Abstract: A sputter target includes a metal alloy having a target surface, a rear surface and a thickness between the target and rear surfaces. The target surface and rear surface are outer surfaces of the metal alloy. The metal alloy has a thickness direction substantially along the thickness. The target surface is substantially normal to the thickness direction. The metal alloy has a single substantially homogenous microstructural zone across substantially the entire thickness. The metal alloy further includes dendrites. The dendrites at the target surface are oriented along substantially one direction, and the dendrites at a center plane of the metal alloy are oriented along substantially the same one direction. A sputter target may include a metal alloy which is a cobalt (Co) based, and may have a [0001] hexagonal close-packing (HCP) direction oriented substantially normal to the target surface.

Abstract: A seedlayer for a magnetic recording medium, the seedlayer formed over a substrate from a sputter target comprised of tantalum (Ta) and an alloying element. The solubility of the alloying element in a body centered cubic tantalum (Ta) phase does not exceed 10 atomic percent at room temperature, and the alloying element has a mass susceptibility of less than or equal to 1.5 × 10 - 7 ? m 3 kg , where possible alloying elements include (but are not limited to) boron (B), carbon (C), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), zirconium (Zr), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo), ytterbium (Yb), lutetium (Lu), hafnium (Hf), bismuth (Bi), and tungsten (W). Alternatively, the alloying element is soluble in tantalum (Ta) at room temperature or at elevated temperatures, has a mass susceptibility of less than or equal to 1.5 × 10 - 7 ? m 3 kg , and has an atomic radius smaller than 1.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, including the step of reactively or non-reactively sputtering at least a first data storing thin film layer over a substrate from a sputter target. The sputter target is comprised of cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a first metal oxide further comprised of a first metal and oxygen (O) and, when non-reactively sputtering, a second metal oxide. The first data storing thin film layer is comprised of cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), and a stoichiometric third metal oxide comprising the first metal and oxygen (O). During sputtering, any non-stoichiometry of the third metal oxide in the first data storing thin film layer is compensated for using oxygen (O) from the second metal oxide in the sputter target, or using oxygen (O) from the oxygen-rich gas atmosphere.

Abstract: A sputter target, where the sputter target is comprised of cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a single-component oxide or a multi-component oxide, and an elemental metal additive. The elemental metal additive has a reduction potential of greater than ?0.03 electron volts, and is substantially insoluble with cobalt (Co) at room temperature. The elemental metal additive is copper (Cu), silver (Ag), or gold (Au), and the sputter target is further comprised of chromium (Cr) and/or boron (B). The sputter target is comprised of between 2 atomic % and 10 atomic % copper (Cu), silver (Ag), or gold (Au) or other elemental metal additive. Accordingly, the enhanced sputter target provides significant improvements in thermal stability and SNR, through enhancements to magnetocrystalline anisotropy and increased grain-to-grain segregation.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium, including a substrate, and a data-storing thin film layer formed over the substrate. The data-storing thin film layer is comprised of cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), and a multi-component oxide. The multi-component oxide has cations with a reduction potential of less than ?0.03 electron volts, and atomic radii of less than 0.25 nanometers. Additionally, the multi-component oxide is diamagnetic, paramagnetic, or magnetic with a permeability of less than 10?6 m3/kg. The multi-component oxide has a dielectric constant greater than 5.0. The sputter target is further comprised of chromium (Cr) and/or boron (B).