AVS 51st International Symposium
    Materials Solutions for Cooling Technology Topical Conference Monday Sessions
       Session CT+TF-MoM

Invited Paper CT+TF-MoM8
Micro- and Nanoscale Thermal Phenomena in Magnetic Recording Heads

Monday, November 15, 2004, 10:40 am, Room 303B

Session: Thermal Transport in Thin Films and Nanostructured Materials
Presenter: Y.S. Ju, UCLA
Correspondent: Click to Email
Advances in magnetic recording heads are critical in enabling continued growth in areal densities of magnetic data storage. In the present talk we review studies of thermal characteristics of recording heads at micro- and nanoscales, which strongly affect their performance and reliability. Geometric scaling of GMR (giant magnetoresistance) and TMR (tunneling magnetoresistance) sensors leads to significant increase in temperature rise per unit power, which limits maximum permissible bias current and increases electrostatic discharge (ESD) susceptibility. This motivates fundamental studies of thin film thermal conductivity, thermal interface resistance, and heat generation due to electron tunneling. Reliability of magnetic recording heads is also compromised by thermal protrusion and thermal creep flow induced by Joule heating in write heads. Spatial distribution of eddy current heating in magnetic yoke structures and heat transfer across air bearing are important factors influencing thermomechanical behavior of recording heads and reliability of head-disk interface. Fundamental understanding of thermal phenomena in magnetic recording heads will also play an important role in the development of thermally-assisted recording, which is a promising approach to extending magnetic recording beyond the superparamagnetic limit of conventional recording media.