This volume is devoted to one of the most interesting technical applications of ferromagnetism - magnetic recording. The scope includes comprehensive information on the state-of-the-art theory and practice of digital magnetic heads for longitudinal recording. It is one of the first reviews to appear in this specific field, presenting both the fundamentals of magnetic recording and recent developments in this area. Notions, data and knowledge concerning classical magnetism, physics of thin ferromagnetic films, microelectronics and, obviously, data processing and recording techniques are methodically assembled. Advanced digital recording technologies are discussed, including some of the authors' results on research on thin-film magnetic heads. The main emphasis of the book is on up-to-date magnetic recording: thin-film inductive and magnetoresistive heads. These subjects have received much attention in the literature, but very little has appeared in book form. As a conclusion, this book contains exhaustive information on digital magnetic heads for longitudinal recording.
