Washington University and Hewlett-Packard will engage in a cooperative two year program of experimental and theoretical studies involving applications of micromagnetics to problem areas in magnetic and magneto-optic recording. The study areas are defined by the recognition of needs and by the experimental and computing resources of a major industrial laboratory, and by the awareness of opportunities for progress on the part of an academic principal investigator, one of the founders of the discipline. The proposed studies will deepen the understanding of the magnetic and magneto-optic write and readout processes. One study will provide a basis for improvements in the interpretation of the frequency response of magnetic readout. Two major investigations are directed at optimizing the design of longitudinal cobalt alloy thin film media, and at improving the understanding and control of double-layer perpendicular high density recording media. Another study is concerned with the realistic modeling of Cr0 patriculate media, using a combination of analytical and numerical micromagnetic calculations. One theoretical study will examine the details of the thermal magneto-optic laser write process.
