Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium having a dual-layer magnetic film is disclosed. The bottom layer is completely exchange decoupled, and the top layer contains a certain amount of exchange coupling optimized for recording performance. Preferably, the bottom magnetic layer contains stable oxide material (for example, TiO2) and other non-magnetic elements (for example, Cr). A method of manufacturing the media is also disclosed.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium having a substrate, an amorphous soft underlayer of thickness 30 nm or greater, and a granular magnetic recording layer for perpendicular recording is disclosed. The granular magnetic recording layer includes a non-magnetic region between magnetic grains, wherein the non-magnetic region includes metal nitride or metal carbide and provides exchange decoupling between the magnetic grains. The perpendicular recording medium of this invention reduces DC noise and increases media signal-to-noise ratio; it reduces surface roughness, which in turn reduces the head-to-media spacing and the head-to-amorphous soft underlayer spacing.

Abstract: Disclosed are granular magnetic recording media with improved grain segregation and corrosion resistance, comprising a non-magnetic substrate and at least one granular magnetic recording layer formed over the surface, comprised of at least one ferromagnetic material including magnetic grains with grain boundaries and a non-magnetic material comprised of a mixture of metal oxides. Also disclosed are methods for fabricating the improved media.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium with tuned exchange coupling comprises: (a) a non-magnetic substrate having a surface; and (b) a stack of thin film layers on the substrate surface, including: (i) a compositionally segregated, exchange decoupled magnetic layer with substantially non-magnetic grain boundaries; and (ii) an exchange coupled magnetic layer adjacent to and in direct contact with the exchange decoupled magnetic layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing magnetic recording media, comprising sequential steps of: (a) providing an apparatus for manufacturing the media; (b) supplying the apparatus with at least one substrate for the media; (c) forming a magnetic recording layer on the at least one substrate in a first portion of the apparatus, the magnetic recording layer including a surface; (d) treating the surface of the magnetic recording layer with an ionized oxygen-containing plasma in a second portion of the apparatus to form a plasma oxidized surface layer; and (e) forming a protective overcoat layer on the plasma oxidized surface layer of the magnetic recording layer in a third portion of the apparatus.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium including at least one Cu-containing magnetic recording layer (CuML) comprised of a Cu-containing magnetic alloy material selected from the group consisting of: (a) a CoCrPtBCu alloy having a composition represented by the formula Co100-x-y-z-?CrxPtyBzCu?, wherein 0<x?20, 0<y?30, 0<z?24, and 0<??10; (b) a CoCrPtBCu alloy having a composition represented by the formula Co100-x-y-z-?CrxPtyBzCu?, wherein 0<x?30, 0<y?30, 7<z?24, and 0<??10; and (c) a CoCrTaCu alloy having a composition represented by the formula Co100-x-y-?CrxTayCu?, containing less than 30 at. % Cr, up to 8 at. % Ta, and up to 10 at. % Cu.

Abstract: The SMNR of a granular perpendicular recording medium is significantly enhanced by incorporating TiO2 at the grain boundaries of the magnetic alloy layer. Embodiments include granular perpendicular recording media comprising CoPt alloys containing 0.1 to 15 at. % TiO2 and a molar ratio of Pt:Co of up to 0.5.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium, comprising: (a) a non-magnetic substrate having a surface; and (b) a layer stack formed over the substrate surface, comprising in overlying sequence from the substrate surface: (i) a magnetically soft underlayer; (ii) an interlayer structure for crystallographically orienting a layer of a perpendicular magnetic recording material formed thereon; and (iii) at least one crystallographically oriented magnetically hard perpendicular recording layer; wherein the magnetically soft underlayer is sputter-deposited at a sufficiently large target-to-substrate spacing and at a sufficiently low gas pressure selected to provide the underlayer with a smooth surface having a low average surface roughness Ra below about 0.3 nm, as measured by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).

Abstract: A granular perpendicular magnetic recording medium having a surface treated magnetic layer comprising an oxidized or nitrogenized boundary layer formed on the surface of the magnetic layer, wherein the magnetic layer comprises granular magnetic regions having oxygen and/or nitrogen-containing grain boundaries. In one embodiment, the granular perpendicular recording medium further comprises a soft magnetic layer below the surface treated granular magnetic layer and a protective overcoat over the surface treated granular magnetic layer. A method of manufacturing a granular perpendicular magnetic recording medium includes depositing a magnetic layer having granular structure over a substrate and subsequently surface treating the granular magnetic layer in an oxygen and/or nitrogen-containing atmosphere to produce an oxidized and/or nitrogenized boundary layer formed on the surface of the granular magnetic layer.

Abstract: A perpendicular recording medium having a magnetic layer comprising cobalt, platinum, and at least one of molybdenum and chromium. In a preferred embodiment, the perpendicular recording medium comprises granular magnetic regions having oxygen-containing grain boundaries. The magnetic layer of the present invention preferably exhibits improved corrosion resistance while maintaining the magnetic properties suitable for high density perpendicular recording.

