Abstract: A patterned disk medium includes a disk-shaped flat substrate including a first surface and a second surface located an opposite side of the first surface. First servo pattern areas including portions provided with magnetic members and portions provided with no magnetic members are provided on the first surface. Second servo pattern areas including portions provided with magnetic members and portions provided with no magnetic members are provided on the second surface. The magnetic members of the first and second servo pattern areas are magnetized in a direction perpendicular to the first and second surfaces. The magnetic polarity of the surfaces of the magnetic members of the second pattern areas differs from that of the surfaces of the magnetic members of the first pattern areas.

Abstract: A magnetic recording apparatus comprises a magnetic field impression unit, a current supplying unit and a controlling unit t. The magnetic field impression unit impresses a magnetic field to a magnetic recording medium. The current supplying unit supplies a current to the magnetic recording medium. The controlling unit makes the current supplying unit supply the current to the magnetic recording medium while making the magnetic field impression unit impress the magnetic field to at least a unit of a magnetic recording unit of the magnetic recording medium. Thus, a information is recorded magnetically by making a direction of a magnetization of the magnetic recording unit of the magnetic recording medium in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: An imprint apparatus configured such that it can press a laminate structure in which a magnetic film and a resist film are sequentially laminated on a substrate. The imprint apparatus includes a first press plate configured to mount the laminate structure, a second press plate adapted for sandwiching the laminate structure, a stamper placed on a surface of the second press plate, and has projections and recesses configured to be transferred onto the resist film, and a light source configured to dispose on the same plane as the laminate structure, and is oriented so that the light source can shine the resist film.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium has a substrate, and a servo signal recording magnetic layer whose magnetization is oriented in a direction perpendicular to a surface thereof, a non-magnetic layer and a data recording magnetic layer, which are stacked on the substrate in the order mentioned. The servo signal recording magnetic layer has a coercivity higher than that of the data recording magnetic layer. The servo signal recording magnetic layer has servo tracks formed with a track pitch Tps, the servo tracks adjacent to each other in a track width direction being magnetized to opposite directions perpendicular to the film surface.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium has a RAM region and a ROM region. The RAM region includes a plurality of first tracks each having a first magnetic portion. The first magnetic portions in adjacent tracks are separated from each other. The ROM region includes a plurality of second tracks each having a second magnetic portion. A width of the second magnetic portions in a direction perpendicular to a track direction of the first tracks is larger than that of the first magnetic portions in the perpendicular direction.

Abstract: A grain diameter controlling crystalline layer comprising crystalline grains of a metal selected from the group consisting essentially of Cu, Ni, Rh and Pt was formed on a substrate. Then, deposited atom layer of at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxygen and carbon was formed on the surface of the grain diameter control layer. A magnetic recording layer was deposited on the atoms deposited grain diameter controlling crystalline layer. Then a magnetic recording medium in which the magnetic crystalline grains has small grain diameter and small grain diameter distribution, and the magnetic recording medium shows increased signal to noise ratio at high recording density.

Abstract: Disclosed is a perpendicular magnetic recording medium including: a nonmagnetic substrate; a first underlayer formed on the nonmagnetic substrate, mainly composed of at least two kinds selected from a group consisting of Fe2O3, CO3O4, MgO, MoO3, Mn3O4, SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2, and ZrO2, and having crystal grains growing in a columnar shape and crystal grain boundaries surrounding the crystal grains; a nonmagnetic second underlayer formed on the first underlayer and having crystal grains with one of a face-centered cubic structure and a hexagonal close-packed structure growing on the crystal grains of the first underlayer; a magnetic layer formed on the second underlayer; and a protective film formed on the magnetic layer.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium suitable for attaining a low noise high magnetic recording density is obtained. The medium has a small average magnetic grain diameter, a small magnetic grain diameter distribution, a high perpendicular crystallographic magnetic grain orientation and a high regularity magnetic grain arrangement. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprises a soft magnetic layer, a granular under-layer and a perpendicular magnetic recording layer on a substrate. The granular under-layer is formed on a metal under-layer. The metal grains in the granular layer are separated by nonmagnetic inter-grain material and are partially penetrated into the metal under-layer. The perpendicular magnetic recording layer is formed on the granular layer. Then a perpendicular magnetic recording medium shows high signal to noise ratio and excellent high-density recording characteristics.

Abstract: A magnetic recording layer is formed on an under-layer comprising a Cu crystalline grain layer and a deposited nitrogen atom layer on the Cu crystalline grain layer surface. Then the magnetic recording layer comprising very small average grain diameter and sharp grain diameter distribution is obtained. The magnetic recording medium comprising the magnetic recording layer shows excellent signal to noise ratio at high density recording.

Abstract: A large grain diameter under-layer of at least one selected from Cu, Ni or Rh, comprising large average diameter crystalline grains of 50 nm or more than 50 nm with the (100) crystal plane of the grains oriented parallel to the substrate surface, was formed on a substrate. Then, a magnetic recording layer was deposited on the under-layer. The magnetic recording medium carrying this structure showed very small magnetic crystalline grains in magnetic layer, and excellent overwrite characteristics and signal to noise ratio at high recording density.

