Optimizing detector target polynomials in read/write channels to achieve best error rate performance in disk drives

A computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for obtaining an equalization target polynomial of a read/write channel to achieve best error rate performance in a recording device, the computer program comprising:

• code for providing an initial equalization target for the read/write channel, the initial equalization target including a first stage target and a filter;
• code for computing a noise autocorrelation at the output of the first stage target based on a measured noise autocorrelation of the read/write channel at the output of an equalizer with the initial equalization target;
• code for calculating optimal coefficients for the filter based on the computed noise autocorrelation at the output of the first stage target;
• and
• code for obtaining the optimal equalization target polynomial of the read/write channel using the calculated coefficients for the filter.

A disk drive system comprising:

• a read/write channel having an equalization target which comprise a first stage target and a filter and includes an initial equalization target polynomial;
• channel hardware configured to measure a noise autocorrelation of the read/write channel at the output of an equalizer with the initial equalization target polynomial;
• a module configured to compute a noise autocorrelation at the output of the first stage target based on the measured noise autocorrelation of the read/write channel at the output of the equalizer;
• and
• a module configured to calculate coefficients for the noise whitening filter based on the computed noise autocorrelation at the output of the first stage target,
• wherein an equalization target polynomial of the read/write channel is obtained from the calculated coefficients for the noise whitening filter to achieve best error rate performance in the disk drive system.