Magnetic media are widely used in various applications, particularly in the computer industry, and efforts are continually made with the aim of increasing the areal recording density, i.e., bit density of the magnetic media. In this regard, so-called “perpendicular” recording media have been found to be superior to the more conventional “longitudinal” media in achieving very high bit densities without a similar thermal stability limitation. In perpendicular magnetic recording media, residual magnetization is formed in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the magnetic medium, typically a layer of a magnetic material on a suitable substrate. Very high linear recording densities are obtainable by utilizing a “single-pole” magnetic transducer or “head” with such perpendicular magnetic media.
Typically, a magnetically “soft” underlayer (“SUL”) layer, i.e., a magnetic layer having a relatively low coercivity below about 1 kOe, such as of a NiFe alloy (Permalloy), is provided between the non-magnetic substrate, e.g., of glass, aluminum (Al) or an Al-based alloy, and the magnetically “hard” recording layer having relatively high coercivity, typically about 3–8 kOe, e.g., of a cobalt-based alloy (e.g., a Co—Cr alloy such as CoCrPtB) having perpendicular anisotropy. The magnetically soft underlayer serves to guide magnetic flux emanating from the head through the hard, perpendicular magnetic recording layer.
A typical conventional perpendicular recording system 10 utilizing a vertically oriented magnetic medium 1 with a relatively thick soft magnetic underlayer, a relatively thin hard magnetic recording layer, and a single-pole head, is illustrated in FIG. 1, wherein reference numerals 2, 2A, 3, 4, and 5, respectively, indicate a non-magnetic substrate, an adhesion layer (optional), a soft magnetic underlayer, at least one non-magnetic interlayer, and at least one perpendicular hard magnetic recording layer. Reference numerals 7 and 8, respectively, indicate the single and auxiliary poles of a single-pole magnetic transducer head 6. The relatively thin interlayer 4 (also referred to as an “intermediate” layer), comprised of one or more layers of non-magnetic materials, serves to (1) prevent magnetic interaction between the soft underlayer 3 and the at least one hard recording layer 5 and (2) promote desired microstructural and magnetic properties of the at least one hard recording layer.
As shown by the arrows in the figure indicating the path of the magnetic flux φ, flux φ is seen as emanating from single pole 7 of single-pole magnetic transducer head 6, entering and passing through the at least one vertically oriented, hard magnetic recording layer 5 in the region below single pole 7, entering and traveling within soft magnetic underlayer 3 for a distance, and then exiting therefrom and passing through the at least one perpendicular hard magnetic recording layer 5 in the region below auxiliary pole 8 of single-pole magnetic transducer head 6. The direction of movement of perpendicular magnetic medium 1 past transducer head 6 is indicated in the figure by the arrow above medium 1.
With continued reference to FIG. 1, vertical lines 9 indicate grain boundaries of polycrystalline layers 4 and 5 of the layer stack constituting medium 1. Magnetically hard main recording layer 5 is formed on interlayer 4, and while the grains of each polycrystalline layer may be of differing widths (as measured in a horizontal direction) represented by a grain size distribution, they are generally in vertical registry (i.e., vertically “correlated” or aligned).
Completing the layer stack is a protective overcoat layer 11, such as of a diamond-like carbon (DLC), formed over hard magnetic layer 5, and a lubricant topcoat layer 12, such as of a perfluoropolyethylene material, formed over the protective overcoat layer.
