PATTERNED PERPENDICULAR MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIUM WITH ULTRATHIN OXIDE FILM AND REDUCED SWITCHING FIELD DISTRIBUTION

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a patterned perpendicular magnetic recording medium with an ultrathin oxide film and reduced switching field distribution.;SOLUTION: A patterned perpendicular magnetic recording medium has a Co-alloy recording layer patterned into discrete data islands arranged in concentric tracks and exhibits a narrow switching field distribution (SFD). The disk includes a substrate, a NiTa alloy planarizing layer on the substrate, a nonmagnetic Ru-containing underlayer on the planarizing layer, an oxide-free Co alloy magnetic recording layer, and an ultrathin oxide film between the Ru-containing layer and the Co-alloy magnetic recording layer. The oxide film may be an oxide selected from a Ta-oxide, a Co-oxide and a Ti-oxide, and is ultrathin so that it may be considered to be a discontinuous film. The planarizing layer and the ultrathin oxide film improve the growth homogeneity of the Co-alloy recording layer, so that the patterned disk with data islands shows significantly reduced SFD.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT