Recorded mark observation by spin-polarized scanning electron microscopy

Abstract

We observed the shape and size of marks recorded magneto-optically on TbFeCo film, using spin-polarized scanning electron microscopy (spin SEM). We studied the laser power dependency of the marks recorded on a land/groove substrate. When larger power was used, the land/groove border acted as a barrier to the propagation of the magnetization reversal, which confirms the advantage of using a land/groove substrate for high-density recording. We also looked at the film roughness dependency of the marks. We found that the magnetization reversal processes depend on the underlayer roughness, which is related to the irregularity of the mark shapes and the recording noise.