Influence of dual-Ru intermediate layers on magnetic properties and recording performance of CoCrPt–SiO2 perpendicular recording media

Abstract

Co Cr Pt – Si O 2 perpendicular recording media containing dual-Ru intermediate layers have been studied. The bottom Ru layer deposited under a higher mobility condition, i.e., low Ar gas pressure and bias on substrate, helps to achieve a good crystalline texture, and the top Ru layer under a lower mobility condition, i.e., high Ar gas pressure, promotes the formation of a columnar microstructure. Three kinds of grain boundaries have been observed. The nucleation field and the coercivity as a function of the thickness and dc bias of the bottom Ru layer have been investigated. Medium noise reduction has been observed for dual-Ru intermediate layer media (dual-Ru media) in comparison with that of single intermediate layer media (single-Ru media). This is mainly attributed to the optimization of the physical grain segregation.