A three dimensional magnetic recording medium can consist of a first recording layer vertically stacked with a second recording layer. The first stacked recording layer may be tuned with at least one discrete track physically separating multiple data tracks in the first recording layer or tuned by being configured as a bit patterned media.

The present invention is a method for mass-production of a recording medium with the component composition thereof monotonically changing along the film thickness direction. In the method, the magnetic recording medium that includes at least a substrate, and first magnetic recording layer and second magnetic recording layer as the magnetic recording layer. The method includes: laminating a second magnetic layer of FePtRh on a first magnetic layer of FePt or FePtRh with heating. In the method, heat treatment may be preheat-treatment or postheat-treatment, when laminating the second magnetic layer of FePtRh onto the first magnetic layer of FePtRh, the concentration of Rh in the second magnetic layer is higher than that of the first magnetic layer.

The present invention is a method for mass-production of a recording medium with the component composition thereof monotonically changing along the film thickness direction. In the method, the magnetic recording medium that includes at least a substrate, and first magnetic recording layer and second magnetic recording layer as the magnetic recording layer. The method includes: laminating a second magnetic layer of FePtRh on a first magnetic layer of FePt or FePtRh with heating. In the method, heat treatment may be preheat-treatment or postheat-treatment, when laminating the second magnetic layer of FePtRh onto the first magnetic layer of FePtRh, the concentration of Rh in the second magnetic layer is higher than that of the first magnetic layer.

The present invention aims at providing a magnetic recording medium capable of realizing lowering of recording temperature. A magnetic recording medium comprises a substrate, and a magnetic recording layer comprising a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer, in which the second magnetic layer comprises an FePtRh ordered alloy, and the first magnetic layer has Ku at room temperature larger than Ku of the second magnetic layer at room temperature.

The present invention aims at providing a magnetic recording medium capable of realizing lowering of recording temperature. A magnetic recording medium comprises a substrate, and a magnetic recording layer comprising a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer, in which the second magnetic layer comprises an FePtRh ordered alloy, and the first magnetic layer has Ku at room temperature larger than Ku of the second magnetic layer at room temperature.

A heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) medium has a multilayered or laminated heat-sink structure. The laminated heat-sink structure includes a first heat-sink layer and a RuAl—X thermal barrier layer between the medium substrate and the first heat-sink layer. The laminated heat-sink structure may include a second heat-sink layer may between the substrate and the RuAl—X thermal barrier layer. In the RuAl—X thermal barrier layer, X is selected from C and one or more oxides of Si, Ti, W, Zr and Hf. The HAMR medium with the laminated heat-sink structure reduces the amount of required laser current as compared to a similar HAMR medium with a conventional single heat-sink layer of the same thickness, while also slightly improving magnetic properties and recording performance.

According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive element includes a recording layer having a variable magnetization direction, a reference layer having an invariable magnetization direction, an intermediate layer provided between the recording layer and the reference layer, and a first buffer layer provided on a surface of the recording layer, which is opposite to a surface of the recording layer where the intermediate layer is provided. The recording layer comprises a first magnetic layer which is provided in a side of the intermediate layer and contains CoFe as a main component, and a second magnetic layer which is provided in a side of the first buffer layer and contains CoFe as a main component, a concentration of Fe in the first magnetic layer being higher than a concentration of Fe in the second magnetic layer. The first buffer layer comprises a nitrogen compound.

According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive element includes a recording layer having a variable magnetization direction, a reference layer having an invariable magnetization direction, an intermediate layer provided between the recording layer and the reference layer, and a first buffer layer provided on a surface of the recording layer, which is opposite to a surface of the recording layer where the intermediate layer is provided. The recording layer comprises a first magnetic layer which is provided in a side of the intermediate layer and contains CoFe as a main component, and a second magnetic layer which is provided in a side of the first buffer layer and contains CoFe as a main component, a concentration of Fe in the first magnetic layer being higher than a concentration of Fe in the second magnetic layer. The first buffer layer comprises a nitrogen compound.

A method of forming a thin film structure involves performing one or more repetitions to form a template on a wafer. The repetitions include: depositing a layer of a template material to a first thickness T1; and ion beam milling the layer of the template material to remove thickness T2, where T2<T1, resulting in a layer of the template material with thickness T1−T2. The ion beam milling is performed at a channeling angle relative to a deposition plane of the wafer, the channeling angle defined relative to a channeling direction of a crystalline microstructure of the template material. After the repetitions, additional material is deposited on the template to form a final structure. The additional material has a same crystalline microstructure as the template material.

A stack includes a substrate, a magnetic recording layer comprising FePtX disposed over the substrate, and a capping layer disposed on the magnetic recording layer. The capping layer comprises Co; at least one rare earth element; one or more elements selected from a group consisting of Fe and Pt; and an amorphizing agent comprising one to three elements selected from a group consisting of B, Zr, Ta, Cr, Nb, W, V, and Mo.