Perpendicular magnetic recording disk with a soft magnetic layer having a discrete track recording pattern

1. A perpendicular magnetic recording disk, comprising:

a substrate;

a magnetic recording layer; and

a soft magnetic underlayer disposed between the substrate and the magnetic recording layer, wherein the soft magnetic underlayer has a discrete track recording pattern that does not extend into the plane of the substrate, and wherein the soft magnetic underlayer is continuous throughout the discrete track recording pattern.

2. The perpendicular magnetic recording disk of claim 1 , wherein the discrete track pattern forms a plurality of raised zones and recessed zones.

3. The perpendicular recording disk of claim 2 , wherein the discrete track recording pattern is formed by imprint lithography.

4. The perpendicular recording disk of claim 2 , wherein the raised zone of the discrete track recording pattern has a pitch between 200 to 2000 angstroms.

5. The perpendicular recording disk of claim 1 , wherein the disk substrate comprises a glass material.

6. The perpendicular recording disk of claim 1 , wherein the disk substrate comprises a metallic material.

7. The perpendicular recording disk of claim 6 , further comprising a NiP layer disposed between the disk substrate and the soft magnetic underlayer.

8. The perpendicular recording disk of claim 6 , wherein the NiP layer has a textured surface.

9. The perpendicular recording disk of claim 1 , wherein the soft magnetic underlayer has a textured surface.

10. The perpendicular recording disk of claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a textured surface.

11. The perpendicular magnetic recording disk of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic recording layer has the same discrete track recording pattern as in the soft magnetic underlayer.

12. A disk drive, comprising:

a spindle; and

a disk coupled to the spindle, the disk having a disk substrate, a magnetic recording layer, and a soft magnetic underlayer disposed between the substrate and the magnetic recording layer, wherein a discrete track recording pattern is formed by the soft magnetic underlayer and does not extend into the plane of the substrate, and wherein the soft magnetic underlayer is continuous throughout the discrete track recording pattern.

13. The disk drive of claim 12 , wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises a perpendicular magnetic recording disk.

14. The disk drive of claim 12 , wherein the discrete track recording pattern is formed by imprint lithography.

15. The disk drive of claim 12 , wherein the magnetic recording layer has the same discrete track recording pattern as in the soft magnetic underlayer.