An investigation of the effects of media characteristics on read channel performance for patterned media storage

Many view data storage on patterned magnetic media as one way of attaining storage densities in excess of 1 Tb/in/sup 2/ and thus overcoming the problems associated with recording at ultrahigh densities on conventional continuous media. In this paper we investigate, through the use of a replay simulation developed to take into account the three-dimensional nature of the patterned media, the effects that the shape-constrained media have on the bit-error-rate performance of the read channel in 1-Tb/in/sup 2/ perpendicular recording. In particular, we analyze how media configurations with varying island shape, size, and distribution affect the channel performance.