Abstract: A process is provided for synthesizing metal salts of perfluorinated polyethers containing at least one carboxylic acid group. The polymeric salts so provided are effective as anti-wetting and corrosion-protective agents. The metal salts of perfluorinated polyether acids may be used to prepare corrosion-protected substrates, including magnetic recording disks and magnetic recording heads.

Abstract: The present invention is a high-frequency current essentially of M—X—Y, where M is Fe, Co, and/or Ni, X is an element other than M or Y, and Y is F, N, and/or O. The maximum value ??max of the loss factor ?? of this material exists at 100 MHz to 10 GHz. A relative bandwidth bwr is not greater than 200% where the relative bandwidth bwr is obtained between two frequencies at which the value of ?? is 50% of ??max and normalizing the frequency bandwidth at the center frequency.

Abstract: There is described a disk processing and manufacturing equipment in which the processing chambers are stacked on top of each other and in which the disks move through the system on disk carriers which are adjustable to take disks of varying sizes. The disks enter the system through a load zone and are then installed into disk carriers. They move in the carriers sequentially through processing chambers at one level and then move to the other level in a lift or elevator. At this other level, the disks again move sequentially through the system on that level and then exit at an unload zone.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium containing a B-2 structured ruthenium-aluminum underlayer comprising a (200) crystallographic orientation with a thickness from about 50 ? to about 800 ?, and a magnetic layer with a Co(11.0) crystallographic orientation, and a method of making the same are disclosed. The medium deposited on mechanically textured and surface-oxidized NiP film has a relatively high remanent coercivity and a relatively high signal to medium noise ratio even at low OR-Mrt.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for depositing plural layers of materials on a substrate within a single vacuum chamber allows high-throughput deposition of structures such as these for GMR and MRAM application. An indexing mechanism aligns a substrate with each of plural targets according to the sequence of the layers in the structure. Each target deposits material using a static physical-vapor deposition technique. A shutter can be interposed between a target and a substrate to block the deposition process for improved deposition control. The shutter can also preclean a target or the substrate and can also be used for mechanical chopping of the deposition process. In alternative embodiments, plural substrates may be aligned sequentially with plural targets to allow simultaneous deposition of plural structures within the single vacuum chamber.

Abstract: Improved multilayer magnetic superlattice structures, such as (Co/Pt)n and (C0/Pd)n, having perpendicular magnetic coercivities as high as about 10,000 Oe, are formed by sputtering in Kr and/or Xe atmospheres at relatively high power densities and relatively small target-to-substrate spacings. The magnetic superlattice structures are advantageously utilized in the formation of the thermally stable, perpendicular magnetic recording media having ultra-high areal recording densities of from about 100 Gbit/in2 to about 600 Gbit/in2.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing an information carrier which has at least two solid material interfaces at which information is, or may be applied and where the information is stored by local modulation of at least one characteristic of the solid material. Reflection of electromagnetic radiation at the interface depends on this characteristic. The method and apparatus applies at least one intermediate layer between the two solid material interfaces. The intermediate layer transmits the radiation and is at least predominantly made of either SixCy or SivNw, or both.

Abstract: Magnetic films are annealed by radio frequency (RF) radiation. During the RF annealing process, the layers may be subjected to a magnetic field in order to control their anisotropy axes. The RF annealed layers are useful for applications such as longitudinal and perpendicular magnetic recording layers of magnetic data storage media.

Abstract: This application discloses a system for depositing a magnetic film for a magnetic recording layer or depositing an underlying film prior to depositing a magnetic film as a recording layer. The system comprises; a chamber in which the film is deposited onto a substrate by sputtering, a target that is provided in the chamber and made of material of the film to be deposited, a sputter power source for applying voltage to the target for the sputtering, and a direction control member for controlling sputter-particles released from the target during the sputtering. The direction control member is provided between the substrate and the target. The direction control member provides a passage for the sputter-particles. The direction control member lets the sputter-particles selectively pass through, thereby allowing magnetic anisotropy to the magnetic film. The passage is not close but open in its cross section.

