Granted Patent B1

US 8,609,263 · App. 13/112,959 · Granted Dec 17, 2013

Abstract

Claims (120)

1. A method for fabricating a magnetic media with improved performance characteristics, the method comprising:

providing a non-magnetic substrate;

forming a seed layer above the substrate, the seed layer comprising MgO;

forming an underlayer directly on the seed layer, the underlayer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Pd, Pt, W, Fe, and V; and

forming a magnetic recording layer on the underlayer, the recording layer comprising FePt oxide,

wherein the underlayer comprises a thickness of less than 1 nm.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming an amorphous underlayer on the non-magnetic substrate;

forming a heat-sink layer on the amorphous underlayer; and

forming an amorphous interlayer on the heat-sink layer,

wherein the seed layer is positioned on the amorphous interlayer.

3. A method for fabricating a magnetic media with improved performance characteristics, the method comprising:

providing a non-magnetic substrate;

forming a seed layer above the substrate, the seed layer comprising MgO;

forming an underlayer on the seed layer, the underlayer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Pd, Pt, W, Fe, V, Cu, and Ag;

forming a magnetic recording layer on the underlayer, the recording layer comprising FePt oxide;

forming an amorphous underlayer on the non-magnetic substrate;

forming a heat-sink layer on the amorphous underlayer; and

forming an amorphous interlayer on the heat-sink layer,

wherein the seed layer is positioned on the amorphous interlayer, and

wherein the amorphous underlayer comprises CoTaZr and a material selected from the group consisting of CrTa, CoCrFeZrB, and CoCrTaZr.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the heat-sink layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Cu, CuZr, W, Ru, and CuTi.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the amorphous interlayer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of amorphous magnetic CoTaZr, non-magnetic CoCrTaZr, and non-magnetic CoCrFeZrB.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the seed layer, the underlayer, the recording layer, the amorphous underlayer, the heat-sink layer, and the amorphous interlayer are formed using a plurality of sputter deposition processes.

7. A method for fabricating a magnetic media with improved performance characteristics, the method comprising:

providing a non-magnetic substrate;

forming a seed layer above the substrate, the seed layer comprising MgO;

forming an underlayer on the seed layer, the underlayer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Pd, Pt, W, Fe, V, Cu, and Ag;

forming a magnetic recording layer on the underlayer, the recording layer comprising FePt oxide;

forming an amorphous underlayer on the non-magnetic substrate;

forming a heat-sink layer on the amorphous underlayer; and

forming an amorphous interlayer on the heat-sink layer,

wherein the seed layer is positioned on the amorphous interlayer,

wherein the amorphous underlayer comprises a thickness of about 10 nanometers (nm) to about 50 nm,

wherein the heat-sink layer comprises a thickness of about 10 nm to about 100 nm,

wherein the amorphous interlayer comprises a thickness of about 10 nm to about 50 nm,

wherein the seed layer comprises a thickness of about 1 nm to about 10 nm,

wherein the underlayer comprises a thickness of less than 1 nm, and

wherein the recording layer comprises a thickness of about 5 nm to about 15 nm.

8. The method of 2 :

wherein the amorphous underlayer comprises a thickness of about 40 nanometers (nm),

wherein the heat-sink layer comprises a thickness of about 40 nm,

wherein the amorphous interlayer comprises a thickness of about 20 nm,

wherein the seed layer comprises a thickness of about 4 nm, and

wherein the recording layer comprises a thickness of about 10 nm.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the underlayer consists essentially of Pd.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the underlayer consists of Pd.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the seed layer, the underlayer and the recording layer are formed using a plurality of sputter deposition processes.

12. A magnetic media structure with improved performance characteristics, the media structure comprising:

a non-magnetic substrate;

an amorphous interlayer positioned on the non-magnetic substrate;

a seed layer positioned on the amorphous interlayer, the seed layer comprising MgO;

an underlayer positioned directly on the seed layer, the underlayer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Pd, Pt, W, Fe, and V; and

a magnetic recording layer positioned on the underlayer, the recording layer comprising FePt oxide,

wherein the underlayer comprises a thickness of less than 1 nm.

13. The media structure of claim 12 , further comprising:

an amorphous underlayer positioned on the non-magnetic substrate; and

a heat-sink layer positioned on the amorphous underlayer,

wherein the amorphous interlayer is positioned on the heat-sink layer.

