Granted Patent B1

US 9,034,492 · App. 13/740,115 · Granted May 19, 2015

Abstract

Claims (86)

1. A magnetic media structure for heat assisted magnetic recording, the media structure comprising:

a heat sink layer;

a growth layer on the heat sink layer;

a magnetic recording layer on the growth layer, wherein the growth layer is configured to facilitate a growth of a preselected crystalline structure of the magnetic recording layer; and

a capping magnetic recording layer on the magnetic recording layer, the capping magnetic recording layer comprising a first material configured to increase a damping constant of the capping recording layer to a first preselected level,

wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises a plurality of discrete magnetic grains separated by a plurality of gaps; and

wherein the plurality of gaps are at least partially filled with the first material.

2. The media structure of claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises a rare earth dopant.

3. The media structure of claim 2 , wherein the rare earth dopant comprises Ho.

4. The media structure of claim 2 , wherein the rare earth dopant comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and Hf.

5. The media structure of claim 1 , wherein the capping magnetic recording layer comprises a substantially continuous structure.

6. The media structure of claim 1 :

wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises a plurality of discrete magnetic grains; and

wherein the capping magnetic recording layer comprises a plurality of grains in vertical correspondence with the plurality of discrete magnetic grains.

7. The media structure of claim 1 , further comprising an exchange coupling layer positioned between the capping magnetic recording layer and the magnetic recording layer.

8. The media structure of claim 1 , further comprising a thermal resistor layer positioned between the heat sink layer and the growth layer.

9. The media structure of claim 1 :

wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises FePt;

wherein the growth layer comprises MgO; and

wherein the capping magnetic recording layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Fe, Pt, Co, Cr, Ni, and combinations thereof.

10. The media structure of claim 1 , further comprising an underlayer comprising a soft magnetic material, wherein the heat sink layer is positioned on the soft underlayer.

11. The media structure of claim 1 , wherein the first material increases a damping constant of the capping recording layer to a first preselected level.

12. A magnetic media structure for heat assisted magnetic recording, the media structure comprising:

a heat sink layer;

a growth layer on the heat sink layer;

a magnetic recording underlayer on the growth layer, the underlayer comprising a first material configured to increase a damping constant of the underlayer to a first preselected level; and

a magnetic recording layer on the underlayer, wherein the growth layer and the underlayer are configured to facilitate a growth of a preselected crystalline structure of the magnetic recording layer,

wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises a plurality of discrete magnetic grains separated by a plurality of gaps; and

wherein the plurality of gaps are at least partially filled with the first material.

13. The media structure of claim 12 , wherein the first material comprises a rare earth dopant.

14. The media structure of claim 13 , wherein the rare earth dopant comprises Ho.

15. The media structure of claim 13 , wherein the rare earth dopant comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and Hf.

16. The media structure of claim 12 , wherein the underlayer comprises a substantially continuous structure.

17. The media structure of claim 12 :

wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises a plurality of discrete magnetic grains; and

wherein the underlayer comprises a plurality of grains in vertical correspondence with the plurality of discrete magnetic grains.

18. The media structure of claim 12 , further comprising a thermal resistor layer positioned between the heat sink layer and the growth layer.

19. The media structure of claim 12 :

wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises FePt;

wherein the growth layer comprises MgO; and

wherein the underlayer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Fe, Pt, Co, Cr, Ni, and combinations thereof.

20. The media structure of claim 12 , further comprising a second underlayer comprising a soft magnetic material, wherein the heat sink layer is on the second underlayer.

21. The media structure of claim 12 , wherein the first material increases a damping constant of the capping recording layer to a first preselected level.

22. A method for increasing a damping constant of a magnetic media structure for heat assisted magnetic recording, the method comprising:

providing a heat sink layer;

providing a growth layer on the heat sink layer;

providing a magnetic recording layer on the growth layer, wherein the growth layer is configured to facilitate a growth of a preselected crystalline structure of the magnetic recording layer; and

providing a capping magnetic recording layer on the magnetic recording layer, the capping recording layer comprising a first material configured to increase a damping constant of the capping recording layer to a first preselected level,

wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises a plurality of discrete magnetic grains separated by a plurality of gaps; and

wherein the plurality of gaps are at least partially filled with the first material.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the first material comprises a rare earth dopant.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the rare earth dopant comprises Ho.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the rare earth dopant comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and Hf.

26. The method of claim 22 , wherein the capping magnetic recording layer comprises a substantially continuous structure.

27. The method of claim 22 :

wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises a plurality of discrete magnetic grains; and

wherein the capping magnetic recording layer comprises a plurality of grains in vertical correspondence with the plurality of discrete magnetic grains.

28. The method of claim 22 , further comprising an exchange coupling layer positioned between the capping magnetic recording layer and the magnetic recording layer.

29. The method of claim 22 , further comprising a thermal resistor layer positioned between the heat sink layer and the growth layer.

30. The method of claim 22 :

wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises FePt;

wherein the growth layer comprises MgO; and

wherein the capping magnetic recording layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Fe, Pt, Co, Cr, Ni, and combinations thereof.

31. The method of claim 22 , further comprising an underlayer comprising a soft magnetic material, wherein the heat sink layer is positioned on the soft underlayer.

32. The method of claim 22 , wherein the first material increases a damping constant of the capping recording layer to a first preselected level.

33. A method for increasing a damping constant of a magnetic media structure for heat assisted magnetic recording, the method comprising:

providing a heat sink layer;

providing a growth layer on the heat sink layer;

providing a magnetic recording underlayer on the growth layer, the underlayer comprising a first material configured to increase a damping constant of the underlayer to a first preselected level; and

providing a magnetic recording layer on the underlayer, wherein the growth layer and the underlayer are configured to facilitate a growth of a preselected crystalline structure of the magnetic recording layer,

wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises a plurality of discrete magnetic grains separated by a plurality of gaps; and

wherein the plurality of gaps are at least partially filled with the first material.

34. The method of claim 33 , wherein the first material comprises a rare earth dopant.

35. The method of claim 34 , wherein the rare earth dopant comprises Ho.

36. The method of claim 34 , wherein the rare earth dopant comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and Hf.

37. The method of claim 33 , wherein the underlayer comprises a substantially continuous structure.

38. The method of claim 33 :

wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises a plurality of discrete magnetic grains; and

wherein the underlayer comprises a plurality of grains in vertical correspondence with the plurality of discrete magnetic grains.

39. The method of claim 33 , further comprising a thermal resistor layer positioned between the heat sink layer and the growth layer.

40. The method of claim 33 :

wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises FePt;

wherein the growth layer comprises MgO; and

wherein the underlayer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Fe, Pt, Co, Cr, Ni, and combinations thereof.

41. The method of claim 33 , further comprising a second underlayer comprising a soft magnetic material, wherein the heat sink layer is on the second underlayer.

42. The method of claim 33 , wherein the first material increases a damping constant of the capping recording layer to a first preselected level.

Assignments (10)