Abstract: A spin valve sensor in a read head has a spacer layer which is located between a self-pinned AP pinned layer structure and a free layer structure. The free layer structure is longitudinally stabilized by first and second hard bias layers which abut first and second side surfaces of the spin valve sensor. The AP pinned layer structure has an antiparallel coupling layer (APC) which is located between first and second AP pinned layers (AP1) and (AP2). The invention employs a preferential setting of the magnetic moments of the AP pinned layers by applying a field at an acute angle to the head surface in a plane parallel to the major planes of the layers of the sensor. The preferential setting sets a proper polarity of each AP pinned layer, which polarity conforms to processing circuitry employed with the spin valve sensor.

Abstract: A workpiece is manufactured using a magnetron source that has an optimized yield of sputtered-off material as well as service life of the target. Good distribution values of the layer on the workpiece are obtained that are stable over the entire target service life, and a concave sputter face in a configuration with small target-to-workpiece distance is combined with a magnet system to form the magnetron electron trap in which the outer pole of the magnetron electron trap is stationary and an eccentrically disposed inner pole with a second outer pole part is rotatable about the central source axis.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting production of projections in a metal deposited-film according to the present invention is characterized by using a vapor deposition apparatus comprising, in a vacuum-treating chamber, an evaporating section for a depositing material, and an accommodating member and/or a holding member for accommodation and/or hold of work pieces, respectively, and, in depositing a metal depositing material on each of the surface of the work pieces with the accommodating member and/or the holding member being made rotated about the horizontal rotational axis thereof, carrying out vapor deposition with a Vickers hardness of a film formed on each of the surface of the work pieces maintained at 25 or more. According to the present invention, production of projections in a metal deposited-film can be effectively inhibited when forming the metal deposited-film of aluminum, zinc or the like on the surface of a work piece such as a rare earth metal-based permanent magnet.

Abstract: A method for making a magnetic disk comprises forming first and second protective carbon layers on a magnetic layer. The first protective carbon layer is predominantly SP3 carbon. The second protective carbon layer comprises about 50% or less SP3 carbon. The second protective carbon layer is very thin, e.g. between 0.1 and 1.0 nm thick. A lubricant layer (e.g. a perfluoropolyether lubricant) is applied to the second protective carbon layer. The second protective carbon layer facilitates improved cooperation between lubricant and the disk.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium and method of manufacturing the same including directly texturing a surface of a non-magnetic substrate made of a glass material to form circular concentric grooves thereon, forming a seed layer on the non-magnetic substrate, forming an under layer on the seed layer, forming a magnetic layer on the under layer, and forming a protective layer on the magnetic layer. A ratio of an in-plane remanent magnetization in a circumferential direction of the magnetic recording medium to an in-plane remanent magnetization in a radial direction of the magnetic recording medium is equal to or greater than 1.05.

Abstract: An in-line, multi-station apparatus including an improved pallet for transporting a plurality of workpieces/substrates through the apparatus, the pallet comprising: (a) a sheet of electrically conductive material provided with a plurality of spaced-apart regions extending at least partway therethrough, each of the regions adapted to mount therein and expose at least one major surface of respective workpieces/substrates for receipt of the treatment; and (b) a plurality of electrical contact means for selectively and controllably electrically contacting respective ones of said plurality of workpieces/substrates for applying an electrical bias potential thereto during treatment. Embodiments include in-line apparatus for performing bias sputtering of electrically conductive thin films on insulative substrates in the manufacture of multi-layer magnetic and/or magneto-optical recording media.

Abstract: A system for sputtering uniformly thick films on a substrate is disclosed. The system includes a magnetron-sputtering cathode in a vacuum chamber, a gas inlet which injects processing gas at one end of the chamber, and a pump that pumps the processing gas from the other end of the chamber causing the process gas to flow across the substrate during processing. The magnetron-sputtering cathode includes a magnet array that is substantially circular. The magnets on the magnet array are positioned such that the gap between the magnets is smaller on the top of the array near the gas inlet than on the bottom of the array near the pump. The distribution of magnets creates a magnetic flux profile that results in more of the target being sputtered near the top of the cathode creating a thicker film at the top of the substrate.

