The exponential growth in information technologies has resulted in an explosion in the need for data storage with increased speed and reliability. These requirements have caused rapid development of complex magnetic materials and structures. The rate of technology development has led to a situation where the performance envelope of new materials is not fully known until the materials are fabricated into devices. In response to this, the focus of this book, first published in 2001, is not only on magnetic materials, but also on techniques and technology associated with device fabrication. The work presented in this book effectively spans the range of the myriad of information storage research from concept to product. Topics include: patterned magnetic recording media; characterization of magnetic thin films and structures; magnetic tunnel junctions and spin-dependent transport; GMR and spin valves; media/GMR/CMR; writer materials and characteristics; and magnetic structure processing techniques.
