Abstract: The signal-to-noise ratio of a magnetic recording medium having a thin magnetic layer is improved by adjusting the deposition conditions of the underlayer so that the magnetic layer is pseudo-epitaxially grown with a substantially uniform sub-micron-scale morphology. Uniform sub-micron-scale morphology can be attained by strategic selection of the underlayer and magnetic layer materials, and by controlling the underlayer deposition conditions so that the magnetic layer is epitaxially grown by a growth mechanism which is predominantly layer by layer. In an embodiment of the present invention, an underlayer comprising an alloy of chromium with vanadium, titanium or manganese, or an underlayer comprising a nickel-aluminum alloy, is sputter deposited at a pressure less than about 10 mTorr, substrate temperature greater than about 300.degree. C. and substrate bias greater than about 300 V, and a cobalt magnetic layer is epitaxially grown thereon, predominantly layer by layer.