Abstract: Laminated magnetic recording medium with two Co-containing layers separated by a non-magnetic Ru-containing interlayer is stabilized by Ru-containing layer between the recording layers and Co-containing stabilization layers through anti-ferromagnetic coupling. The insertion of Co layer beneath Ru spacer has resulted in increased coupling, and further coupling enhancement is achieved by low pressure process of Co and Ru layers.

Abstract: Laminated magnetic recording medium with two Co-containing layers separated by a non-magnetic Ru-containing interlayer is stabilized by Ru-containing layer between the recording layers and Co-containing stabilization layers through anti-ferromagnetic coupling. The insertion of Co layer beneath Ru spacer has resulted in increased coupling, and further coupling enhancement is achieved by low pressure process of Co and Ru layers.

Abstract: A granular perpendicular magnetic recording medium having a surface treated magnetic layer comprising an oxidized or nitrogenized boundary layer formed on the surface of the magnetic layer, wherein the magnetic layer comprises granular magnetic regions having oxygen and/or nitrogen-containing grain boundaries. In one embodiment, the granular perpendicular recording medium further comprises a soft magnetic layer below the surface treated granular magnetic layer and a protective overcoat over the surface treated granular magnetic layer. A method of manufacturing a granular perpendicular magnetic recording medium includes depositing a magnetic layer having granular structure over a substrate and subsequently surface treating the granular magnetic layer in an oxygen and/or nitrogen-containing atmosphere to produce an oxidized and/or nitrogenized boundary layer formed on the surface of the granular magnetic layer.

Abstract: A perpendicular recording medium having a magnetic layer comprising cobalt, platinum, and at least one of molybdenum and chromium. In a preferred embodiment, the perpendicular recording medium comprises granular magnetic regions having oxygen-containing grain boundaries. The magnetic layer of the present invention preferably exhibits improved corrosion resistance while maintaining the magnetic properties suitable for high density perpendicular recording.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium, comprising:

Abstract: A magnetic media structure 200 deposited on glass substrates without a NiP layer having oriented media (ORMRT>1), high coercivity and high SMNR is presented. This media will significantly reduce the cost of making high quality media on glass substrates by eliminating the cost associated with additional steps of depositing a NiP layer and texturing that layer. First glass substrates are mechanically textured to have a surface roughness of about 1 Å to about 12 Å. The first layer of the magnetic structure contains Cr and Ti with a Ti content of 27 to 63 atomic percentage. The second layer contains Co and Ti with a Ti content of 43 to 55 atomic percentage. The third layer is a Cr-alloy layer wherein the alloy is an element chosen from W, Mo, V, Si, Ti, Mn, Ru, B, Nb, Ta, Zr, and Pt. The fourth layer is Co58Cr37Pt5 and the fifth layer is Co61Cr15Pt12B12. Finally, the protective overcoat is typically a hard material that contains hydrogenated carbon.

Abstract: A bi-crystal magnetic recording medium, i.e., medium with Cr(200) and Co(11.0) orientations, having a CrW-containing underlayer in which the W content increases for improved lattice matching with a Co-alloy magnetic layer has high coercivity, high SMNR and high areal recording density.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium on glass or Al substrates with a film structure of Cr—X or (Cr—X)Ox seedlayer/underlayer/magnetic layer/carbon overcoat, in which the solid solubility of X is at least 3 atomic percent in Cr, the heat of oxide formation of X is less than that of Cr or a lattice tuning capability of X is at least 2% that of Cr and a manufacturing process thereof are disclosed.

Abstract: A magnetic media structure 200 deposited on glass substrates without a NiP layer having oriented media (ORMRT>1), high coercivity and high SMNR is presented. This media will significantly reduce the cost of making high quality media on glass substrates by eliminating the cost associated with additional steps of depositing a NiP layer and texturing that layer. First glass substrates are mechanically textured to have a surface roughness of about 1 Å to about 12 Å. The first layer of the magnetic structure contains Cr and Ti with a Ti content of 27 to 63 atomic percentage. The second layer contains Co and Ti with a Ti content of 43 to 55 atomic percentage. The third layer is a Cr-alloy layer wherein the alloy is an element chosen from W, Mo, V, Si, Ti, Mn, Ru, B, Nb, Ta, Zr, and Pt. The fourth layer is Co58Cr37Pt5 and the fifth layer is Co61Cr15Pt12B12. Finally, the protective overcoat is typically a hard material that contains hydrogenated carbon.

Abstract: Corrosion resistant magnetic thin film media are fabricated using a CoCr magnetic layer having a stabilized protective chromium oxide film thereon. Stabilization of the protective chromium oxide film is achieved by incorporating a stabilizing element, such as Mo, V, Mn, Nb, Ni or Si, in the magnetic layer, thereby enabling elimination of the protective overcoat, e.g., C-containing protective overcoat, or forming the protective overcoat at a significantly low thickness of less than about 20 Å, e.g., up to about 1 Å. Embodiments include forming a magnetic layer comprising Co and Cr on an underlayer, and then forming a thin magnetic layer containing Co and Cr with the chromium oxide stabilizing element thereon. Embodiments further include introducing the chromium oxide stabilizing element by diffusion or ion implantation into a sputter deposited Co—Cr magnetic alloy layer.