Abstract: The invention uses an upper and lower magnetic layer of a laminated magnetic layer structure that includes an AF spacer layer that results in weak antiferromagnetic coupling of the magnetic layers that is insufficient to cause either of the layers to switch so that the magnetic orientations of the two ferromagnetic layers remain parallel. An advantage of the invention is that the AF-coupling tends to anti-correlate the noise in the two layers. The weak AF coupling according to the invention is believed to act at the transition boundaries in the media to cause some of the noise domains to be oriented antiparallel and the noise to be less correlated than would be the case without the AF coupling and thereby to achieve improved SNR.

Abstract: The present invention provides for the enhancement of the storage capacity of a data disk drive while reducing optical path optics, electronics and/or the mass and complexity of associated read/write heads. The system utilizes light transmitted by optical elements to servo track a data disk and to heat the data disk during reading and writing of data, and magnetic elements for actual reading and writing.

Abstract: Provided is a magnetic recording medium exhibiting good electromagnetic characteristics in high-density recording The magnetic recording medium employed for magnetically recording signals with a track width equal to or less than 2.0 ?m and reproducing the magnetically recorded signals, wherein said magnetic recording medium comprises a magnetic layer comprising a hexagonal ferrite ferromagnetic powder and a binder or comprises a nonmagnetic layer comprise a nonmagnetic powder and a binder and a magnetic layer comprising a hexagonal ferrite ferromagnetic powder and a binder in this order on a nonmagnetic support. Said magnetic layer has a thickness equal to or less than 0.2 ?m, and said hexagonal ferrite ferromagnetic powder has an average plate diameter being 1/30 or less of the magnetically recorded track width as well as ½ or less of the thickness of the magnetic layer.

Abstract: First and second print layers extend on the surface of a medium body in a recording medium. The first print layer has a first thickness. The second print layer has a second thickness larger than the first thickness. A print protection layer covers over the first and second print layers on the surface of the medium body. An inclined surface is defined on the surface of the print protection layer. The inventors have found that a print layer has various thickness based on the kind of colors. The difference in the thickness causes a step on the surface of the print layer at the boundary between the different colors. The inclined surface is established on the surface of the print protection layer based on the step. A smooth relative movement can thus be realized between a head and the surface of the print protection layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium comprising a magnetic layer comprising a ferromagnetic powder and a binder on a nomnagnetic support. A product, Mr?, of a residual magnetization Mr of the magnetic layer and a thickness ? of the magnetic layer is equal to or greater than 2 mT•?m and equal to or less than 12 mT•?m, a squareness in a perpendicular direction is equal to or greater than 0.4 and equal to or less than 0.7, and a squareness in a longitudinal direction is equal to or greater than 0.3 but less than 0.6.

Abstract: Methods and recording systems are configured for recording different data simultaneously at two different depths of a tilted magnetic medium, the tilted magnetic medium having a hard axis of magnetization, the axis being out of a plane of the medium and at an angle of ?10 to ?80 degrees with respect to a direction along which data are recorded, the medium being capable of having two depths of recording. A method embodies writing with selected magnetic fields whose amplitudes and whose angles with respect to the medium hard axis direction differ at the two depths of the medium such that the recorded direction of magnetization at the respective two depths can be set independently.

Abstract: A structure has projecting structural members perpendicular to a substrate, the projecting structural members having respectively a curved top-end face covered continuously with a magnetic material. A process for producing a structure comprises the steps of placing an underlying metal layer and an anode-oxidization layer successively on a substrate, anodizing the anode-oxidization layer to form a porous film having pores perpendicular to the substrate, growing an oxide of a metal of the underlying metal layer from the bottoms of the pores of the porous film to outside of the porous film to form projecting structural members through the pores, each constituted of a columnar structural portion and a curve-faced top-end portion, removing a part or the entire of the porous film, and placing a magnetic material on the top-end portions of the projecting structural members.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording media is disclosed which employs inexpensive materials in the intermediate layer of the high-recording density media while exhibiting magnetic characteristics comparable or superior to those of media using Ru or Re. A perpendicular magnetic recording apparatus employing this perpendicular magnetic recording media also is disclosed. The perpendicular magnetic recording media has a nonmagnetic substrate, a soft magnetic backing layer formed on the nonmagnetic substrate, a seed layer formed on the soft magnetic backing layer, an intermediate layer formed on the seed layer, a magnetic layer formed on the intermediate layer, and a protective layer formed on the magnetic layer. The intermediate layer comprises an alloy with the hcp structure containing 55 at % or more Zn, the magnetic layer comprises an alloy with the hcp structure containing Co, and the A?50 value of the orientation plane (0002) of the magnetic layer is between 1.5° and 4°.

