Effect of orientation on the thermal stability in advanced metal particulate tapes

Abstract

The effects of the degree of particle orientation on the normalized magnetization decay and activation volume (Vact) were investigated for advanced data recording tapes prepared from ultrafine metal particulate (MP) composite. In this study, the mean volume of particles (Vphy) for advanced MP tapes varied between 1.7 and 5.3×10−18cm3, inclusive of a surface oxide layer. In MP tape with a larger Vphy (=5.3×10−18cm3), increasing the orientation ratio (OR) for improved recording characteristics was found to decrease the normalized magnetization decay. However, the OR values had little effect on the normalized magnetization decay of MP tape with a smaller Vphy (=1.7×10−18cm3). This may be attributed to the existence of a few particles approaching the theoretical superparamagnetic limit of 0.7×10−18cm3. In order to decrease the normalized magnetization decay, it is particularly important to increase Hc, which improves the anisotropy constant and the distribution of anisotropy field (HA) for advanced data recording tapes with very small Vphy. The value of Vact in the low reverse field, which is a major factor affecting media noise, decreased as OR increased regardless of Vphy. Also, Vact of both tapes decreased as the reverse field decreased in the range of 1.2kOe or less. Vact of an assembly of ultrafine particles was dependent on the distributions of HA and volume of particles, also the value of rotational hysteresis integral that related to the deterioration in the mechanism of magnetization reversal giving rise to an incoherent rotation.