Improved magnetic information storage using return-point memory

The traditional magnetic storage mechanisms (both analog and digital) apply an external field signal H(t) to a hysteretic magnetic material, and read the remanent magnetization M(t), which is (roughly) proportional to H(t). We propose a new analog method of recovering the signal from the magnetic material, making use of the shape of the hysteresis loop M(H). The field H, “stored’’ in a region with N domains or particles, can be recovered with fluctuations of order 1/N using the new method—much superior to the 1/N fluctuations in traditional analog storage.