Patent ID: 8614934

Claim:
A method for characterization evaluation of a thermally-assisted magnetic recording device that is provided with a magnetic recording medium and a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head, comprising: a recording step for recording a reference signal to the magnetic recording medium using the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head; a heating step for heating a first heating point and a second heating point on the magnetic recording medium using the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head, the first heating point being positioned at an inner side along a track width direction with respect to a track width center point of a recording bit, where the reference signal is recorded, of the magnetic recording medium, and the second heating point being positioned at an outer side along the track width direction with respect to the track width center point, wherein a distance between the second heating point and the track width center point is substantially the same as a distance between the track width center point and the first heating point; a measurement step for measuring the reproducing signal intensity of the reference signal after the magnetic recording medium is heated; a step for obtaining a maximum distance between the first heating point and the second heating point when a reproducing signal intensity measurement value of the reference signal after the magnetic recording medium is heated is approximately zero; and an evaluation step for evaluating a characterization of the thermally-assisted magnetic recording device based on the maximum distance, wherein in the heating step, the first heating point and the second heating point are heated without applying a recording magnetic field from the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head to the magnetic recording medium.