Abstract: The invention includes methods of forming a barrier layer. Material is ablated from an ECAE target to form a layer having a thickness variance of less than or equal to 1% of 1-sigma across a substrate surface. The invention includes a method of forming a tunnel junction. A thin film is formed between first and second magnetic layers. The thin film, the first magnetic layer, and/or the second magnetic layer are formed by ablating material from an ECAE target to provide improved layer thickness uniformity relative to corresponding layers formed utilizing non-ECAE targets. The invention includes a physical vapor deposition target and a thin film formed using the target. The target contains an alloy of aluminum and at least one alloying element selected from Ga, Zr and In. The resulting film has a thickness variance across the thin film of less than 1.5% of 1-sigma.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium comprises, on a substrate, a soft magnetic layer, a first seed layer, a second seed layer, and a recording layer having an artificial lattice structure. The first seed layer contains oxide of Fe. The second seed layer contains one of Pd and Pt, Si, and N. The magnetic exchange coupling force in the in-plane direction of the recording layer is weakened by the first seed layer and the second seed layer. Accordingly, minute recording magnetic domains can be formed in the recording layer, and the magnetization transition area is distinct as well. Even when information is recorded at a high density, the information can be reproduced with low noise. A magnetic storage apparatus, which is provided with such a magnetic recording medium, makes it possible to achieve an areal recording density of 150 gigabits/square inch.

Abstract: A method for making spin valves with low and stable coupling field includes the oxygen exposure steps. In this method, a first ferromagnetic layer is deposited onto a substrate using an ion beam sputtering process. The first surface of the first ferromagnetic layer is exposed to an oxygen-rich atmosphere with oxygen partial pressure of about 5×10−6 Torr. Oxygen is physisorbed on the first surface. The oxygen partial pressure rapidly decreases to below 10−8 Torr levels before a spacer layer of about 20 Å thick copper is deposited onto the first oxygen treated surface. The spacer layer has a second surface, which is treated with oxygen with a process similar to the process for treating the first surface. The oxygen partial pressure rapidly decreases to below 10−8 Torr levels before a second ferromagnetic layer is deposited onto the second oxygen treated surface.

Abstract: Electrochemical biosensor test strip, fabrication method thereof and electrochemical biosensor are disclosed. The electrochemical biosensor test strip is fabricated by cutting a groove in a first insulation base in the breadth direction, forming two electrodes parallel to length direction on the first insulation base by sputtering using shadow mask, fixing a reaction material comprising an enzyme which reacts an analyte and generates current corresponding to the concentration of analyte across the two electrodes on the groove of the insulation base, and affixing a cover to the first insulation base. The groove of the first insulation base and the cover make a capillary at the position where the reaction material is fixed. The fabrication method can lower the cost for fabricating the test strip by forming thin electrodes.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method for manufacturing a half-metallic magnetic oxide and a plasma sputtering apparatus used in the method. A conductor provided with at least one hole is disposed between a metal target and a substrate holder in the plasma sputtering apparatus, thereby improving the bonding of metal ions discharged from the metal target to oxygen ions, and a magnetic field with a coercive force larger than that of a thin film to be formed on the substrate, thereby obtaining a magnetic oxide film with excellent properties. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a conductor-side power supply unit is connected to the conductor, thereby additionally supplying power to the conductor and generating second plasma. The plasma sputtering apparatus supplies high power so as to decompose oxygen, and discharges metal ions with different electrovalences at a precise ratio by the additional power supply, thereby being effectively used in manufacturing a half-metallic oxide at low temperatures.

Abstract: To generate an especially good heat transfer between a seating face of a storage plate support and a storage plate, during coating with a sputter source in a vacuum installation, the seating face of the storage plate support is slightly annularly convexly arched and the storage plate is clamped in the center as well as on its outer margin by a center mask and an outer mask against the arched seating face. Hereby an especially good heat transfer is attained with very low arching d, whereby the storage plate is treated gently and simultaneously, during the coating process, no layer thickness distribution problems occur through arching that is too large.

Abstract: A specified amount of N2O or N2 is employed in a process gas of a DC magnetron for sputter depositing single or laminated films of NiFeCo—O—N or NiFeCo—N with a high uniaxial anisotropy HK after annealing these films along their hard axes. The films can be used for shield layers and/or pole piece layers in a magnetic head.

