Perpendicular magnetic recording medium and magnetic storage apparatus

1. A perpendicular magnetic recording medium, comprising:

a soft-magnetic backing layer; and

a recording layer provided over said soft-magnetic backing layer,

wherein there is provided a magnetic flux slit layer between said soft-magnetic backing layer and said recording layer, said magnetic flux slit layer comprising a soft-magnetic layer having a generally columnar structure generally isolated magnetically in an in-plane direction,

wherein said magnetic flux slit layer contains at least one selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Ni, a Co alloy, a Fe alloy, and a Ni alloy, as a major component, and

wherein said magnetic flux slit layer further contains any one selected from the group consisting of Ta, Cu, Pb, Cr, and Re.

2. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein there is further provided a non-magnetic intermediate layer between said magnetic flux slit layer and said recording layer,

said recording layer being grown epitaxially over said non-magnetic intermediate layer.

3. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said non-magnetic intermediate layer has an hcp crystal structure and has a (100) surface in a crystal growth direction,

and wherein said magnetic flux slit layer has any of an hcp crystal structure or an fcc crystal structure.

4. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said magnetic flux slit layer has an in-plane magnetic anisotropy exceeding a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.

5. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 4 , wherein an anisotropic magnetic field of said in-plane magnetic anisotropy exceeds 711 kA/m.

6. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said magnetic flux slit layer comprises crystal particles of said generally columnar structure and a grain boundary part formed between said crystal particles.

7. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a major component of said crystal particles and a major component of said grain boundary part are generally identical.

8. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said grain boundary part containing an inert gas with an amount larger than in said crystal particles.

9. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said magnetic flux slit layer is formed on said soft-magnetic backing layer in contact therewith.

10. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said magnetic flux slit layer has an in-plane magnetic anisotropy equal to or larger than an in-plane magnetic anisotropy of said soft-magnetic backing layer.

11. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said recording layer comprises magnetic particles having a columnar structure and a non-magnetic non-soluble phase surrounding said magnetic particles,

said non-soluble phase comprising any of an oxide, a nitride and a carbide.

12. A magnetic storage apparatus, comprising:

a perpendicular magnetic recording medium; and

a recording and reproducing head, said perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprising:

a soft-magnetic backing layer; and

a recording layer provided over said soft-magnetic backing layer,

wherein there is provided a magnetic flux slit layer between said soft-magnetic backing layer and said recording layer, said magnetic flux slit layer comprising a soft-magnetic layer having a generally columnar structure generally isolated magnetically in an in-plane direction,

wherein said magnetic flux slit layer contains at least one selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Ni, a Co alloy, a Fe alloy, and a Ni alloy, as a major component, and

wherein said magnetic flux slit layer further contains any one selected from the group consisting of Ta, Cu, Pb, Cr, and Re.

13. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said magnetic flux slit layer includes ferrite particles of a needle form disposed such that an easy axis of magnetization is oriented generally in a thickness direction of said magnetic flux slit layer, said ferrite particle having a coercive force of 15.8 kA/m−35.6 kA/m in an elongating direction thereof.

14. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said magnetic flux slit layer includes ferrite particles of a plate form disposed such that an easy axis of magnetization is oriented generally in a thickness direction of said magnetic flux slit layer, said ferrite particle having a coercive force of 15.8 kA/m−47.4 kA/m in a thickness direction thereof.

15. A perpendicular magnetic recording medium, comprising:

a soft-magnetic backing layer; and

a recording layer provided over said soft-magnetic backing layer,

wherein there is provided a magnetic flux slit layer between said soft-magnetic backing layer and said recording layer, said magnetic flux slit layer comprising a soft-magnetic layer having a generally columnar structure generally isolated magnetically in an in-plane direction,

wherein there is further provided a non-magnetic intermediate layer between said magnetic flux slit layer and said recording layer, with said recording layer being grown epitaxially over said non-magnetic intermediate layer,

wherein said non-magnetic intermediate layer has an hcp crystal structure and has a (100) surface in a crystal growth direction,

wherein said magnetic flux slit layer has any of an hcp crystal structure or an fcc crystal structure,

wherein said magnetic flux slit layer has an in-plane magnetic anisotropy exceeding a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, and

wherein an anisotropic magnetic field of said in-plane magnetic anisotropy exceeds 711 kA/m.

16. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 1 :

wherein said magnetic flux slit layer comprises crystal particles of said generally columnar structure and a grain boundary part formed between said crystal particles, and

wherein said crystal particles have an average particle diameter of 3 nm to 10 nm, with an average separation between said crystal particles of between 0.5 nm and 3 nm.

17. The magnetic storage apparatus as claimed in claim 12 :

wherein said magnetic flux slit layer comprises crystal particles of said generally columnar structure and a grain boundary part formed between said crystal particles, and

wherein said crystal particles have an average particle diameter of 3 nm to 10 nm, with an average separation between said crystal particles of between 0.5 nm and 3 nm.

18. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 15 :

wherein said magnetic flux slit layer comprises crystal particles of said generally columnar structure and a grain boundary part formed between said crystal particles, and

wherein said crystal particles have an average particle diameter of 3 nm to 10 nm, with an average separation between said crystal particles of between 0.5 nm and 3 nm.

19. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said magnetic flux slit layer has a thickness of between 0.5 nm and 5 nm.

20. The magnetic storage apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said magnetic flux slit layer has a thickness of between 0.5 nm and 5 nm.

21. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said magnetic flux slit layer has a thickness of between 0.5 nm and 5 nm.