Perpendicular magnetic recording media with oxide-containing exchange coupling layer
View Patent ↗A method according to one embodiment includes forming a high Ku first oxide magnetic layer above a substrate by sputtering; forming a low Ku second oxide magnetic layer above the first oxide magnetic layer by sputtering; forming an exchange coupling layer of CoCrPt-oxide above the second oxide magnetic layer; and forming a magnetic cap layer above the exchange coupling layer. Additional systems and methods are also presented.
1. A method, comprising:
forming a first oxide magnetic layer above a substrate by sputtering;
forming a second oxide magnetic layer directly on the first oxide magnetic layer by sputtering, wherein oxygen is flowed during forming the second oxide magnetic layer;
forming a first layer of an exchange coupling layer above the second oxide magnetic layer, the first layer of the exchange coupling layer comprising an oxide, wherein no oxygen is flowed during forming the first layer of the exchange coupling layer;
forming a second layer of the exchange coupling layer directly on the first layer of the exchange coupling layer, the second layer of the exchange coupling layer comprising an oxide, wherein oxygen is flowed during forming the second layer of the exchange coupling layer, the second layer of the exchange coupling layer having a different composition than the first layer of the exchange coupling layer; and
forming a magnetic cap layer above the exchange coupling layer.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first layer of the exchange coupling layer is formed of a same material as the second oxide magnetic layer, the first layer of the exchange coupling layer having a lower oxygen content than the second oxide magnetic layer.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a same sputtering target is used for forming the first layer of the exchange coupling layer and the second oxide magnetic layer, wherein the first layer of the exchange coupling layer has a lower oxygen content than the second oxide magnetic layer.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second oxide magnetic layer is formed under a higher pressure than the first layer of the exchange coupling layer.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one layer of the exchange coupling layer is formed of CoCrPt-oxide.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second layer of the exchange coupling layer has an oxygen content of between about 1 and about 20 atomic percent.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the oxide in the exchange coupling layer is selected from a group consisting of TiO 2 , SiO 2 , B 2 O 3 , W 2 O 5 , Ta 2 O 5 , NbO 2 , CoO, and CO 3 O 4 .
8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second layer of the exchange coupling layer is formed of a different material than the first layer of the exchange coupling layer.
9. A method, comprising:
forming a first oxide magnetic layer above a substrate by sputtering;
forming a second oxide magnetic layer directly on the first oxide magnetic layer by sputtering, wherein the second oxide magnetic layer is characterized by a lower Ku than the Ku of the first oxide magnetic layer;
forming an exchange coupling layer of CoCrPt-oxide above the second oxide magnetic layer, wherein no oxygen is flowed during the forming of at least a portion of the exchange coupling layer; and
forming a magnetic cap layer above the exchange coupling layer.
10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein no oxygen is flowed during forming the exchange coupling layer.
11. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the portion of the exchange coupling layer is formed by sputtering with no oxygen flowing into a sputtering chamber during formation thereof and another portion of the exchange coupling layer is formed with oxygen flowing into the sputtering chamber.
12. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the exchange coupling layer comprises about 2 to about 20 atomic percent of the oxide.
13. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the oxide in the exchange coupling layer is selected from a group consisting of TiO 2 , SiO 2 , B 2 O 3 , W 2 O 5 , Ta 2 O 5 , NbO 2 , CoO, and CO 3 O 4 .
14. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the exchange coupling layer includes at least one of B, Cu, Ta, Ni, V, Mo, Ru, Ti, and Mn in a concentration of greater than 0 to about 10 atomic percent.
15. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein a first portion of the exchange coupling layer adjacent the second oxide magnetic layer is formed of a same material as the second oxide magnetic layer, the first portion of the exchange coupling layer having a lower oxygen content than the second oxide magnetic layer.
16. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein a second portion of the exchange coupling layer is formed of a different material than the first portion of the exchange coupling layer.
17. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein a second portion of the exchange coupling layer is formed of a different material than the first portion of the exchange coupling layer.
18. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein both of the exchange coupling layers are formed of CoCrPt-oxide.
19. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the entire exchange coupling layer is formed by sputtering with no oxygen flowing into a sputtering chamber during formation thereof.
20. The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein the portion of the exchange coupling layer has a lower oxygen content than the second portion of the exchange coupling layer.