) with a density of 100–155 Gb/in.2 have been prepared using the original method of selective removal of atoms making use of irradiation by an accelerated ion beam for producing patterns of materials whose chemical and physical properties are different from those of the matrix. Magnetic hysteresis loops for cobalt PMM structures with Co bit sizes of 40×15, 30×15, and 15×15 nm2 show linear increase of coercivity with bit anisotropy factor. Consecutive reversals of nanobit magnetizations in bit ensembles have been visualized by the MFM technique, which allows one to reconstruct corresponding magnetic hysteresis loops.