Abstract: The invention relates to a read only magnetic information carrier (1b, 1c, 1d) comprising a substrate (2), an information layer (3) and a stabilizing layer (15a, 15b). The information layer (3) comprises a pattern of magnetic bits (4) of magnetic material wherein the pattern of magnetic bits (4) constitutes an array of bit locations. The presence or absence of the magnetic material at a bit location represents a value of the bit location by a magnetic field (5) having a predetermined magnetization direction (6). The stabilizing layer (15a, 15b) is arranged between the substrate (2) and the information layer (3) and comprises hard magnetic material (8, 9) which is magnetically coupled to the magnetic material of the magnetic bit (4). The magnetically coupled hard magnetic material (8, 9) provides the predetermined magnetization direction (6) of the magnetic field (5).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a magnetic recording medium having servo areas and data areas using a mold structure. The method includes at least forming an imprint resist layer on a substrate surface of a magnetic recording medium, forming a convexo-concave pattern in the imprint resist layer by pressing convex portions of the mold structure against the imprint resist layer, and transferring magnetism to the servo areas in the magnetic recording medium by applying a magnetic field via the mold structure, wherein the imprint resist layer is formed only on areas of the substrate surface corresponding to the data areas in the magnetic recording medium, and the magnetic field is applied to areas of the substrate surface corresponding to the servo areas, with the areas of the substrate surface corresponding to the servo areas being in contact with convex portions of the mold structure.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium which is provided on a nonmagnetic substrate 1 with at least an orientation-controlling layer 3 for controlling the orientation of a layer formed directly thereon, a perpendicularly magnetic layer 4 having an easily magnetizing axis oriented mainly perpendicularly relative to the nonmagnetic substrate 1, and a protective layer 5 and characterized in that the perpendicularly magnetic layer 4 includes two or more magnetic layers, that at least one of the magnetic layers is a layer 4a having Co as a main component and containing Pt as well and containing an oxide and that at least another of the magnetic layers is a layer 4b having Co as a main component and containing Cr as well and containing no oxide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a magnetic recording medium having servo areas and data areas using a mold structure having a plurality of convex portions, the method, including: forming an imprint resist layer on a surface of a substrate for the magnetic recording medium, forming a convexo-concave resist pattern in the formed imprint resist layer by pressing the plurality of convex portions of the mold structure against the imprint resist layer, and transferring magnetism to the servo areas in the magnetic recording medium by applying a magnetic field to the servo areas via the mold structure.

Abstract: A tilted magnetic recording medium comprises a layer of magnetic material having a magnetic easy axis defined by tilted alignment of a particular crystalline phase of the magnetic material. A film of (101) and (011) textured L10 phase of a tetragonal crystalline magnetic material has crystalline c-axes oriented 45° to the medium surface normal. The L10 crystalline magnetic alloy comprises a first element selected from the group consisting of Co and Fe, and a second element selected from the group consisting of Pt and Pd. A seedlayer comprising a bcc or B2 crystal structure with a natural texture of (110) creates interfacial stress with the magnetic layer, giving rise to a pure (101) and (011) textured L10 crystalline film. A textured underlying surface facilitates preferential formation of the seedlayer and subsequent growth of the magnetic material to achieve tilted magnetic directions perpendicular to the recording tracks.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium having a composite magnetic recording structure comprising the combination of a hard magnetic layer and a metamagnetic layer that possesses a field induced metamagnetic transition characteristic at ambient operating temperature. Under an applied external magnetic field, the metamagnetic layer transitions from an antiferromagnetic state to a ferromagnetic state, and the magnetic field induces magnetization of the metamagnetic layer. The hard magnetic recording layer is magnetically exchange coupled to the magnetized metamagnetic layer. This results in the softening of the coercivity of the overall magnetic recording structure and reduction of the required switching field during data recording. Upon removal of the applied magnetic field, the metamagnetic layer experiences transition back to an antiferromagnetic state and the coercivity of the hard magnetic layer is restored.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, an AlFe-based alloy layer provided above the substrate, an underlayer provided on the AlFe-based alloy layer, and a recording layer provided on the underlayer and magnetized in a predetermined recording direction when being recorded with information. The substrate has a textured surface having grooves formed approximately along the recording direction.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive medium (1) includes a substrate (2) which has been treated to provide a miscut vicinal surface (3) in the form of terraces (4) and steps (5) of atomic and nanometer scale. There are discrete separated spacer nanowires (7) provided by an intermediate partial spacer film on each terrace (4) against each step (5). A further main film (11) provides main nanowires (10(a), 10(b)). A thin protective layer (15) covers the main nanowires (10(a), 10(b)) which form two separate subsets of main nanowires with different exchange interaction with the substrate and thus a different response to an external magnetic field. In use, when an external magnetic field (H) is applied the response of the main nanowires (10(a), 10(b)) changes as the exchange coupling with the substrate (2) varies and the magnetisation on the main nanowires (10(a), 10(b)) change. This is shown by the arrows while prior to the application of the external magnetic field, they might, for example, be aligned.

