The magnetic recording medium includes a non-magnetic support; and a magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic powder and a binding agent on the non-magnetic support, in which a difference (S.sub.0.5S.sub.13.5) between a spacing S.sub.0.5 measured by optical interferometry regarding a surface of the magnetic layer under a pressing force of 0.5 atm after n-hexane cleaning and a spacing S.sub.13.5 measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer under a pressing force of 13.5 atm after n-hexane cleaning is equal to or smaller than 3.0 nm, and a magnetic recording and reproducing device including this magnetic recording medium.

The magnetic recording medium includes a non-magnetic support; and a magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic powder and a binding agent on the non-magnetic support, in which a difference (S.sub.0.5S.sub.13.5) between a spacing S.sub.0.5 measured by optical interferometry regarding a surface of the magnetic layer under a pressing force of 0.5 atm after n-hexane cleaning and a spacing S.sub.13.5 measured by optical interferometry regarding the surface of the magnetic layer under a pressing force of 13.5 atm after n-hexane cleaning is equal to or smaller than 3.0 nm, and a magnetic recording and reproducing device including this magnetic recording medium.

The magnetic tape has a nonmagnetic layer containing nonmagnetic powder and binder on a nonmagnetic support and a magnetic layer containing ferromagnetic powder and binder on the nonmagnetic layer, wherein a fatty acid ester is contained in at least the magnetic layer, the ferromagnetic powder is ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder has a crystallite volume as determined by X-ray diffraction analysis ranges from 1,000 nm.sup.3 to 2,400 nm.sup.3, and a ratio of the crystallite size D.sub.x(107) obtained from a diffraction peak of a (107) plane to a particle size in a direction of an easy axis of magnetization D.sub.TEM as determined by observation with a transmission electron microscope, D.sub.x(107)/D.sub.TEM, is greater than or equal to 1.1, and SFD in a longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape as calculated with Equation 1: SFD=SFD.sub.25 C.SFD.sub.190 C., ranges from 0.50 to 1.60.

The magnetic tape has a nonmagnetic layer containing nonmagnetic powder and binder on a nonmagnetic support and a magnetic layer containing ferromagnetic powder and binder on the nonmagnetic layer, wherein a fatty acid ester is contained in at least the magnetic layer, the ferromagnetic powder is ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder has a crystallite volume as determined by X-ray diffraction analysis ranges from 1,000 nm.sup.3 to 2,400 nm.sup.3, and a ratio of the crystallite size D.sub.x(107) obtained from a diffraction peak of a (107) plane to a particle size in a direction of an easy axis of magnetization D.sub.TEM as determined by observation with a transmission electron microscope, D.sub.x(107)/D.sub.TEM, is greater than or equal to 1.1, and SFD in a longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape as calculated with Equation 1: SFD=SFD.sub.25 C.SFD.sub.190 C., ranges from 0.50 to 1.60.

A magnetic tape device includes a magnetic tape; and a reproducing head, in which the reproducing head is a Tunneling Magnetoresistive (TMR) head, the center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape is equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm, the logarithmic decrement acquired by a pendulum viscoelasticity test performed regarding the surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 0.050, and the ratio (Sdc/Sac) of an average area Sdc of a magnetic cluster of the magnetic tape in a DC demagnetization state and an average area Sac of a magnetic cluster of the magnetic tape in an AC demagnetization state measured with a magnetic force microscope is 0.80 to 1.30.

A magnetic tape device includes a magnetic tape; and a reproducing head, in which the reproducing head is a Tunneling Magnetoresistive (TMR) head, the center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape is equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm, the logarithmic decrement acquired by a pendulum viscoelasticity test performed regarding the surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 0.050, and the ratio (Sdc/Sac) of an average area Sdc of a magnetic cluster of the magnetic tape in a DC demagnetization state and an average area Sac of a magnetic cluster of the magnetic tape in an AC demagnetization state measured with a magnetic force microscope is 0.80 to 1.30.

The magnetic tape device includes a Tunneling Magnetoresistive (TMR) head as a reproducing head; and a magnetic tape which includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder and a binding agent on the non-magnetic support, an XRD intensity ratio (Int(110)/Int(114)) of a hexagonal ferrite crystal structure obtained by an X-ray diffraction analysis of the magnetic layer by using an In-Plane method is 0.5 to 4.0, a vertical direction squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is 0.65 to 1.00, a center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding a surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm, and a logarithmic decrement acquired by a pendulum viscoelasticity test performed regarding the surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 0.050.

A magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support; and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder and a binding agent on the non-magnetic support. The center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding the surface of the magnetic layer is less than or equal to 1.8 nm. The logarithmic decrement acquired by a pendulum viscoelasticity test performed regarding the surface of the magnetic layer is less than or equal to 0.050. The ferromagnetic powder is ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, the magnetic layer includes an abrasive, and the tilt cos of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder with respect to the surface of the magnetic layer acquired by cross section observation performed using a scanning transmission electron microscope is 0.85 to 1.00.

A fractionation method for magnetic recording-magnetic powder includes: applying a magnetic field to a liquid that contains magnetic recording-magnetic powder dispersed therein; and relatively shifting a position where the magnetic field is applied to the liquid.

The magnetic tape device includes a magnetic tape; and a reproducing head, in which the reproducing head is a TMR head, a center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding a surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape is equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm, a logarithmic decrement acquired by a pendulum viscoelasticity test performed regarding the surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 0.050, and a ratio (Sdc/Sac) of an average area Sdc of a magnetic cluster of the magnetic tape in a DC demagnetization state and an average area Sac of a magnetic cluster of the magnetic tape in an AC demagnetization state measured with a magnetic force microscope is 0.80 to 1.30.