METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRECESSIONAL SWITCHING OF THE MAGNETIZATION OF A STORAGE MEDIUM USING A TRANSVERSE WRITE FIELD

A magnetic recording process generally including the steps of determining an initial magnetization direction of a magnetic recording medium, and selectively applying a magnetic field to the magnetic recording medium along an axis substantially perpendicular to an axis of the initial magnetization direction of the recording medium. The magnetic field is selectively applied for a period of time sufficient to switch the magnetization of the magnetic recording medium from its initial magnetization direction to a final magnetization direction substantially anti-parallel to the initial magnetization direction. Typically, the initial and final magnetization directions will be along an easy axis of magnetization of the magnetic recording medium.