Abstract: A method of forming a conductive pattern can form a conductive pattern where the aspect ratio of the height to the width is high with favorable electrical connectivity.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording medium includes recording areas forming protrusions corresponding to servo signals and recording tracks and includes a crystalline magnetic layer, and non-recording areas comprising an amorphous damaged layer left in bottoms of recesses between the recording areas.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink jet recording head in which an element substrate provided in a head unit and constituted of plural drive elements is driven to discharge ink droplets from plural nozzles. In the ink jet recording head, the head unit has a substantially parallelogram shape, and plural head units are connected in a row to form a head bar.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium including a substrate, a first underlayer provided on the substrate, a first magnetic layer provided on the first underlayer, a nonmagnetic coupling layer provided on the first magnetic layer, and a second magnetic layer provided on the nonmagnetic coupling layer. The first and second magnetic layers are exchange-coupled, and have magnetizations that are mutually antiparallel in a state where no external field is applied to the magnetic recording medium. Additionally, the first underlayer is made of Cr or a Cr alloy each having a bcc crystal structure and including nitrogen, and further wherein the first underlayer has a thickness in a range of 0.5 nm to 6.0 nm.

Abstract: A magnetic media having servo track written with a thin film magnetic recording head utilizing a servo pattern fabricated using a focused ion beam (FIB). The recording head is fabricated by sputtering a magnetically permeable thin film onto a substrate. A gap pattern is defined on the thin film and the FIB cuts a gap through the thin film based on that pattern. Once completed, the recording head is used to write a servo track onto a magnetic tape. The servo track then allows for the precise alignment of data read heads based on the positional information obtained by a servo read head which scans the continuously variable servo track.

Abstract: A laminate structure is disclosed comprising multiple ferromagnetic layers achieving incoherent reversal while maintaining good SNR. A high magnetic moment density, low anisotropy field material may form a thin overlayer deposited over a high-anisotropy media layer. The media layer may have a lower magnetic moment density than the overlayer and have decoupled magnetic grains. A coupling layer may be interposed between the overlayer and the media layer to modulate the exchange there between, thereby reducing the pass-through of noise while still promoting incoherent reversal to achieve reduced write energy requirements.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is disclosed in which there is no degradation of magnetic characteristics at the time of manufacture, such as is seen in proposed discrete-track media or patterned media. The medium can be manufactured by a simple method and results in excellent productivity. Magnetic recording media have a substrate, and, provided thereon in order from the substrate side, are a soft magnetic layer, a crystal orientation control layer, and a magnetic recording layer. The area of at least a portion of the crystal orientation control layer is provided with a depressed portion. Portions of the magnetic layer formed on this depressed portion have a non-granular structure, whereas portions of the magnetic formed on the crystal orientation control layer outside the depressed portion have a granular structure.

