Perpendicular magnetic recording medium and magnetic storage apparatus

1. A perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprising:

a nonmagnetic substrate;

an underlayer provided above the nonmagnetic substrate; and

a perpendicular recording layer provided above the underlayer,

wherein the perpendicular recording layer includes a first magnetic layer including Co and Pt and having a granular structure, and a second magnetic layer having magnetic and ferroelectric properties, and

wherein the second magnetic layer is made of a material selected from a group consisting of (Bi 1-a Ba a )FeO 3 , Bi(Fe 1-b Mn b )O 3 , and (Bi 1-a Ba a )(Fe 1-b Mn b )O 3 , where “a” is in a range of 0.3 to 0.5, and “b” is in a range of 0.3 to 0.8.

2. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic layer is provided on a side closer to the nonmagnetic substrate than the second magnetic layer.

3. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a nonmagnetic metal layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.

4. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a soft magnetic backing layer provided between the nonmagnetic substrate and the underlayer.

5. A perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprising:

a nonmagnetic substrate;

an underlayer provided above the nonmagnetic substrate; and

a perpendicular recording layer provided above the underlayer,

wherein the perpendicular recording layer includes a first magnetic layer including Co and Pt and having a granular structure, and a second magnetic layer having magnetic and ferroelectric properties,

wherein the first magnetic layer includes ferromagnetic particles including Pt and Co, and a boundary forming material including at least one material selected from a group consisting of Si oxides, Ti oxides, W oxides, Cr oxides, Co oxides, Ta oxides, B oxides, and Ru oxides.

6. A magnetic storage apparatus comprising:

a perpendicular magnetic recording medium; and

a head configured to record information on and reproduce information from the perpendicular magnetic recording medium,

wherein the perpendicular magnetic recording medium includes

a nonmagnetic substrate;

an underlayer provided above the nonmagnetic substrate; and

a perpendicular recording layer provided above the underlayer,

wherein the perpendicular recording layer includes a first magnetic layer including Co and Pt and having a granular structure, and a second magnetic layer having magnetic and ferroelectric properties, and

wherein the second magnetic layer is made of a material selected from a group consisting of (Bi 1-a Ba a )FeO 3 , Bi(Fe 1-b Mn b )O 3 , and (Bi 1-a Ba a )(Fe 1-b Mn b )O 3 , where “a” is in a range of 0.3 to 0.5, and “b” is in a range of 0.3 to 0.8.

7. The magnetic storage apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the first magnetic layer of the perpendicular magnetic recording medium is provided on a side closer to the nonmagnetic substrate than the second magnetic layer.

8. The magnetic storage apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the perpendicular magnetic recording medium further includes

a nonmagnetic metal layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.

9. The magnetic storage apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the first magnetic layer of the perpendicular magnetic recording medium includes ferromagnetic particles including Pt and Co, and a boundary forming material including at least one material selected from a group consisting of Si oxides, Ti oxides, W oxides, Cr oxides, Co oxides, Ta oxides, B oxides, and Ru oxides.

10. The magnetic storage apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the perpendicular magnetic recording medium further includes

a soft magnetic backing layer provided between the nonmagnetic substrate and the underlayer.