Bit-Patterned Magnetic Recording: Theory, Media Fabrication, and Recording Performance

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Bit Patterned Media (BPM) for magnetic recording provide a route to densities $>1 Tb/in^2$ and circumvents many of the challenges associated with conventional granular media technology. Instead of recording a bit on an ensemble of random grains, BPM uses an array of lithographically defined isolated magnetic islands, each of which stores one bit. Fabrication of BPM is viewed as the greatest challenge for its commercialization. In this article we describe a BPM fabrication method which combines e-beam lithography, directed self-assembly of block copolymers, self-aligned double patterning, nanoimprint lithography, and ion milling to generate BPM based on CoCrPt alloys. This combination of fabrication technologies achieves feature sizes of $<10 nm$, significantly smaller than what conventional semiconductor nanofabrication methods can achieve. In contrast to earlier work which used hexagonal close-packed arrays of round islands, our latest approach creates BPM with rectangular bitcells, which are advantageous for integration with existing hard disk drive technology. The advantages of rectangular bits are analyzed from a theoretical and modeling point of view, and system integration requirements such as servo patterns, implementation of write synchronization, and providing for a stable head-disk interface are addressed in the context of experimental results. Optimization of magnetic alloy materials for thermal stability, writeability, and switching field distribution is discussed, and a new method for growing BPM islands on a patterned template is presented. New recording results at $1.6 Td/in^2$ (teradot/inch${}^2$, roughly equivalent to $1.3 Tb/in^2$) demonstrate a raw error rate $<10^{-2}$, which is consistent with the recording system requirements of modern hard drives. Extendibility of BPM to higher densities, and its eventual combination with energy assisted recording are explored.