Patterned template with 1xN nucleation site to grain growth for uniform grain size recording media
View Patent ↗A perpendicular magnetic media includes a substrate, a patterned template, a seed layer and a magnetic layer. The patterned template is formed on the substrate and includes a plurality of growth sites that are evenly spaced apart from each other. The seed layer is formed over the patterned template and the exposed areas of the substrate. Magnetic material is sputter deposited onto the seed layer with one grain of the magnetic material nucleated over each of the growth sites. The grain size distribution of the magnetic material is reduced by controlling the locations of the growth sites which optimizes the performance of the perpendicular magnetic media.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a template formed on a substrate, the template having a plurality of growth sites that are evenly separated from each other, wherein the growth sites comprise block copolymers having two or more homopolymer molecules;
a seed layer formed over the template and in at least a portion of a gap between the growth sites; and
a plurality of magnetic material grains deposited on the seed layer, such that at least one of the plurality of magnetic material grains is deposited on the seed layer over each of the plurality of the template growth sites.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a magnetic orientation of the plurality of magnetic material grains is substantially perpendicular to a plane of the substrate.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: at least one of the plurality of magnetic material grains is deposited on the seed layer between the spaced apart growth sites.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of magnetic material grains have a grain size variation of less than about 10%.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising data recorded onto the plurality of magnetic grains with a signal to noise ratio of less than about −1 dB.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of magnetic material grains have a grain size less than about 30 nm.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the seed layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Ru, NiFe, Ta\Au, Ta\NiFe, Ta\Ru, Ta\Cu, In 2 O 3 \SnO 2 and combinations thereof.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Cr, Fe, Ta, Ni, Mo, Pt, W, Cr, Ru, Ti, Si, O, V, Nb, Ge, B, Pd and combinations thereof.
9. An apparatus comprising:
a template formed on the substrate, the template having a plurality of growth sites that are evenly separated from each other and the growth sites forming patterned features on the substrate, wherein the growth sites comprise block copolymers having two or more homopolymer molecules;
a seed layer formed over the patterned template and in at least a portion of a gap between the growth sites;
a plurality of magnetic material grains deposited on the seed layer, such that at least one of the plurality of magnetic material grains is deposited on the seed layer over each of the plurality of the template growth sites; and
a filler material formed on the seed layer between the growth sites.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the patterned features are circular tracks around the substrate.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the patterned features are discrete islands.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the discrete islands are arranged in circular tracks around the substrate.
13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a magnetic orientation of the plurality of magnetic material grains is substantially perpendicular to a plane of the substrate.
14. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising: at least one of the magnetic material grains is deposited on the seed layer between the spaced apart growth sites.
15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of magnetic material grains have a grain size variation of less than about 10%.
16. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising data recorded onto the plurality of magnetic grains with a signal to noise ratio of less than about −1 dB.
17. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of magnetic material grains have a grain size less than about 30 nm.