Stripe domain propagation using contiguous bicore disk file structure

Abstract

An apparatus for and a method of moving stripe domains in a direction transverse their length is disclosed. The apparatus includes a layer of magnetizable material in which stripe domains are capable of being generated, sustained and moved. Formed upon the magnetizable layer are two parallel contiguous disk files, each of which is formed of a plurality of linearly aligned similar contiguous Bicore disks. Each Bicore disk is comprised of a disk of a relatively soft magnetizable material, e.g., Permalloy, and a superposed disk of a relatively hard magnetizable material, e.g., Cobalt, sandwiching an insulative layer, e.g., silicon dioxide, SiO.sub.2, therebetween. The magnetizations of the superposed soft and hard magnetizable disks of each of the Bicore disks are in a closed, antiparallel aligned direction with the magnetization of each of the soft magnetizable disks of the first contiguous disk file directed across the separating stripe domain propagation area and aligned with but oppositely polarized with respect to the magnetization in the associated soft magnetizable disks in the other, second contiguous disk file. A stripe domain is transferred into the propagation device by coupling the two ends thereof to the two corresponding, oppositely polarized aligned first Bicore disks of the two contiguous disk files. An appropriate propagate drive field, which is directed along the direction of propagation of the stripe domain and which is aligned with the two parallel contiguous disk files, rotates only the magnetizations of the soft magnetizable disks in each of the two contiguous disk files, in a like direction, e.g., the soft magnetizable disks in the first contiguous disk file are rotated in a clockwise direction while the magnetizations of the soft magnetizable disks in the second contiguous disk file are rotated in the counterclockwise direction. The rotating magnetization of the soft magnetizable disks of the two Bicore disks, one at each of the two ends of the stripe domain, carries the stripe domain in the direction of the propagate drive field. When the propagate drive field is suddenly terminated, the magnetizations of the soft magnetizable disks snap back under the influence of the magnetization of the hard magnetizable disk while the stripe domain remains in its new, propagated position downstream between contiguous Bicore disks. Upon successive applications of the propagate drive fields, each end of the stripe domain is transferred from an upstream Bicore disk to the next adjacent downstream Bicore disk while all stripe domains in the propagation device are transferred, in parallel, along the two aligned contiguous disk files through the stripe domain propagation area.