Title:  Synchronization and Detection for Two-Dimensional Magnetic Recording

Committee:

Dr. John Barry, ECE, Chair , Advisor

Dr. Steven McLaughlin, ECE, Co-Advisor

Dr. Gordon Stuber, ECE

Dr. Matthieu Bloch, ECE

Dr. Mary Ann Weitnauer, ECE

Dr. Michael Lacey, Math

Abstract:

This thesis presents efficient synchronization and detection algorithms for two-dimensional magnetic recording (TDMR) under a low latency constraint. TDMR is a new technology for increasing data density of hard disk drives up to 10 Tera bits per square inch of the medium. Due to ultra high recorded data density, TDMR read channel suffers from two-dimensional interference, bit position (timing) uncertainty, and data dependent noise, to name a few. This project focuses on the synchronization component of the read channel and develops synchronization solutions which effectively compensate for the asynchrony between the phase of the received readback waveforms and the phase of the sampling clocks.

In particular, this thesis presents solutions to reduce the computational cost of current generation of read channels for TDMR, where only one data track is detected at a time. For future generations of TDMR read channels, where multiple tracks will be detected jointly, this thesis presents a first-time solution to the synchronization problem for joint detection of multiple asynchronous tracks.