A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, an underlayer provided on the substrate, and a magnetic layer provided on the underlayer and having a L1.sub.0 structure and a (001) orientation. The magnetic layer has a granular structure in which an organic compound having a methylene skeleton or a methine skeleton is arranged at grain boundaries of magnetic grains.

A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, an underlayer provided on the substrate, and a magnetic layer provided on the underlayer and having a L1.sub.0 structure and a (001) orientation. The magnetic layer has a granular structure in which an organic compound having a methylene skeleton or a methine skeleton is arranged at grain boundaries of magnetic grains.

A magnetic media disk is fabricated by depositing magnetic layers over the disk, then depositing protective later over the magnetic layer, and then performing ion implant process to implant ions into the protective coating. A system for performing the ion implant of the magnetic media disk includes two ion implant chambers. During operation one chamber performs ion implant and one chamber performs chamber cleaning by maintaining inside a plasma of cleaning gas without a disk present inside the chamber.

A fluorine-containing ether compound represented by Formula (1) is provided.
R.sup.1—R.sup.2—CH.sub.2—R.sup.3—CH.sub.2—R.sup.4—R.sup.5   (1)
(In Formula (1), R.sup.1 and R.sup.5 each represents a group having a heterocyclic ring and may be the same as or different from each other, R.sup.2 and R.sup.4 each represents a divalent linking group having a polar group and play be the same as or different from each other, and R.sup.3 represents a perfluoropolyether chain.)

A manufacturing method for a magnetic recording medium which includes a magnetic layer, a lower protective layer, an upper protective layer and a lubricating layer on a substrate, and in which the total film thickness of the lower protective layer and the upper protective layer is 2.5 nm or less, includes: 1) depositing the lower protective layer; 2) performing oxygen plasma treatment on the lower protective layer; 3) depositing the upper protective layer; and 4) performing nitrogen plasma treatment on the upper protective layer. It is preferable that the lower protective layer and the upper protective layer are formed of a carbon-based material, and it is further more preferable that the lower protective layer and the upper protective layer are formed of diamond-like carbon. Moreover, it is preferable that the contact angle of the lower protective layer with respect to water in the atmosphere is 25° or less.

Described are magnetic recording heads that include an overcoat that includes a titanium oxynitride (TiON) layer.

Described are magnetic recording heads that include an overcoat that includes a titanium oxynitride (TiON) layer.

Systems and methods for adding a cap-layer to magnetic recording media are described. In one embodiment, the method may include depositing a magnetic recording layer over a substrate, depositing an interface layer over the magnetic recording layer, and depositing a carbon overcoat layer over the interface layer. In some cases, sputter deposition is used to deposit at least the interface layer. In some cases, oxygen is used as a background gas of the sputter deposition.

A magnetic recording medium according to one embodiment includes an underlayer and a magnetic layer above the underlayer. The magnetic layer includes a first magnetic material and particulates. A solid protective layer is positioned above the magnetic layer, the protective layer including a second material. At least some of the particulates of the magnetic layer protrude completely through the protective layer. A method for forming a magnetic recording medium according to one embodiment includes forming a magnetic layer above a substrate, the magnetic layer including a first magnetic material and particulates, and forming a solid protective layer above the magnetic layer to a thickness whereby some of the particulates protrude through the protective layer and are exposed along an upper surface of the protective layer.

A magnetic recording medium according to one embodiment includes an underlayer and a magnetic layer above the underlayer. The magnetic layer includes a first magnetic material and particulates. A solid protective layer is positioned above the magnetic layer, the protective layer including a second material. At least some of the particulates of the magnetic layer protrude completely through the protective layer. A method for forming a magnetic recording medium according to one embodiment includes forming a magnetic layer above a substrate, the magnetic layer including a first magnetic material and particulates, and forming a solid protective layer above the magnetic layer to a thickness whereby some of the particulates protrude through the protective layer and are exposed along an upper surface of the protective layer.