Signal decay and amplitude measurements of antiferromagnetically coupled magnetic recording media

Using a conventional spin stand we have investigated the recording and decay processes of antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) longitudinal magnetic media. For AFC media with thick lower layers, both the signal amplitude and decay oscillate when measured as a function of transition density. Using heads with different write-pole geometries, we find that the oscillation frequency scales with the thickness of the write pole, from which we conclude that the magnetic field at the trailing edge of the write head is sufficiently large to write transitions into the lower layer of the AFC media. © 2002 American Institute of Physics. © 2002 American Institute of Physics.