14. A magnetic media structure with improved performance characteristics, the media structure comprising:

a non-magnetic substrate;

an amorphous interlayer positioned on the non-magnetic substrate;

a seed layer positioned on the amorphous interlayer, the seed layer comprising MgO;

an underlayer positioned on the seed layer, the underlayer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Pd, Pt, W, Fe, V, Cu, and Ag;

a magnetic recording layer positioned on the underlayer, the recording layer comprising FePt oxide;

an amorphous underlayer positioned on the non-magnetic substrate; and

a heat-sink layer positioned on the amorphous underlayer,

wherein the amorphous interlayer is positioned on the heat-sink layer, and

wherein the amorphous underlayer comprises CoTaZr and a material selected from the group consisting of CrTa, CoCrFeZrB, and CoCrTaZr.

15. The media structure of claim 13 , wherein the heat-sink layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Cu, CuZr, W, Ru, and CuTi.

16. The media structure of claim 13 , wherein the seed layer, the underlayer, the recording layer, the amorphous underlayer, the heat-sink layer, and the amorphous interlayer are formed using a plurality of sputter deposition processes.

17. A magnetic media structure with improved performance characteristics, the media structure comprising:

a non-magnetic substrate;

an amorphous interlayer positioned on the non-magnetic substrate;

a seed layer positioned on the amorphous interlayer, the seed layer comprising MgO;

an underlayer positioned on the seed layer, the underlayer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Pd, Pt, W, Fe, V, Cu, and Ag;

a magnetic recording layer positioned on the underlayer, the recording layer comprising FePt oxide;

an amorphous underlayer positioned on the non-magnetic substrate; and

a heat-sink layer positioned on the amorphous underlayer,

wherein the amorphous interlayer is positioned on the heat-sink layer,

wherein the amorphous underlayer comprises a thickness of about 10 nanometers (nm) to about 50 nm,

wherein the heat-sink layer comprises a thickness of about 10 nm to about 100 nm,

wherein the amorphous interlayer comprises a thickness of about 10 nm to about 50 nm,

wherein the seed layer comprises a thickness of about 1 nm to about 10 nm,

wherein the underlayer comprises a thickness of less than 1 nm, and

wherein the recording layer comprises a thickness of about 5 nm to about 15 nm.

18. The media structure of claim 13 :

wherein the amorphous underlayer comprises a thickness of about 40 nanometers (nm),

wherein the heat-sink layer comprises a thickness of about 40 nm,

wherein the amorphous interlayer comprises a thickness of about 20 nm,

wherein the seed layer comprises a thickness of about 4 nm, and

wherein the recording layer comprises a thickness of about 10 nm.

19. The media structure of claim 12 , wherein the amorphous interlayer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of amorphous magnetic CoTaZr, non-magnetic CoCrTaZr, and non-magnetic CoCrFeZrB.

20. The media structure of claim 12 , wherein the underlayer consists essentially of Pd.

21. The media structure of claim 12 , wherein the underlayer consists of Pd.

22. The media structure of claim 12 , wherein the magnetic recording layer is positioned directly on the underlayer.

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming the magnetic recording layer on the underlayer comprises forming the magnetic recording layer directly on the underlayer.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material of the underlayer is selected from the group consisting of Pd, W, Fe, and V.

25. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material of the underlayer comprises Pd.

26. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material of the underlayer comprises W.

27. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material of the underlayer comprises Fe.

28. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material of the underlayer comprises V.

29. The media structure of claim 12 , wherein the material of the underlayer is selected from the group consisting of Pd, W, Fe, and V.

30. The media structure of claim 12 , wherein the material of the underlayer comprises Pd.

31. The media structure of claim 12 , wherein the material of the underlayer comprises W.

32. The media structure of claim 12 , wherein the material of the underlayer comprises Fe.

33. The media structure of claim 12 , wherein the material of the underlayer comprises V.

34. A method for fabricating a magnetic media with improved performance characteristics, the method comprising:

providing a non-magnetic substrate;

forming a seed layer above the substrate, the seed layer comprising MgO;

forming an underlayer directly on the seed layer, the underlayer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Pd, Pt, W, Fe, and V; and

forming a magnetic recording layer on the underlayer, the recording layer comprising FePt oxide,

wherein the underlayer comprises a thickness of substantially less than 1 nm.

35. A magnetic media structure with improved performance characteristics, the media structure comprising:

a non-magnetic substrate;

an amorphous interlayer positioned on the non-magnetic substrate;

a seed layer positioned on the amorphous interlayer, the seed layer comprising MgO;

an underlayer positioned directly on the seed layer, the underlayer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Pd, Pt, W, Fe, and V; and

a magnetic recording layer positioned on the underlayer, the recording layer comprising FePt oxide,

wherein the underlayer comprises a thickness of substantially less than 1 nm.

Assignments (10)