Magnetic Data Storage and Nanoparticles

Magnetic storage, specifically in hard drives has advanced significantly since the first disk drive built in 1956 [1]. Interestingly enough, most of the changes thus far have been realized by scaling the components of a disk drive [1]. In recent years, the superparamagnetic limit has been seen as a possible limit to the rapid increase in hard drive capacities. Antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) magnetic media layers appear as if they have given some breathing room for the next few years. Once the limits of the AFC technology are reached, nanoparticles may be the next technological step in linear magnetic data storage.