Abstract: A vertical magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, a soft magnetic backing layer formed on the substrate, a magnetic flux confinement layer formed on the soft magnetic backing layer, an intermediate layer formed on the magnetic flux confinement layer, and a recording layer of a vertical magnetization film formed on the intermediate layer. The magnetic flux confinement layer has a plurality of soft magnetic parts each formed along a track region of plural track regions and a non-magnetic parts formed between adjacent track regions. The intermediate layer is formed of a non-magnetic material and is formed so as to cover a surface of the soft magnetic part and the non-magnetic parts.

Abstract: A magnetic recording layer is formed on an under-layer comprising a Cu crystalline grain layer and a deposited nitrogen atom layer on the Cu crystalline grain layer surface. Then the magnetic recording layer comprising very small average grain diameter and sharp grain diameter distribution is obtained. The magnetic recording medium comprising the magnetic recording layer shows excellent signal to noise ratio at high density recording.

Abstract: A method for reproducing information recorded on a magnetic recording medium comprising, in the following order, a non-magnetic flexible support, a non-magnetic lower layer containing non-magnetic powder and a binder, and a magnetic layer containing ferromagnetic powder, a binder and an abrasive, the magnetic layer having an average thickness of 30 to 150 nm, a density of projections having a height of 10 nm or more of 2,000 to 10,000 per 100 ?m2 as measured by atomic force microscopy, and a scratch depth of 50 to 200 nm, the method comprising reading the magnetic recording medium with a magnetoresistive head having a magnetoresistive element, the magnetoresistive element being recessed 20 nm or less from a plane of contact with the magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a granular perpendicular magnetic recording medium with improved corrosion resistance comprises sequential steps of providing a non-magnetic substrate including a surface; forming a soft magnetic underlayer (SUL) over the surface; post-deposition heating the SUL; forming an intermediate layer stack over the heated SUL; and forming at least one granular, magnetically hard perpendicular magnetic recording layer over the intermediate layer stack. Heating of the SUL prior to formation of the intermediate layer stack results in formation of an intermediate layer stack with a smoother surface and a granular perpendicular recording layer with increased corrosion resistance than when SUL post-deposition heating is not performed.

Abstract: An information storage device includes a record head and a data recording medium. The record head includes a magnetic substance having magnetic domain walls and records data in the data recording medium. In a method of operating the information storage device, a first high frequency current or a high frequency magnetic field is supplied to the magnetic substance while magnetic domain walls of the magnetic substance are moved.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium having a diamond-like carbon (DLC) film added therein a Group IV element of the periodic table such as silicon, particularly in the vicinity of the boundary between the magnetic material and the formed DLC film. Since a DLC having low friction coefficient can be formed, the centerline average roughness can be reduced to 30 nm or even less. Accordingly, a magnetic recording medium improved in magnetic properties and in lubricity can be obtained.

Abstract: Provided are a patterned magnetic recording medium and a method of manufacturing the same. The patterned magnetic recording medium include: a substrate; and a plurality of magnetic recording layers arranged at predetermined intervals, wherein the magnetic recording layers are formed of an alloy including Co, Pt, and Ni. The patterned medium having the magnetic recording layers have an excellent read/write characteristic and high corrosion resistance and recording density.

Abstract: A patterned magnetic medium includes: a substrate; a soft magnetic underlying film, a nonmagnetic film, an intermediate film and a recording layer which are formed on a principal surface of the substrate; a first protective film formed in contact with the recording film; a second protective film formed in contact with the first protective film; and a third protective film formed in contact with the second protective film. Moreover, the recording layer has a pattern structure formed by making a magnetic film come into contact with a concavo-convex pattern of a nonmagnetic material. The first protective film and the third protective film include carbon as the main constituent element and the second protective film is a wet-coated polymer film. High adhesion between carbon and the wet-coated polymer film can prevent peeling off and the wet-coated polymer film as a cushioning material absorbs impact.

Abstract: Provided are a magnetic recording medium and a method of fabricating the same. The magnetic recording medium includes a substrate; and a recording layer, wherein the recording layer is formed of a plurality of magnetic dots, and a non-magnetic region that is formed on the substrate to isolate each of the magnetic dot.

Abstract: This invention relates to a magnetic recording medium that magnetically records information, and the like. The magnetic recording medium enhances write-reception performance by reducing the distance between a recording layer and a backing layer while maintaining low noise performance. The magnetic recording medium has a non-magnetic substrate, a backing layer formed on the non-magnetic substrate, an underlayer formed on the backing layer, an intermediate layer formed on the underlayer, and a recording layer which is formed on the intermediate layer and which is a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The intermediate layer includes two or more layers which are formed as film layers such that an upper layer of the two or more layers has a thicker film thickness and a higher gas pressure at which the layer is formed in comparison to a layer under the upper layer.

