Current Problems in Magnetic Recording

The past decade has seen great advances in techniques and in applications of magnetic recording until, at present, many of the empirical methods have been forced to their limit. Important future developments depend on a better understanding of fundamental processes which, as yet, have hardly been explored. This paper discusses some of the explanations and theories that are of current interest with regards to the playback process, the recording process, the record medium, ac bias, and noise. Limitations of the theories and avenues for further exploration are suggested.