Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, a magnetic recording layer made of a Co alloy or a CoCr alloy, a seed layer disposed between the substrate and the magnetic recording layer, and an underlayer made of a binary alloy material having a B2 structure and disposed between the seed layer and the magnetic recording layer. The seed layer is made of a material comprising essentially of one of elements forming the binary alloy material of the underlayer.

Abstract: An improved soft underlayer structure for perpendicular magnetic recording. The structure includes at least two soft underlayers separated by a non-magnetic spacer layer. The soft underlayer structure incorporates exchange coupling induced anisotropy for improved perpendicular magnetic recording properties, including an improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and reduced adjacent track erasure.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is constructed to include a lower magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer disposed on the lower magnetic layer, and an upper magnetic layer disposed on the nonmagnetic spacer layer, where the upper and lower magnetic layers are antiferromagnetically coupled. The lower magnetic layer comprises a stabilization layer and a lower enhancement layer disposed between the stabilization layer and the nonmagnetic spacer layer, and the stabilization layer and the lower enhancement layer are ferromagnetically exchange coupled. The stabilization layer and the lower enhancement layer are made of CoCr alloys such that a Pt content of the stabilization layer is higher than that of the lower enhancement layer.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes a nonmagnetic underlayer, an initial magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer provided on the initial magnetic layer, and a final magnetic layer provided on the nonmagnetic spacer layer. The initial magnetic layer is disposed closer to the nonmagnetic underlayer than the final magnetic layer, and the initial and final magnetic layers are made of mutually different compositions and are anti-ferromagnetically coupled.

Abstract: A magnetic storage medium includes first and second magnetic layers provided on a support substrate such that the first and second magnetic layers have respective first and second magnetizations in an anti-parallel relationship in a state no substantial writing magnetic field is applied. The first and second magnetizations are changed to a parallel relationship when a writing magnetic field is applied to the magnetic storage medium, and the first and second magnetizations are changed to the anti-parallel relationship as a result of a magnetic reversal caused in the second magnetic layer with diminishing of the writing magnetic field. The reversal is caused as a result of the action of a reversing magnetic field that dominates before the writing magnetic field is diminished and becomes zero.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes a nonmagnetic underlayer, an initial magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer provided on the initial magnetic layer, and a final magnetic layer provided on the nonmagnetic spacer layer. The initial magnetic layer is disposed closer to the nonmagnetic underlayer than the final magnetic layer, and the initial and final magnetic layers are made of mutually different compositions and are anti-ferromagnetically coupled.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is constructed to include a substrate, and a magnetic layer disposed above the substrate, wherein the magnetic layer has an initial layer on a side closer to the substrate and a final layer on a side opposite from the substrate with respect to the initial layer. The initial layer is made of a CoCrB-based alloy having a thickness of 1 to 10 nm, and the final layer is made of a Co-based alloy having a thickness of 5 to 30 nm.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes at least one magnetic layer, a ferromagnetic layer, a nonmagnetic coupling layer provided between the magnetic layer and the ferromagnetic layer, and a coupling intensifying region which intensifies an exchange coupling strength between the magnetic layer and the ferromagnetic layer. The coupling intensifying region is provided at, at least one of a boundary between the ferromagnetic layer and the nonmagnetic coupling layer and a boundary between the nonmagnetic coupling layer and the magnetic layer.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium provided with a substrate and a magnetic layer disposed above the substrate, is characterized by the magnetic layer which includes an initial layer located closer to the substrate and a final layer located further away from the substrate than the initial layer. A saturation magnetization MSa of the initial layer, a saturation magnetization MSb of the final layer, and a saturation magnetization MStot of the magnetic layer as a whole satisfies a relationship MSa<MStot<MSb or MSa>MStot>MSb.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is constructed to include a non-magnetic underlayer, and a magnetic layer including a compensation layer provided on the nonmagnetic underlayer, and a recording layer provided on the compensation layer, where the compensation layer has a thickness of 3 to 15 nm and is made of Co or a Co alloy with a Curie temperature of approximately 30 to 150° C., and the recording layer has a thickness of 10 to 30 nm and is made of a Co alloy with a Curie temperature of approximately 250 to 800° C.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes at least one magnetic layer, a ferromagnetic layer, a nonmagnetic coupling layer provided between the magnetic layer and the ferromagnetic layer, and a coupling intensifying region which intensifies an exchange coupling strength between the magnetic layer and the ferromagnetic layer. The coupling intensifying region is provided at, at least one of a boundary between the ferromagnetic layer and the nonmagnetic coupling layer and a boundary between the nonmagnetic coupling layer and the magnetic layer.

Abstract: A magnetic storage medium includes first and second magnetic layers provided on a support substrate such that the first and second magnetic layers have respective first and second magnetizations in an anti-parallel relationship in a state no substantial writing magnetic field is applied. The first and second magnetizations are changed to a parallel relationship when a writing magnetic field is applied to the magnetic storage medium, and the first and second magnetizations are changed to the anti-parallel relationship as a result of a magnetic reversal caused in the second magnetic layer with diminishing of the writing magnetic field. The reversal is caused as a result of the action of a reversing magnetic field that dominates before the writing magnetic field is diminished and becomes zero.