Spacing loss and change in wave shape of perpendicular magnetic recording in the narrow spacing region

The spacing loss for perpendicular recording in the narrow spacing region (<or=0.1 mu m) was investigated. Read and write spacing losses depended on both head and medium characteristics. The head-medium combination with large spacing loss showed a large change of isolated pulse shape with increased head-to-medium spacing. An MIG (metal-in-gap) head and medium with large anisotropy and large H/sub c/ perpendicular to can suppress both the spacing loss factor and the change of wave shape.