Substrate 2 is typically disk-shaped and comprised of a non-magnetic metal or alloy, e.g., Al or an Al-based alloy, such as Al—Mg having an Ni—P plating layer on the deposition surface thereof, or substrate 2 is comprised of a suitable glass, ceramic, glass-ceramic, polymeric material, or a composite or laminate of these materials. Optional adhesion layer 2A, if present, may comprise an up to about 50 Å thick layer of a material such as Ti or a Ti alloy. Soft magnetic underlayer 3 is typically comprised of an about 500 to about 4,000 Å thick layer of a soft magnetic material selected from the group consisting of Ni, NiFe (Permalloy), Co, CoZr, CoZrCr, CoZrNb, CoFeZrNb, CoFe, Fe, FeN, FeSiAl, FeSiAlN, FeCoB, FeCoC, etc. Interlayer 4 typically comprises an up to about 300 Å thick layer or layers of non-magnetic material(s), such as Ru, TiCr, Ru/CoCr37Pt6, RuCr/CoCrPt, etc.; and the at least one hard magnetic layer 5 is typically comprised of an about 50 to about 250 Å thick layer(s) of Co-based alloy(s) including one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Cr, Fe, Ta, Ni, Mo, Pt, V, Nb, Ge, B, and Pd, iron nitrides or oxides, or a (CoX/Pd or Pt)n multilayer magnetic superlattice structure, where n is an integer from about 10 to about 25. Each of the alternating, thin layers of Co-based magnetic alloy of the superlattice is from about 2 to about 3.5 Å thick, X is an element selected from the group consisting of Cr, Ta, B, Mo, Pt, W, and Fe, and each of the alternating thin, non-magnetic layers of Pd or Pt is up to about 10 Å thick. Each type of hard magnetic recording layer material has perpendicular anisotropy arising from magneto-crystalline anisotropy (1st type) and/or interfacial anisotropy (2nd type).
Another currently employed way of classifying perpendicular magnetic recording media is on the basis by which the magnetic grains are mutually separated, i.e., segregated, in order to physically and magnetically de-couple the grains and provide improved media performance characteristics. According to this classification scheme, magnetic media with Co-based alloy perpendicular magnetic recording layers (e.g., CoCr alloys) are classified into two distinct types: (1) a first type, wherein segregation of the grains occurs by diffusion of Cr atoms of the magnetic layer to the grain boundaries of the layer to form Cr-rich grain boundaries, which diffusion process requires significant heating of the media substrate prior or during formation (deposition) of the magnetic layer; and (2) a second type, wherein segregation of the grains occurs by formation of oxides and/or nitrides at the boundaries between adjacent magnetic grains to form so-called “granular” media, which oxides and/or nitrides may be formed by introducing a minor amount of at least one reactive gas, i.e., oxygen (O2) and/or nitrogen (N2) to the inert gas (e.g., Ar) atmosphere during sputter deposition of the Co alloy-based perpendicular magnetic layer.
“Granular” perpendicular magnetic recording media may be fabricated by a method wherein the media precursor, i.e., a media substrate with a stack of layers formed thereon, including a just-formed, i.e., topmost, granular perpendicular magnetic recording layer, is removed from the manufacturing apparatus, typically a multi-chamber sputtering apparatus adapted for performing large-scale, automated, continuous manufacture of magnetic recording media, for exposure to the ambient, i.e., O2-containing, atmosphere in order to form a surface oxide layer on the magnetic recording layer prior to deposition of a protective overcoat layer thereon, e.g., a carbon (C)-based layer, such as diamond-like carbon (DLC).
Conventional methodology employed in manufacturing granular perpendicular magnetic recording media employ deposition techniques at elevated temperatures, such as at temperatures in excess of 200° C., for the purpose of achieving grain boundary segregation. Such grain boundary segregation suppresses inter-crystal interaction between respective crystal grains, thereby breaking exchange coupling and reducing noise during recording. However, such high temperature deposition techniques are disadvantageously complex and result in undesirable diffusion of non-magnetic metallic components.
Another technique employed to produce granular perpendicular magnetic recording media comprises reactive sputtering of the magnetic layer in a gas mixture of oxygen and an inert gas, such as argon (Ar), which is intended to form oxides in grain boundaries, thereby breaking down exchange coupling and improving recording performance. However, conventional reactive sputtering techniques result in a disadvantageous non-uniformity in film properties due to rapid oxygen consumption and process instability. Therefore, manufacturing capability is compromised by the lack of process control and a throughput limitation due to additional reactive gas input/stabilization and pump out time.
Accordingly, a need exists for methodology enabling the efficient fabrication of high areal recording density granular perpendicular magnetic recording media with improved recording performance, notably reduced media noise, i.e., signal medium noise ratio (SMNR).