Abstract: A magnetic recording medium that includes a substrate, an insulation layer applied onto a surface of the substrate, and a magnetic layer applied onto the insulation layer. The insulation layer is made from a redox-corrosion-inhibiting material. In one embodiment, the insulation layer inhibits redox corrosion by inhibiting electron transfer through the insulation layer (e.g., inhibits electron transfer between the substrate and the magnetic layer).

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium that includes a substrate, an insulation layer applied onto a surface of the substrate, and a magnetic layer applied onto the insulation layer. The insulation layer is made from a redox-corrosion-inhibiting material. In one embodiment, the insulation layer inhibits redox corrosion by inhibiting electron transfer through the insulation layer (e.g., inhibits electron transfer between the substrate and the magnetic layer).

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for removing a resist includes irradiating, with an UV light having a wavelength of less than about 240 nm, a structure having a resist on a pattern surface in an atmosphere having oxygen. The resist is used as a mask as it remains above the pattern after the pattern has been transferred to a magnetic recording medium surface having a magnetic film thereon, and the irradiating is performed during production of the magnetic recording medium. In another embodiment, a method for forming a magnetic recording medium includes applying a resist to a surface of a magnetic film above a substrate, curing the resist by irradiating the resist with first UV light to form a pattern, transferring the pattern to the magnetic film using the pattern, and removing the resist by irradiating using second UV light having a shorter wavelength in an atmosphere including oxygen.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a perpendicular magnetic recording medium with less medium noise, excellent overwrite characteristics, and scratch resistance. According to one embodiment, when an Ar gas with addition of a micro-amount of oxygen is used upon forming an upper Ru intermediate layer, a micro-structure of a magnetic layer formed thereon can be formed in a state where no magnetic oxide region is segregated and the magnetic crystal grains are isolated. In this case, a gas pressure for forming the upper intermediate layer is set to 5 Pa or more and 12 Pa or less which is a region much higher compared with 0.5 Pa or more and 1 Pa for the lower Ru intermediate layer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a magnetic recording medium comprises an underlying film, a magnetic film and a protective film formed in this order on a substrate. The magnetic film is a cobalt-base alloy film containing chromium and has a plurality of magnetic layers stacked without interposition of any non-magnetic layer. The plural magnetic layers comprise first, second and third magnetic layers. The first magnetic layer is disposed between the underlying film and the second magnetic layer. The second magnetic layer is disposed between the first magnetic layer and the third magnetic layer. The third magnetic layer is disposed between the second magnetic layer and the protective film. The concentration of chromium contained in the first magnetic layer is lower than that of chromium contained in the second magnetic layer. The thickness of the first magnetic layer is smaller than that of the second magnetic layer. The magnetic layers which overlie the first magnetic layer further contain platinum and boron.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a magnetic recording medium comprises an underlying film, a magnetic film and a protective film formed in this order on a substrate. The magnetic film is a cobalt-base alloy film containing chromium and has a plurality of magnetic layers stacked without interposition of any non-magnetic layer. The plural magnetic layers comprise first, second and third magnetic layers. The first magnetic layer is disposed between the underlying film and the second magnetic layer. The second magnetic layer is disposed between the first magnetic layer and the third magnetic layer. The third magnetic layer is disposed between the second magnetic layer and the protective film. The concentration of chromium contained in the first magnetic layer is lower than that of chromium contained in the second magnetic layer. The thickness of the first magnetic layer is smaller than that of the second magnetic layer. The magnetic layers which overlie the first magnetic layer further contain platinum and boron.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a perpendicular magnetic recording medium with less medium noise, excellent overwrite characteristics, and scratch resistance. According to one embodiment, when an Ar gas with addition of a micro-amount of oxygen is used upon forming an upper Ru intermediate layer, a micro-structure of a magnetic layer formed thereon can be formed in a state where no magnetic oxide region is segregated and the magnetic crystal grains are isolated. In this case, a gas pressure for forming the upper intermediate layer is set to 5 Pa or more and 12 Pa or less which is a region much higher compared with 0.5 Pa or more and 1 Pa for the lower Ru intermediate layer.

Abstract: Fluctuation of read/write characteristics during mass production is suppressed for a perpendicular magnetic recording medium having a perpendicular recording layer of a bi-layered structure, in which a first Co—Cr—Pt alloy magnetic layer containing an oxide and a second Co—Cr—Pt magnetic layer are formed successively. According to one embodiment, in a perpendicular magnetic recording medium, an adhesion layer, a soft magnetic underlayer, a seed layer, an intermediate layer, a perpendicular recording layer, a protective layer, and a lubricating layer are successively formed on a substrate. The perpendicular recording layer has a bi-layered structure in which a first Co—Cr—Pt alloy magnetic layer containing an oxide and a second Co—Cr—Pt alloy magnetic layer containing a marker element for measurement of a thickness selected from Mo, Mn, and V are successively formed, and the content of the marker element for measurement of thickness is about 1.5 at % or more and about 5 at % or less.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a magnetic recording medium comprises an underlying film, a magnetic film and a protective film formed in this order on a substrate. The magnetic film is a cobalt-base alloy film containing chromium and has a plurality of magnetic layers stacked without interposition of any non-magnetic layer. The plural magnetic layers comprise first, second and third magnetic layers. The first magnetic layer is disposed between the underlying film and the second magnetic layer. The second magnetic layer is disposed between the first magnetic layer and the third magnetic layer. The third magnetic layer is disposed between the second magnetic layer and the protective film. The concentration of chromium contained in the first magnetic layer is lower than that of chromium contained in the second magnetic layer. The thickness of the first magnetic layer is smaller than that of the second magnetic layer. The magnetic layers which overlie the first magnetic layer further contain platinum and boron.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium has a substrate made of a nonmetal nonmagnetic material whose coefficient of linear expansion lies within a range from 0.000013/deg to 0.0001/deg. A magnetic layer is formed on the substrate as a thin polycrystalline film or a thin amorphous film. The magnetic layer has Co as a main component, which exhibits a negative magnetostrictive constant so that its coercive force rises in the direction of compressive strain. The magnetic layer is subjected to an in-plane compressive strain from the substrate due to a difference between the coefficient of thermal expansion of the substrate and the magnetic layer so that high coercivity is obtained in the magnetic layer.