Dynamics of the domain collapse in the true direct overwrite magneto-optic disk

To achieve faster access time in magneto-optical (MO) recording, direct overwrite (DOW) is critical. In single layer direct overwrite media, it was previously shown that domain width modulation limits the CNR. In this report, date collected with a high speed Kerr microscope system and a MO spin stand show that if is possible to collapse the center of a stripe domain using only low power P/sub L/. It is believed that the thermal gradient shrinks and collapses a domain. The fact that a sufficiently high P/sub L/ can collapse a stripe domain in the center suggests that the problem of domain width modulation may be solved by developing a writing scheme which eliminates the thermal interference from P/sub H/. Mark-edge recording may then be possible in single layer DOW media.