Gigabit density recording using dual-element MR/inductive heads on thin-film disks

Inductive-write and magnetoresistive (MR)-read dual-element heads of very narrow trackwidths and narrow gaps have been designed, fabricated, and recording-tested on thin-film media of high coercivity and squareness. Results show excellent writability at modest write currents of 50 mA, large readback amplitudes with good signal-to-noise performance, very high linear-density resolution up to 5000 fc/mm (-6-dB density), and trackwidths close to the design dimensions. These results show that such head-disk systems are capable of recording operations at a target areal density of 1 Gb/in/sup 2/. Another result is that novel techniques for measuring nonlinear transition shifts as well as offtrack and squeeze performance have been developed.< >