Abstract: Provided herein is an apparatus, including a magnetically soft underlayer (SUL); an interlayer stack overlying the SUL, wherein the interlayer stack comprises a seed layer of an fcc material; and a perpendicular magnetic recording layer overlying the interlayer stack, wherein a thickness of the SUL in combination with a distance of the SUL from the perpendicular recording layer is sufficient to orient a total magnetic field corresponding to a magnetic transducer head at an angle of about 45°.

Abstract: Provided herein is an apparatus, including a magnetically soft underlayer (SUL); an interlayer stack overlying the SUL, wherein the interlayer stack comprises a seed layer of an fcc material; and a perpendicular magnetic recording layer overlying the interlayer stack, wherein a thickness of the SUL in combination with a distance of the SUL from the perpendicular recording layer is sufficient to orient a total magnetic field corresponding to a magnetic transducer head at an angle of about 45°.

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 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: The invention relates to granular perpendicular magnetic recording media with a capping layer comprised of a material having high surface mobility and low surface energy. The capping layer surface is oxidized to produce a passivating surface that is impervious to corrosion.

Abstract: A granular perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprises a non-magnetic substrate and a granular perpendicular magnetic recording layer overlying the substrate, comprising a first granular perpendicular magnetic layer proximal the substrate and having a first saturation magnetization (Ms)1, and a second granular perpendicular magnetic layer distal the substrate and having a second, different saturation magnetization (Ms)2. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating the granular perpendicular magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: A granular perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprises a non-magnetic substrate and a granular perpendicular magnetic recording layer overlying the substrate, comprising a first granular perpendicular magnetic layer proximal the substrate and having a first saturation magnetization (Ms)1, and a second granular perpendicular magnetic layer distal the substrate and having a second, different saturation magnetization (Ms)2. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating the granular perpendicular magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to granular perpendicular magnetic recording media with a capping layer comprised of a material having high surface mobility and low surface energy. The capping layer surface is oxidized to produce a passivating surface that is impervious to corrosion.

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: 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 perpendicular magnetic recording system, comprises: a perpendicular magnetic recording medium including a non-magnetic substrate having a surface and a stacked plurality of thin film layers forming a layer stack overlying the substrate surface and including a magnetically soft underlayer (SUL) beneath at least one perpendicular magnetic recording layer, wherein the SUL has a saturation magnetization (Ms)—thickness (t) product (Mst) less than about 4 memu/cm2, and a ring-type magnetic transducer head is positioned in spaced adjacency to an upper surface of the layer stack.

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: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprises a non-magnetic substrate having a planar surface and a stack of thin film layers overlying the substrate surface and including at least one perpendicular magnetic recording layer with a magnetic easy axis perpendicular to the plane of the layer stack, wherein a magnetically soft underlayer (“SUL”) is not present in the layer stack. The layer stack includes a first, amorphous and smooth-surfaced underlayer proximal the substrate surface, a second underlayer having a first crystallographic orientation overlying the first underlayer, a third underlayer having a second crystallographic orientation overlying the second underlayer, and at least one perpendicular magnetic recording layer having a crystallographic orientation similar to the second crystallographic orientation overlying the third underlayer.

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: 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: 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.