Abstract: A magnetic disk is provided which comprises a nonmetallic glass or glass ceramic substrate having one or more under layers, a magnetic layer applied over the under layers, and a hard carbon layer applied over the magnetic layer. A plurality of bumps are formed on the magnetic disk by applying a beam from a near infrared wavelength laser to the surface of the carbon layer.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium has a granular magnetic layer and a nonmagnetic underlayer of a metal or an alloy having a hexagonal closest-packed (hcp) crystal structure. A seed layer of a metal or an alloy of a face-centered cubic (fcc) crystal structure is provided under the nonmagnetic underlayer. Such a perpendicular magnetic recording medium exhibits excellent magnetic characteristics even when the thickness of the underlayer or the total thickness of the underlayer and the seed layer is very thin. Excellent magnetic characteristics can be obtained even when of the substrate is not preheated. Accordingly, a nonmagnetic substrate, such as a plastic resin can be employed to reduce the manufacturing cost.

Abstract: A stamper forming method, including the following steps: coating a first photoresist on a substrate, coating a stop layer on the first photoresist, coating a second photoresist on the stop layer, exposing the second photoresist by using a beam of light, exposing the first photoresist by using another beam of light, developing the first photoresist and the second photoresist, and sputtering a metal layer over the second photoresist. The invention also discloses another stamper forming method.

Abstract: In order to make labyrinth seal lips on the periphery of a metal moving part of a turbomachine, a thick layer of refractory material that adheres to the metal is made prior to assembling the moving part, the refractory material advantageously comprising at least one metal selected for example from Fe, Co, and Ni, together with at least one ceramic selected for example from borides, nitrides, carbides, and refractory oxides. The labyrinth seal lips that are to be made are machined to their final dimensions in the deposited thick layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin film of magnetic material, comprises sputtering magnetic material from a target to a substrate to form a thin film of the magnetic material on the substrate, wherein the ratio of sputtering power in Watt to sputtering pressure in mTorr is greater than one. Thin films of magnetic material made according to the method and magnetic storage media including a thin film of magnetic material made according to the method are also included.

Abstract: A method for making a nickel/silicon sputter target, targets made thereby and sputtering processes using such targets. The method includes the step of blending molten nickel with sufficient molten silicon so that the blend may be cast to form an alloy containing no less than 4.5 wt % silicon. Preferably, the cast ingot is then shaped by rolling it to form a plate having a desired thickness. Sputter targets so formed are capable of use in a conventional magnetron sputter process; that is, one can be positioned near a cathode in the presence of an electric potential difference and a magnetic field so as to induce sputtering of nickel ion from the sputter target onto the substrate.

Abstract: For optimizing the yield of atomized-off material on a magnetron atomization source, a process space, on the source side, is predominantly walled by the atomization surface of the target body. The magnetron atomization source has a target body with a mirror-symmetrical, concavely constructed atomization surface with respect to at least one plane and a magnetic circuit arrangement operable to generate a magnetic field over the atomization surface. The magnetic circuit arrangement includes an anode arrangement, a receiving frame which extends around an edge of the target body and is electrically insulated with respect thereto. The receiving frame has a receiving opening for at least one workpiece to be coated. The magnetron source can be used to provide storage disks, such as CDs, with an atomization coating.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic recording medium, comprising: at least one ferromagnetic thin film recording layer comprising magnetic particles with substantially uniform barriers to magnetization reversal, formed by a process comprising steps of: (a) providing a precursor structure including at least one ferromagnetic thin film recording layer having a surface and a first, higher coercivity which may be greater than that which permits writing of the precursor structure, comprising magnetic particles having a distribution of energy barriers to magnetization reversal; and (b) uniformly bombarding the entire surface of the precursor structure with particles of sufficient dosage and energy to: (i) substantially equalize the energy barriers to magnetization reversal of the magnetic particles; (ii) lower the coercivity of the at least one ferromagnetic thin film recording layer from the first, higher coercivity to a second, lower coercivity within a range of coercivities permitting writing of the bombarded at least one

