mas-mamr · research · also MAS-MAMR, Microwave Assisted Switching MAMR

Microwave-assisted switching MAMR (MAS-MAMR)

Microwave-assisted switching MAMR (MAS-MAMR) is a recording technique in which a spin-torque oscillator adds a microwave magnetic field to the write field, reducing the field needed to reverse magnetization in the recording medium.

Related Observatory article: Microwave-assisted switching MAMR (MAS-MAMR) on hesela.com

The mechanism assists media switching rather than only strengthening the head's write field [1]. Toshiba reported a head-and-media demonstration on 27 December 2021 [2] and still described MAS-MAMR development on 22 January 2026 [3]. The research status reflects those dated sources, not a complete October 2026 market audit; neither source establishes universal commercial availability. The associated paper distinguishes coupled and uncoupled oscillator modes using a resistance response to external microwave excitation, with simulations supporting the interpretation [4]. An absent response is not a universal coupling test.

Relations

related

mamr, fc-mamr, epmr, pmr

Limitations

• Results from a specific head-and-media demonstration do not establish performance for every HDD.

Citations

1. Toshiba: High-Reliability FC-MAMR Nearline HDD with a Capacity of 18 TB (2021), p. 2 (accessed 2026-10-16)
2. Toshiba: Demonstration of improved HDD recording performance with MAS-MAMR (27 December 2021) (accessed 2026-10-16)
3. Toshiba: Analysis method for determining the oscillation state of STOs for MAS-MAMR (22 January 2026) (accessed 2026-10-16)
4. Nakagawa, Suto, Sakuraba and Maeda: Determination of coupling state within a spin-torque oscillator using injection locking, Communications Physics 9, 17 (2026), doi:10.1038/s42005-025-02469-4 (accessed 2026-10-16)

JSON: /data/terms/mas-mamr.json