A facile approach for screening isolated nanomagnetic behavior for bit-patterned media.

Bit-patterned media (BPM) fabricated by the direct deposition of magnetic material onto prepatterned arrays of nanopillars is a promising approach for increasing magnetic recording of areal density. One of the key challenges of this approach is to identify and control the magnetic interaction between the bits (on top of the nanopillars) and the trench material between the pillars. Using independent techniques, including magnetic force microscopy, the variable-angle magneto-optic Kerr effect, and remanence curves, we were able to determine the presence and relative intensities of exchange and dipolar interactions in Co-Pd multilayer-based BPM fabricated by direct deposition.