Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic disk includes the step of providing first and second magnetic layers on a substrate. The first magnetic layer comprises Co. The portion of the first magnetic layer comprising Cr, Ta, Ti, W, Zr or Hf, if any, is less than 7.5 atomic % of the first magnetic layer (and preferably less than 5 atomic %). The second magnetic layer also comprises Co, and more than 7.5 atomic % of the second layer is Cr, Ta, Ti, W, Zr or Hf (and preferably more than 10 atomic %). We have discovered that the first and second magnetic layers can be made very thin without having a great reduction in coercivity.