Abstract: A workpiece is manufactured using a magnetron source that has an optimized yield of sputtered-off material as well as service life of the target. Good distribution values of the layer on the workpiece are obtained that are stable over the entire target service life, and a concave sputter face in a configuration with small target-to-workpiece distance is combined with a magnet system to form the magnetron electron trap in which the outer pole of the magnetron electron trap is stationary and an eccentrically disposed inner pole with a second outer pole part is rotatable about the central source axis.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium containing a non-magnetic substrate, an orientation-determining layer for causing the non-magnetic undercoat layer assume to have a predominant orientation plane of (200), a non-magnetic undercoat layer, a magnetic layer, and a protective layer, in order, is disclosed. The non-magnetic undercoat layer 3 has a bcc structure; the orientation-determining layer has a crystal structure in which columnar fine crystal grains are inclined in a radial direction; and the ratio of a coercive force in a circumferential direction of the magnetic layer (Hcc) to a coercive force in a radial direction of the magnetic layer 4 (Hcr)is more than 1. The magnetic layer includes a plurality of magnetic films and having an hcp structure and a predominant orientation plane of (110), and permits antiferromagnetic bonding to be formed therebetween.

Abstract: A sputtering chamber includes a sputtering target with a front target surface, and a magnetron behind the sputtering target. The magnetron provides a magnetic field at the front target surface along a generally round path that includes a path indentation. A shutter is spaced apart from the front target surface by a shutter spacing. A substrate is aligned with a central region in front of the front target surface and spaced apart from the front target surface by a selected spacing that is greater than the shutter spacing. The central region has a diameter defined by a uniformly sputtered thickness of deposited layers on the substrate. The path indentation is set to a path indentation depth that adjusts the selected spacing to maximize the diameter.

Abstract: The coercivity of a magnetic recording medium such as a magnetic disk is determined by providing at least two magnetic layers in the recording medium with the relative thicknesses of the two magnetic layers determining coercivity without the need for changing substrate temperature, underlayer thickness or substrate biasing during manufacture. Each magnetic layer is a cobalt alloy of different composition and intrinsic magnetic properties. Importantly, the coercivity can be modified without adversely affecting remanence or squareness of the hysteresis transition region for the recording medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sputtering target for production of a magnetic recording medium including at least a nonmagnetic undercoat layer, a magnetic layer, and a protective layer laminated sequentially on a nonmagnetic substrate, the sputtering target being used for film formation of the magnetic layer, the sputtering target comprising a mixture of a metal and an oxide, and the particle diameter of the oxide in the sputtering target being 10 &mgr;m or less. The sputtering target suppresses abnormal discharge occurring during film formation of a granular magnetic layer of the magnetic recording medium, and suppresses occurrence of foreign objects on the magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: This invention provides a magnetic optical member that can obtain a large magneto-optical effect using a rare-earth iron-garnet-based material and a method of producing the same.

Abstract: Improved multilayer magnetic superlattice structures, such as (Co/Pt)n and (Co/Pd)n, having predetermined, very high perpendicular magnetic coercivities are formed by sputter deposition of predetermined thickness, ultra-thin seed layers on the substrate prior to formation thereon of the superlattice structure by sputtering at at least a predetermined minimum sputtering gas pressure. The multilayer magnetic superlattice structures are advantageously utilized in the formation of thermally stable, perpendicular magnetic recording (MR) media having very high areal recording densities.

Abstract: A sputtering target comprising a substrate and a target material formed on the substrate, wherein the target material comprises a metal oxide of the chemical formula MOx as the main component, wherein MOx is a metal oxide which is deficient in oxygen as compared with the stoichiometric composition, and M is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Zr and Hf, a process for its production, and a method for forming a film having a high refractive index.

Abstract: A method for treating a silicon substrate is described. The silicon substrate is placed into a sputtering equipment. A sputtering step is performed to simultaneously dry clean and amorphize the silicon substrate surface by using the sputtering equipment. A titanium film is deposited on the silicon substrate by the sputtering equipment.

Abstract: An integrated micro-optical system includes at least two wafers with at least two optical elements provided on respective surfaces of the at least two wafers. An active element having a characteristic which changes in response to an applied field may be integrated on a bottom surface of the wafers. The resulting optical system may present a high numerical aperture. Preferably, one of the optical elements is a refractive element formed in a material having a high index of refraction.

Abstract: Techniques for fabricating magnetic granular films for high-density magnetic data storage, where magnetic grains are dispersed in a non-magnetic amorphous matrix and each are surrounded by a grain-confining material which inhibits growth of grains during annealing.