Abstract: A magnetic recording-reproducing apparatus has a magnetic recording medium having a nonmagnetic substrate, and a functional layer and a recording layer formed on the nonmagnetic substrate, the recording layer exhibiting a magnetic anisotropy energy density KuRL, the functional layer developing ferromagnetism upon irradiation with light so as to exhibit a magnetic anisotropy energy density KuFL lower than the magnetic anisotropy energy density KuRL and the functional layer serving to lower the magnetic anisotropy energy density of the recording layer through exchange coupling interaction with the recording layer when the functional layer is irradiated with light, a light source which irradiates the functional layer with light, and a magnetic head having a writing head writing signal magnetization by applying a magnetic field to the recording layer and a reading head reading the signal magnetization recorded in the recording layer.

Abstract: A method of designing a thermally-assisted magnetic recording apparatus having a magnetic recording medium, a heater and a magnetic head includes, determining a stable retention time tst for recorded magnetization and a thermal-fluctuation stability coefficient ?st calculated from ?(T)=KuV/kBT, where Ku is a magnetic anisotropy energy density, V is an activation volume, and kB is Boltzmann's constant, obtaining an equivalent degradation time tEQ calculated from tEQ=?(?tEQ), that sums values of ?tEQ within a period of time ?t for a time span during which the medium is substantially degraded, where ?tEQ=exp(ln(?t)????st) and ? is a thermal-fluctuation stability coefficient for a medium temperature T in ?t, and determining specifications of the medium, the heater and the magnetic head in a manner to meet the relationship of tEQ<tst.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium capable of alleviating thermal fluctuation and improving the recording density includes a functional layer (12) containing a magnetic material, and a recording layer (11) overlying the functional layer and containing a magnetic material. The recording layer contains a plurality of magnetic grains (51) and a nonmagnetic material (52) existing among the magnetic grains, and the functional layer and the recording layer exert exchange coupling interaction in a direction making a substantially orthogonal relation with each other at the room temperature.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium which allows high density recording and has excellent durability can be obtained. A magnetic recording medium includes: a plurality of ferromagnetic material dots arranged on a soft magnetic layer formed on a non-magnetic substrate so as to be separated from one another; and carbon films which are formed on the respective ferromagnetic material dots, each carbon film having a smooth film face shape in a section passing through the center of each ferromagnetic material dot and a film thickness gradually decreasing from the center of the ferromagnetic material dot toward an outer edge thereof.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium capable of alleviating thermal fluctuation and improving the recording density includes a functional layer (12) containing a magnetic material, and a recording layer (11) overlying the functional layer and containing a magnetic material. The recording layer contains a plurality of magnetic grains (51) and a nonmagnetic material (52) existing among the magnetic grains, and the functional layer and the recording layer exert exchange coupling interaction in a direction making a substantially orthogonal relation with each other at the room temperature.

Abstract: A tool attachable to a spindle of a machine tool in the same way as an ordinary tool, capable of being driven without connecting with an external power supply etc., giving a higher rotational speed than that of the spindle of the machine tool without supplying electric power from the outside, and able to be changed automatically, provided with a machining tool for machining a workpiece, a motor for driving the machining tool, a generator for generating electric power to drive the motor by the rotation of the spindle, and a breaker for breaking a supply line of electric current from the generator to the motor when electric current over a predetermined value flows in the supply line.

Abstract: A magnetic recording-reproducing apparatus has a magnetic recording medium having a nonmagnetic substrate, and a functional layer and a recording layer formed on the nonmagnetic substrate, the recording layer exhibiting a magnetic anisotropy energy density KuRL, the functional layer developing ferromagnetism upon irradiation with light so as to exhibit a magnetic anisotropy energy density KuFL lower than the magnetic anisotropy energy density KuRL and the functional layer serving to lower the magnetic anisotropy energy density of the recording layer through exchange coupling interaction with the recording layer when the functional layer is irradiated with light, a light source which irradiates the functional layer with light, and a magnetic head having a writing head writing signal magnetization by applying a magnetic field to the recording layer and a reading head reading the signal magnetization recorded in the recording layer.

Abstract: A pair of members opposed to each other via a gap are commonly used as an evanescent light probe and a writing magnetic head. When the spacing and width of the gap are smaller than the wavelength ? of injected light, highly intensive evanescent light is generated from the gap position of the opposite surface. Magnetic writing is carried out by applying a recording magnetic field from the pair of members to a medium heated by the evanescent light.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium has a substrate, a base layer formed on the substrate and including a magnetic material, a switching layer formed on the base layer and including a nonmagnetic material, and a recording layer formed on the switching layer and having a structure comprising magnetic particles and a nonmagnetic wall buried between the magnetic particles. The medium meets the condition of TcB>Tsw, where TcB is a Curie temperature of the base layer, and Tsw is a temperature at which the recording layer and the base layer begin to exert exchange coupling interaction.

Abstract: An optical recording medium comprises a superresolution film which has a light transmittance varying in accordance with the intensity of incident light and which has a superresolution function for optically masking part of incident light to form an optical aperture having a smaller size than a spot size of incident light, the superresolution film including at least two kinds of superresolution films having different response times until the superresolution function occurs after being irradiated with light. Thus, it is possible to easily and surely reduce the light spot size to greatly enhance the recording density. In addition, it is possible to extend the operating wavelength range by providing at least two kinds of superresolution films having different operating wavelengths causing the superresolution function.