Continuous/Cluster-Pinned Recording Media

We propose and theoretically investigate a new class of nanostructured magnetic recording films, cluster-pinned recording media. The films consist of magnetic clusters exchange coupled to a continuous hard layer with perpendicular anisotropy and low coercivity. Our calculations yield the coercivity and the cross-track correlation length as a function of film thickness and pinning density and strength. The mechanism is very similar to the Gaunt–Friedel pinning in bulk magnets, which differs from ordinary strong pinning by the selfconsistent dependence of wall curvature and coercivity on defect concentration. The main difference is the exponent for the coercivity as a function of the pinning strength, which is equal to 2 in the bulk but equal to 3/2 in thin films. The pinning strength is estimated for various regimes, and it is shown that the diminished domain-wall curvature reduces jitter.

Omtvedt Innovation Award Presented to Marilyn Fox

It is such a pleasure to honor innovation and strength in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources today through this 2006 Omtvedt Innovation Award. This award is made possible because of the generosity of Leone and the late Neal Harlan, great friends of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The Harlans had the vision and the foresight to realize the importance of recognizing and supporting outstanding and innovative work in the Institute, and honored Irv Omtvedt on his retirement as Vice Chancellor of the Institute with a generous gift of funds to support the Omtvedt Innovation Awards. These awards recognize areas of strength and promise within the Institute, as well as innovative research and programming by our faculty, staff, and students.