Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a perpendicular magnetic recording medium including a suitable lubricating layer with sufficient durability, moisture resistance, and contamination resistance and also maintaining an R/W characteristic. In a typical structure of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic recording medium 100 including a magnetic recording layer 122, a medium protective layer 126, and a lubricating layer 128 in this order on a base 110 includes: a CF bond density measuring step of measuring a CF bond density of a lubricant; and a lubricating layer forming step of forming a lubricating layer with the lubricant when the measured CF bond density is 2.0×1022 to 2.7×1022 atoms/cm3.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium that includes a nonmagnetic underlayer, a magnetic layer, a protective layer, and a lubricant layer sequentially laminated on a nonmagnetic substrate. The method includes applying a lubricant onto the protective layer to form the lubricant layer, which includes ejecting shots of a heated lubricant liquid onto the protective layer from a nozzle. The heated lubricant liquid contains a perfluoropolyether lubricant, and each shot is of a quantity in a range of 0.1 to 10 pico liters.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a magnetic recording medium having a surface where a lubricating layer is provided, the manufacturing method includes the steps of: applying a lubricant so that the lubricating layer is formed; and inspecting the magnetic recording medium where the lubricating layer is formed; wherein the step of inspecting includes a first step of floating a magnetic head over the magnetic recording medium or sliding the magnetic head on a surface of the magnetic recording medium; a second step of adhering a medium facing surface of the magnetic head to a surface of a substrate for measuring, standing the medium facing surface of the magnetic head on the surface of the substrate for measuring, and transferring the lubricant from the medium facing surface of the magnetic head to the substrate for measuring; a third step of measuring an amount of the lubricant on the surface of the substrate for measuring; and a fourth step of determining whether the amount of the lubricant is proper.

Abstract: In a method of evaluating surface tension of a solid body surface, selection is made of at least three liquid samples having different surface tensions, and contact angles between the respective liquid samples and the solid body surface are measured. Thereby, a correlation between cosines (Y) of the contact angles and surface tensions (X) of the liquid samples is derived as a logarithmic function. Surface tension of the solid body surface is evaluated by the use of a value of X that is calculated by substituting 1 for Y in the correlation. When evaluated by the foregoing evaluation method, a magnetic disk has a surface where the value of X, when 1 is substituted for Y, is greater than 0 and no greater than 17 mN/m.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetic recording medium with a reduced tendency for a free layer to become thicker near an outer periphery than near an inner periphery of a recording zone as well as provides an information reproducing apparatus which is equipped with the magnetic recording medium and reproduces information according to the magnetization at various points on the magnetic recording medium. A magnetic layer carries information in an outer zone outside a predetermined inner zone around a through-hole. That part of the free layer which is located in the outer zone is thinner near the outer periphery than near the inner periphery.