Abstract: A recording medium having improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) capabilities includes dual cap layers over the recording layer, where the Curie temperature of the first cap layer over the recording layer is greater than the Curie temperature of the recording layer, and the Curie temperature of the second cap layer over the first cap layer is greater than the Curie temperature of the first cap layer. The first cap layer may be composed of a magnetically hard material, such as L10 CoPt, where the second cap layer may be composed of a magnetically soft material, such as Co. Such a medium is particularly useful in the context of heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR).

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for designing and manufacturing hard masks used in the creation of patterned magnetic media and, more particularly, patterned magnetic recording media used in hard disk drives (e.g., bit patterned media (BPM)). In some embodiments, the hard mask incorporates at least one layer of Ta (tantalum) and at least one layer of C (carbon) and is used during ion implantation of a pattern onto magnetic media. The hard mask can be fabricated with a high aspect ratio to achieve small feature sizes while maintaining its effectiveness as a mask, is robust enough to withstand the ion implantation process, and can be removed after the ion implantation process with minimal damage to the magnetic media.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and computer system to store customization specifications for computer software as data in a database. The customization information includes labels, error messages, help, security, and client preferences, such as display preferences. Because this information is stored as data, it is possible for a user to maintain multilingual labels, different error messages, context-sensitive help messages (both error and help messages are also multilingual), security, and user preferences, such as display preferences, as data, rather than placing a request for a computer applications developer to modify procedural code.