Abstract: A glass substrate, and a information recording medium comprised of a glass substrate, comprising an a alkali-containing calcium aluminosilicate glass comprising SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, and alkali oxides (Li2O+Na2O+K2O) as essential components, specifically comprising the following components, expressed in terms of mole percent (mol %): 55-70% SiO2, 4-15% Al2O3, 0-8% B2O3, 8-20% CaO, 3-12% Na2O+K2O+Li2O, 0-5% MgO, up to 5% BaO and 13-35% MgO+CaO+BaO.

Abstract: A patterned perpendicular magnetic recording medium of the type that has spaced-apart pillars with magnetic material on their ends and with nonmagnetic trenches between the pillars is made with a method that allows use of a pre-etched substrate. The substrate has a generally planar surface at the trenches and comprises material that when heated will diffuse into the magnetic recording layer material and chemically react with one or more of the elements typically used in the recording layer. The pillars are formed of material that will not diffuse into the recording layer. After the recording layer is formed over the entire substrate so as to cover both the pillar ends and the trenches, the substrate is annealed. This results in the destruction or at least substantial reduction of any ferromagnetism in the recording layer material in the trenches so that the trenches are nonmagnetic.

Abstract: Provided are a data storage device using a magnetic domain wall movement and a method of operating the data storage device. The data storage device includes a magnetic layer which has a plurality of magnetic domains, a current applying unit which applies current for a magnetic domain wall movement to the magnetic layer, and a head for reading and writing, wherein the magnetic layer comprises a plurality of perpendicular magnetic layers formed on a substrate in a plurality of rows and columns, and a horizontal magnetic layer formed on the perpendicular magnetic layers to connect the perpendicular magnetic layers.

Abstract: An information recording medium, a method of manufacturing the information recording medium, a read/write head, and a method of manufacturing the read/write head are provided. The information recording medium includes magnetic recording layers formed of a ferromagnetic substance and electrical recording layers formed of a ferroelectric substance. The read/write head includes an electromagnetic write head including a main pole, a return pole magnetically connected to the main pole but electrically isolated from the main pole, a magnetic field applicator which applies a magnetic field to the main pole, and a voltage source which applies a bias voltage to the main pole; a magnetic read head provided an a side of the electromagnetic write head; and an electrical read head provided on an other side of the electromagnetic write head.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium having high recording density. The magnetic recording medium manufacturing method of the present invention is directed to a manufacturing method including: disposing at least a silicon layer on a substrate; disposing an uneven structure including regularly arranged projections on the silicon layer; disposing magnetic material on the upper surfaces of the projections and within recessed parts of the uneven structure; and allowing the magnetic material disposed within each recessed part to be changed into silicon compound by heat treatment.

Abstract: A method of designing a patterned magnetic recording medium including a magnetic film with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy which is patterned into dots form includes steps of setting values to dot pattern periods Px and Py, a thickness “t”, a thermal stability factor Kn, a minimum inter-dot spacing S0, and a maximum recording field Hm, setting an initial value of a saturation magnetization Ms, finding a nucleation field for magnetization reversal Hn and estimating a coercivity Hc and a saturation field Hs, and repeating the steps given above so as to make the saturation field Hs lower than the maximum recording field Hm, thereby determining the magnetic properties Ms, Hn and Hc satisfying a desired condition.

Abstract: A data storage medium for perpendicular recording has a substrate and a ferromagnetic layer on the substrate for storing data bits. The ferromagnetic layer has a plurality of elongate grains of magnetizable material extending perpendicular to the substrate which form magnetic domains representative of data. Each magnetic domain is separated from adjacent magnetic domains by a bit edge domain wall region. Each elongate grain has a perpendicular height that is greater than a width of the bit edge domain wall region.