Abstract: A magnetic recording media is formed with high in-plane coercivity employing dual magnetic layers. The first magnetic layer is sputter deposited in a chamber employing a shield such that the minimum incident angle of impinging atoms is relatively large, e.g., greater than about 26°. Embodiments of the present invention comprise depositing a NiAl seedlayer, a Cr or Cr alloy underlayer and a first CoCrTa magnetic layer at a thickness less than about 50 Å for inducing the preferred (10.0) crystallographic orientation in the subsequently deposited second magnetic layer, e.g., CoCrPtTa or CoCrPtTaNb having a high Cr content of about 16 to about 21 at. %.

Abstract: A system and method for sputtering using a plurality of different bias voltages, a plurality of target-cathodes that can be powered at different voltages disposed along said path of travel, and a controller configured to selectively vary the target-cathode voltage and the pallet bias voltage while the pallet moves along the path of travel. The target-cathodes are spaced apart along the path of travel by a distance less than a length of the pallet and on both sides of the path of travel. The controller can include a timing circuit for synchronizing changes in the target-cathode voltages with changes in the pallet bias voltage.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sputtering target for production of a magnetic recording medium including at least a nonmagnetic undercoat layer, a magnetic layer, and a protective layer laminated sequentially on a nonmagnetic substrate, the sputtering target being used for film formation of the magnetic layer, the sputtering target comprising a mixture of a metal and an oxide, and the particle diameter of the oxide in the sputtering target being 10 &mgr;m or less. The sputtering target suppresses abnormal discharge occurring during film formation of a granular magnetic layer of the magnetic recording medium, and suppresses occurrence of foreign objects on the magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium having a substrate, a seedlayer on the substrate and a magnetic underlayer on the seedlayer, the magnetic underlayer having an easy axis of magnetization substantially directed in a radial or transverse direction, and a process for manufacturing the perpendicular magnetic recording medium are disclosed.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium capable of suppressing the effects of thermal agitation and simultaneously reducing the average grain diameter and the standard deviation of magnetic crystal grains constituting a ferromagnetic metal film, without changing the film thickness of a metal under-layer or the film thickness of a ferromagnetic metal layer forming a recording layer, as well as a production method thereof, and a magnetic recording device. The magnetic recording medium includes a ferromagnetic metal layer of a cobalt based alloy formed on a base material with a metal underlayer having chromium as a major constituent disposed there between, wherein a seed layer having at least tungsten is provided between the base material and the metal under-layer, and the seed layer is an islands type film.

Abstract: Disclosed is a spin-valve sensor employing one or more in-situ oxidized films as cap and/or gap layers in order to achieve an increased GMR coefficient and improved thermal stability. A fabrication method comprises depositing multilayer metallic films on a wafer in ion-beam and DC-magnetron sputtering modules of a sputtering system, and then transferring the wafer in a vacuum to an oxidation module where in-situ oxidation is conducted. When the method is used to form a cap layer, the cap layer may only be partially oxidized. A magnetic-field annealing may be subsequently conducted without the substantial occurrence of interface mixing and oxygen diffusion during the anneal process. The resulting spin-valve sensor exhibits an increased GMR coefficient, possibly due to induced specular scattering of conduction electrons and improved thermal stability mainly due to the protection of an underlying sensing layer from interface mixing and oxygen diffusion during the annealing process.

Abstract: A magnetic layer structure with a layer of cobalt-chromium-platinum-boron composite alloy containing 10% to 20% B in the magnetic layer. The useful magnetic properties of the magnetic layer structure are achieved by the incorporation of a nucleation layer prior to the deposition of the magnetic layer. The resultant magnetic layer structures have coercivity Hc values in between 2,000 and 5,000 Oe, grain sizes between 30 and 200 Angstroms and anisotropic crystallographic orientation with the c-axis of the cobalt-chromium-platinum-boron in the plane of the medium. These magnetic layer structures are suitable for magnetic data storage devices including magnetic disks.

Abstract: A Co-Pt based magnetic alloy which has been doped with a relatively high amount of nitrogen, e.g., or above 1 at. % is obtained having high coercivity, for example in the range of 1400 Oe or above, and an increased signal-to-noise ratio as compared to the same Co-Pt based alloy which has not been doped with nitrogen. The alloy is vacuum deposited, for example, by sputtering, and the nitrogen may be introduced from the sputtering gas or from the sputtering target. Other low-solubility elements providing the grain uniformity and isolation include: B, P, S, C, Si, As, Se and Te.