A method for forming a magnetic recording medium according to one embodiment includes forming a magnetic layer above an underlayer. The magnetic layer includes a first magnetic material and particulates. A protective layer is formed above the magnetic layer, the protective layer including a second material. A method for forming a magnetic recording medium according to another embodiment includes forming a first nonmagnetic layer above a base film. The first nonmagnetic layer has first nonmagnetic particles. A second nonmagnetic layer is formed above the first nonmagnetic layer, the second nonmagnetic layer having second nonmagnetic particles. A magnetic layer is formed above the second nonmagnetic layer, the magnetic layer including a magnetic material.

A magnetic recording medium according to one embodiment includes a base film and a first nonmagnetic layer above the base film. The first nonmagnetic layer has first nonmagnetic particles. A second nonmagnetic layer is positioned above the first nonmagnetic layer, the second nonmagnetic layer having second nonmagnetic particles. A magnetic layer is positioned above the second nonmagnetic layer, the magnetic layer including a magnetic material.

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 protective layer is positioned above the magnetic layer, the protective layer including a second material. A magnetic recording medium according to another embodiment includes a base film and a first nonmagnetic layer above the base film. The first nonmagnetic layer has first nonmagnetic particles. A second nonmagnetic layer is positioned above the first nonmagnetic layer, the second nonmagnetic layer having second nonmagnetic particles. A magnetic layer is positioned above the second nonmagnetic layer, the magnetic layer including a magnetic material.

Provided is a magnetic tape cartridge of a single reel type in which a magnetic tape is wound around a reel, in which the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic powder and a binding agent on the non-magnetic support, a tape thickness is equal to or smaller than 5.2 a tape width difference (BA) between a tape width A at a position of 10 m1 m from a tape outer end and a tape width B at a position of 50 m1 m from a tape inner end is 2.4 m to 12.0 m, and the tape width A and the tape width B are values measured 100 days from the date of magnetic tape cartridge manufacture.

Disclosed is a perpendicularly magnetized film structure using a highly heat resistant underlayer film on which a cubic or tetragonal perpendicularly magnetized film can grow, comprising a substrate of a cubic single crystal substrate having a (001) plane or a substrate having a cubic oriented film that grows to have the (001) plane; an underlayer formed on the substrate from a thin film of a metal having an hcp structure in which the [0001] direction of the thin metal film forms an angle in the range of 42? to 54? with respect to the <001> direction or the (001) orientation of the substrate; and a perpendicularly magnetized layer located on the metal underlayer and formed from a cubic material selected from a Co-based Heusler alloy and a cobalt-iron (CoFe) alloy having a bcc structure a constituent material, and grown to have the (001) plane.

The magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer containing a ferromagnetic powder. The ferromagnetic powder is a hexagonal ferrite powder, tilt cos ? of the hexagonal ferrite powder with respect to a surface of the magnetic layer, which is acquired by cross-sectional observation performed using a scanning transmission electron microscope, is 0.85 or more and 1.00 or less, and standard deviation ? of the cos ? in a width direction of the surface of the magnetic layer is 0.03 or less.

A magnetic recording medium that includes a substrate, an insulation layer applied onto a surface of the substrate, and a magnetic layer applied onto the insulation layer. The insulation layer is made from a redox-corrosion-inhibiting material. In one embodiment, the insulation layer inhibits redox corrosion by inhibiting electron transfer through the insulation layer (e.g., inhibits electron transfer between the substrate and the magnetic layer).

A device includes a housing unit and a number of magnets. The housing unit includes a number of holes therein. The magnets are positioned in the holes. The magnets have a same pole orientation. It is appreciated that the magnets are positioned in the holes to form a mechanically balanced and magnetically unbalanced structure.

Disclosed is a perpendicularly magnetized film structure that uses a highly heat resistant underlayer film on which a cubic or tetragonal perpendicularly magnetized film can grow with high quality, the structure comprising any one substrate (5) of a cubic single crystal substrate having a (001) plane, or a substrate having a cubic oriented film that grows to have the (001) plane; an underlayer (6) formed on the substrate (5) from a thin film of a metal having an hcp structure, such as Ru or Re, in which the [0001] direction of the thin metal film forms an angle in the range of 42? to 54? with respect to the <001> direction or the (001) orientation of the substrate (5); and a perpendicularly magnetized layer (7) located on the metal underlayer (6) and formed from a cubic material selected from the group consisting of a Co-based Heusler alloy, a cobalt-iron (CoFe) alloy having a bcc structure, and the like, as a constituent material, and grown to have the (001) plane.

A magnetic recording medium includes: a substrate; a first underlayer; a second underlayer; and a magnetic layer including an alloy having a L1.sub.0 type crystal structure with a (001) orientation. The substrate, the first underlayer, the second underlayer, and the magnetic layer are stacked in this order. The first underlayer is a crystalline layer that includes Mo as a main component. The second underlayer is a crystalline layer that includes a material containing Mo as a main component and that includes an oxide. The content of the oxide in the second underlayer is in a range of from 2 mol % to 30 mol %. The oxide is an oxide of one or more kinds of elements selected from a group consisting of Cr, Mo, Nb, Ta, V, and W.