IP Library › Granted Patent US 12670930
Granted Patent B2
US 12670930 · App. 18/738,257 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Magnetic recording medium with platinum-doped co-bn capping layer and magnetic recording apparatus for use therewith

Inventors: Wei Guo (Santa Clara, CA); Kyongha Kang (Fremont, CA); Ge Xu (San Jose, CA); Paul Christopher Dorsey (Los Altos, CA); Jaiyoung Kim (San Ramon, CA)
Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
G11B5/712G11B2005/0021
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12670930
App. No.
18/738,257
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Various apparatuses, devices, methods, and media are disclosed for heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) that, in some examples, provide a HAMR medium with a platinum-doped CO—BN capping layer. In one example, the HAMR medium includes a CoPtBN capping layer on a magnetic recording layer with Pt in the range of 5-12 atomic percentage (at. %). An atomic ratio of Co to Pt within the CoPtBN may be, e.g., in the range of 5 to 13. The BN in the CoPtBN may be, e.g., 22-30 mole percentage of the CoPtBN. The CoPtBN may have a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystalline structure. The HAMR medium may have various other layers, such as a substrate, a heatsink layer on the substrate, and a seed layer on the heatsink layer, with the magnetic recording layer on the seed layer. The seed layer may include MgO or MgO—TiO. An amorphous soft underlayer (SUL) may be provided.

Claims (59)

1 . A magnetic recording medium, comprising:

a substrate;

a heatsink layer on the substrate;

a seed layer on the heatsink layer;

a magnetic recording layer on the seed layer, wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises FePt with a L1 0 crystalline structure; and

a capping layer directly on the magnetic recording layer, wherein the capping layer comprises CoPtBN with Pt in the range of 5 to 12 atomic percentage (at. %) with a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystalline structure;

wherein the BN in the CoPtBN comprises 22 to 30 mole percentage of the CoPtBN; and

wherein the Co in the CoPtBN comprises 58 to 68 mole percentage of the CoPtBN.

2 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 1 , wherein the CoPtBN comprises 58Co-12Pt-30BN atomic percentage (at. %).

3 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 1 , wherein the CoPtBN comprises 65Co-5Pt-30BN atomic percentage (at. %).

4 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 1 , wherein the CoPtBN comprises 68Co-10Pt-22BN atomic percentage (at. %).

5 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 1 , wherein the capping layer has a multi-layer structure.

6 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 5 , wherein the multi-layer structure of the capping layer comprises two or more layers of CoPtBN, each with a different percentage of BN within the CoPtBN.

7 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 5 , wherein the multi-layer structure of the capping layer comprises:

a first layer comprising CoPtBN; and

a second layer comprising at least one of Co, CoPt, CoFe, or CoPd.

8 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 5 , wherein the multi-layer structure of the capping layer comprises:

a first layer comprising CoPtBN; and

a second layer comprising at least one of CoAu, CoAg, CoAl, CoCu, CoIr, CoMo, CoNi, CoOs, CoRu, CoTi, CoV, FeAg, FeAu, FeCu, FeMo, FePd, NiAu, NiCu, NiMo, NiPd, or NiRe.

9 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 1 , wherein a lattice mismatch between the capping layer and the magnetic recording layer is less than 9%.

10 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 1 , further comprising an amorphous soft underlayer (SUL) on the substrate with the heatsink layer on the amorphous SUL.

11 . A data storage device comprising:

a slider comprising a magnetic recording head; and

the magnetic recording medium of claim 1 ,

wherein the slider is configured to write information to the magnetic recording layer of the magnetic recording medium during a write operation.

12 . A method for fabricating a magnetic recording medium, the method comprising:

providing a substrate;

providing a heatsink layer on the substrate;

providing a seed layer on the heatsink layer;

providing a magnetic recording layer on the seed layer, wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises FePt with a L1 0 crystalline structure; and

providing a capping layer directly on the magnetic recording layer, wherein the capping layer comprises CoPtBN with Pt in the range of 5-12 atomic percentage (at. %) with a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystalline structure;

wherein the BN in the CoPtBN comprises 22 to 30 mole percentage of the CoPtBN; and

wherein the Co in the CoPtBN comprises 58 to 68 mole percentage of the CoPtBN.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising etching portions of the capping layer.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the CoPt of the capping layer forms capping layer grains and the BN of the capping layer forms segregants disposed between the grains, and wherein the etching is performed to planarize at least some of the capping layer grains.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein a lattice mismatch between the capping layer and the magnetic recording layer is less than 9%.

16 . A magnetic recording medium, comprising:

a substrate;

a heatsink layer on the substrate;

a seed layer on the heatsink layer;

a magnetic recording layer on the seed layer, wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises FePt with a L1 0 crystalline structure; and

a capping layer directly on the magnetic recording layer, wherein the capping layer comprises CoPtBN with Pt in the range of 5 to 12 atomic percentage (at. %) with a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystalline structure, and wherein the capping layer comprises capping grains and at least some of the capping grains are planarized;

wherein the BN in the CoPtBN comprises 22 to 30 mole percentage of the CoPtBN; and

wherein the Co in the CoPtBN comprises 58 to 68 mole percentage of the CoPtBN.

17 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 16 , wherein the CoPtBN comprises at least one of 58Co-12Pt-30BN atomic percentage (at. %), 65Co-5Pt-30BN atomic percentage (at. %), or 68Co-10Pt-22BN atomic percentage (at. %).

18 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 16 , wherein the capping layer has a multi-layer structure.

19 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 18 , wherein the multi-layer structure of the capping layer comprises two or more layers of CoPtBN, each with a different percentage of BN within the CoPtBN.

20 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 18 , wherein the multi-layer structure of the capping layer comprises:

a first layer comprising CoPtBN; and

a second layer comprising at least one of Co, CoPt, CoFe, or CoPd.

21 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 18 , wherein the multi-layer structure of the capping layer comprises:

a first layer comprising CoPtBN; and

a second layer comprising at least one of CoAu, CoAg, CoAl, CoCu, CoIr, CoMo, CoNi, CoOs, CoRu, CoTi, CoV, FeAg, FeAu, FeCu, FeMo, FePd, NiAu, NiCu, NiMo, NiPd, or NiRe.

22 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 16 , further comprising an amorphous soft underlayer (SUL) on the substrate with the heatsink layer on the amorphous SUL.

23 . A data storage device comprising:

a slider comprising a magnetic recording head; and

the magnetic recording medium of claim 16 ,

wherein the slider is configured to write information to the magnetic recording layer of the magnetic recording medium during a write operation.

24 . The magnetic recording medium of claim 16 , wherein a lattice mismatch between the capping layer and the magnetic recording layer is less than 9%.