Abstract: The invention relates to a resonant label (10) which is designed to be directly applied to a data carrier (20) that is provided with a metallisation, such as a CD, DVD or an MO disc. To facilitate and/or improve the electromagnetic remote identification of said label using a frequency in the RF range, the label is equipped with an outer coil (12) that forms part of an electric resonant circuit and runs essentially around the outer edge of the data carrier (20). The resonant label (10) is preferably configured on a transparent substrate, so that it blends in with the data carrier (20) and permits an impression on the latter (20) to remain visible. The resonant label (10) can either be used as an entity in itself or in a particularly advantageous manner as a type of wave collector or booster for a smaller RFID label (30) that is located on the same data carrier. The label thus permits the remote identification of the RFID label (30), even if the data carrier (20) is completely metallised.

Abstract: A magnetic wire includes a magnetic metal wire material having a surface coated with a layer of an insulating material. The magnetic wire has a magnetic coercive force of 30 A/m or less and has a Barkhausen effect.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a perpendicular magnetic recording medium capable of suppressing a magnetic field intensity applied to adjacent tracks on a patterned perpendicular recording medium. According to one embodiment of the present invention, unevenly formed soft under layers are stacked on a flat nonmagnetic substrate, thereby the saturation magnetic flux density of the protruded region is set lower than that of the flat region.

Abstract: A magnetic storage medium includes a substrate. A soft magnetic material layer is arranged adjacent to the substrate. A magnetic material layer defines concentric tracks that are arranged adjacent to the soft magnetic material layer. Shield portions are arranged radially offset from and between adjacent ones of the tracks.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a magnetic recording medium having a data region in which a plurality of recording tracks, each including magnetic dots arrayed in a down-track direction with a pitch p, are formed in a cross-track direction, and a servo region including a preamble in which a plurality of lines of magnetic dots, which are arrayed in a cross-track direction with a pitch p, are formed at equal intervals in the down-track direction.

Abstract: A patterned magnetic recording medium and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The patterned magnetic recording medium includes a plate, a plurality of nanowires formed vertically on the plate, and a magnetic layer patterned on the nanowires. The magnetic layer protrudes in areas corresponding to the nanowires.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium deposited on glass and having an orientation ratio greater than one is disclosed. The magnetic recording medium includes a CoW seedlayer deposited on a circumferentially textured glass substrate. The magnetic recording medium with such a seedlayer can have an OR that is similar or higher than that with a NiP seedlayer. Magnetic recording medium with a CoW seedlayer can produce oriented glass media with orientation ratio OR>1 when sputtered on substrates which have been circumferentially textured before the deposition of the CoW seedlayer. The W content of the CoW seedlayer can range between 30-50 at %. The thickness of the CoW seedlayer can range between 10 ? and 200 ?. The method for sputter depositing the magnetic recording medium is also disclosed and includes sputter depositing the CoW seedlayer using pure Ar as sputtering gas or using a mixture of Ar and O2, H2O and N2 as sputtering gas.

Abstract: A data distribution system (10) including an information card (12) to work with a reader (14, 72). The information card (12) includes visible indicia (20) on its front, stripe zones (34) and a ring zone (36) nominally “on” its back and a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag (70). The zones (34, 36) are suitable for magnetically recording and the RFID tag is suitable for electronically storing data. Optional characteristics for such data can concurrently be recorded or stored. The reader (14, 72) may be a linear reader (14a), a rotary reader (14b), a card-stationary reader (14c, 14d), or a RFID reader/interrogator (72), and may optionally act automatically in response to reading one or more of the optional data characteristics. If the reader (14) is a rotary reader (14b) the information card (12) may particularly be loaded into a cartridge (16) which is loaded into the rotary reader (14b).

Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic recording medium which includes a substrate, an underlayer, and a perpendicular magnetic recording layer, and in which this perpendicular magnetic recording layer contains magnetic crystal grains and a matrix surrounding the magnetic crystal grains, and the matrix contains an element selected from Zn, Cd, Al, Ga, and In, and a component selected from P, As, Sb, S, Se, and Te.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium includes: a substrate; a soft magnetic film formed on the substrate; a non-magnetic film including an amorphous interlayer formed on the soft magnetic film and made from a metallic material selected from terbium, gadolinium, dysprosium, tantalum, hafnium, and combinations thereof, a buffer layer formed on the amorphous interlayer and having a face-centered cubic structure, and a seed layer formed on the buffer layer and having a hexagonal crystal structure; and a granular magnetic recording film formed on the seed layer.