Intermediate tri-layer structure for perpendicular recording media
View Patent ↗An improved structure for the construction of perpendicular recording media is disclosed. The structure includes a tri-layer IML resident between a soft under layer CoTaZr film and a CoPtCr—SiO 2 magnetic media. In an embodiment, the tri-layer comprises a Ru x Cr 1−x layer over dual nucleation layers of Ni—Fe and Ni—Fe—Cr. The tri-layer replaces the typical Ru and Ni—Fe intermediate layers of the prior art, resulting in considerable improvement in lattice matching between the Ru containing intermediate layer and the CoPtCr—SiO 2 magnetic media, further resulting in improved magnetic media performance.
1. A perpendicular recording media comprising:
a magnetic recording layer;
a soft under layer; and,
an intermediate layer structure disposed between said magnetic recording layer and said soft under layer, further comprising
a first nucleation layer formed over and in contact with said soft under layer, said first nucleation layer comprising a binary Ni alloy of the form Ni-M, M being chosen from the group consisting of Fe, Mn, Co, V, W, and Cu, said first nucleation layer having a thickness between 0.1 nm and 6 nm,
a second nucleation layer formed over and in contact with said first nucleation layer, said second nucleation layer comprising a Ni alloy including at least two other elements, said second nucleation layer having a thickness between 0.1 nm and 6 nm, and
an hcp under layer formed over and in contact with said second nucleation layer, said hcp under layer comprising a Ru alloy.
2. The media as recited in claim 1 , wherein said second nucleation layer is a ternary Ni alloy.
3. The media as recited in claim 2 , wherein said ternary Ni alloy is of the form Ni-A-B, where A and B are chosen from the group consisting of Fe, Cr, Mn, Co, V, W and Cu.
4. The media as recited in claim 3 , wherein A is Fe and B is Cr.
5. The media as recited in claim 4 , wherein said ternary Ni alloy has a Ni concentration between 40 and 80 atomic %, an Fe concentration between 8 and 30 atomic %, and a Cr concentration between 15 and 40 atomic %.
6. The media as recited in claim 5 , wherein said ternary Ni alloy has a Ni concentration between 50 and 64 atomic %, an Fe concentration between 16 and 12 atomic %, and a Cr concentration between 20 and 38 atomic %.
7. The media as recited in claim 1 , wherein said magnetic recording layer comprises Co, Pt, Cr, and SiO2; and, said soft under layer comprises Co, Ta, and Zr.
8. The media as recited in claim 1 , wherein said binary Ni alloy has a Ni concentration between 72 and 92 atomic %.
9. The media as recited in claim 1 , wherein M is Fe.
10. The media as recited in claim 9 , wherein said binary Ni alloy has the Ni concentration of about 80 atomic %, and an Fe concentration of about 20 atomic %.
11. The media as recited in claim 1 , wherein said second nucleation layer is about 2.0 nm in thickness.
12. The media as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first nucleation layer is about 2.0 nm thick.
13. The media as recited in claim 1 , wherein said Ru alloy is of the form Ru-D, where D is chosen from the group consisting of Cr, Mn, V, Co, Fe, Cu, Re, Os and Zn.
14. The media as recited in claim 13 , wherein D is Cr.
15. The media as recited in claim 13 , wherein said hcp under layer is between 6 and 24 nm thick.
16. The media as recited in claim 13 , wherein said hcp under layer is about 16 nm thick.
17. The media as recited in claim 1 , wherein said Ru alloy has a Ru concentration between 65 and 85 atomic %.
18. The media as recited in claim 1 , wherein said Ru alloy has a Ru concentration of about 75 atomic %.
19. A perpendicular recording media comprising:
a magnetic recording layer;
a soft under layer; and,
an intermediate layer structure disposed between said magnetic recording layer and said soft under layer, further comprising
a first nucleation layer formed over and in contact with said soft under layer, said first nucleation layer comprising a Ni—Fe alloy, said first nucleation layer having a thickness between 0.1 nm and 6 nm,
a second nucleation layer formed over and in contact with said first nucleation layer, said second nucleation layer comprising a Ni—Fe—Cr alloy, said first nucleation layer having a thickness between 0.1 nm and 6 nm, and
an hcp under layer formed over and in contact with said second nucleation layer, said hcp under layer comprising a Ru—Cr alloy.
20. The media as recited in claim 19 , wherein said magnetic recording layer comprises Co, Pt, Cr, and SiO2; and, said soft under layer comprises Co, Ta, and Zr.
21. The media as recited in claim 19 , wherein said Ni—Fe alloy has a Ni concentration between 72 and 92 atomic %.
22. The media as recited in claim 21 , wherein said Ni—Fe alloy has the Ni concentration of about 80 atomic %, and an Fe concentration of about 20 atomic %.
23. The media as recited in claim 19 , wherein said first nucleation layer is about 2.0 nm thick.
24. The media as recited in claim 19 , wherein said Ni—Fe—Cr alloy has a Ni concentration between 40 and 80 atomic %, an Fe concentration between 8 and 30 atomic %, and a Cr concentration between 15 and 40 atomic %.
25. The media as recited in claim 19 , wherein said Ni—Fe—Cr alloy has a Ni concentration between 50 and 64 atomic %, an Fe concentration between 16 and 12 atomic %, and a Cr concentration between 20 and 38 atomic %.
26. The media as recited in claim 19 , wherein said second nucleation layer is about 1.8 nm thick.
27. The media as recited in claim 19 , wherein said Ru—Cr alloy has a Ru concentration between 65 and 85 atomic %.
28. The media as recited in claim 19 , wherein said Ru—Cr alloy has a Ru concentration of about 75 atomic %.
29. The media as recited in claim 19 , wherein said hcp under layer is between 6 and 24 nm thick.
30. The media as recited in claim 19 , wherein said hcp under layer is about 16 nm thick.