A magnetic recording medium is provided and includes a layer structure including a magnetic layer, a non-magnetic layer, and a base layer in order, in which an average thickness t.sub.T of the magnetic recording medium is 4.0 μm≤t.sub.T≤5.3 μm, a dimensional variation Δw in a width direction of the magnetic recording medium to tension change in a longitudinal direction of the magnetic recording medium is 680 ppm/N≤Δw≤2000 ppm/N , and an average thickness t.sub.n of the non-magnetic layer is t.sub.n≤1.0 μm.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a first magnetic pole, a second magnetic pole, and a stacked body provided between the first and second magnetic poles. The stacked body includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer provided between the first magnetic pole and the first magnetic layer, a third magnetic layer provided between the first magnetic pole and the second magnetic layer, a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic pole, a second nonmagnetic layer provided between the second and first magnetic layers, and a third nonmagnetic layer provided between the third and second magnetic layers. The third magnetic layer includes first and second elements. The first and second magnetic layers do not include the second element. Or concentrations of the second element in the first and second magnetic layers are less than in the third magnetic layer.

A magnetic recording medium including: a non-magnetic substrate; an underlayer; a perpendicular magnetic layer; a diffusion preventing layer; and a protective layer, wherein the underlayer, the perpendicular magnetic layer, the diffusion preventing layer, and the protective layer are layered on the non-magnetic substrate in this order, the perpendicular magnetic layer has a multi-layer structure, the perpendicular magnetic layer includes an uppermost layer and at least one layer other than the uppermost layer, the uppermost layer including Co or Fe in magnetic particles, and the at least one layer other than the uppermost layer including an oxide, the diffusion preventing layer is provided between the perpendicular magnetic layer and the protective layer, and the diffusion preventing layer includes at least one component selected from a group consisting of Si, Ti, Cr, B, and Ru, or either a carbide, an oxide, or both, of the at least one component.

A magnetic recording medium including: a non-magnetic substrate; an underlayer; a perpendicular magnetic layer; a diffusion preventing layer; and a protective layer, wherein the underlayer, the perpendicular magnetic layer, the diffusion preventing layer, and the protective layer are layered on the non-magnetic substrate in this order, the perpendicular magnetic layer has a multi-layer structure, the perpendicular magnetic layer includes an uppermost layer and at least one layer other than the uppermost layer, the uppermost layer including Co or Fe in magnetic particles, and the at least one layer other than the uppermost layer including an oxide, the diffusion preventing layer is provided between the perpendicular magnetic layer and the protective layer, and the diffusion preventing layer includes at least one component selected from a group consisting of Si, Ti, Cr, B, and Ru, or either a carbide, an oxide, or both, of the at least one component.

A magnetic recording medium is provided that includes a recording layer structure including a first magnetic recording layer, a second magnetic recording layer, a third magnetic recording layer, a fourth magnetic recording layer, and a plurality of nonmagnetic exchange coupling layers. The first magnetic recording layer is closest to a substrate and the fourth magnetic recording layer is farthest from the substrate. An amount of Co in the first magnetic recording layer is greater than or equal to the amount of Co in the second magnetic recording layer, the third magnetic recording layer, and the fourth magnetic recording layer.

A magnetic recording medium is provided that includes a recording layer structure including a first magnetic recording layer, a second magnetic recording layer, a third magnetic recording layer, a fourth magnetic recording layer, and a plurality of nonmagnetic exchange coupling layers. The first magnetic recording layer is closest to a substrate and the fourth magnetic recording layer is farthest from the substrate. An amount of Co in the first magnetic recording layer is greater than or equal to the amount of Co in the second magnetic recording layer, the third magnetic recording layer, and the fourth magnetic recording layer.

An object of an aspect of the present invention is to provide: a lubricant excellent in adsorbability on the surface of a magnetic disk and in contamination resistance; and a magnetic disk which uses the lubricant and which is excellent in durability. The lubricant in accordance with an aspect of the present invention contains a fluoropolyether compound having, at a terminal thereof, a hydroxyalkenyl group or a hydroxyalkynyl group.

An object of an aspect of the present invention is to provide: a lubricant excellent in adsorbability on the surface of a magnetic disk and in contamination resistance; and a magnetic disk which uses the lubricant and which is excellent in durability. The lubricant in accordance with an aspect of the present invention contains a fluoropolyether compound having, at a terminal thereof, a hydroxyalkenyl group or a hydroxyalkynyl group.

A magnetic recording medium includes a nonmagnetic substrate, a soft magnetic underlayer, an orientation control layer, a perpendicular magnetic layer, and a protection layer that are arranged in this order. The perpendicular magnetic layer includes a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer that are arranged in this order on the orientation control layer. The first magnetic layer has a granular structure including an oxide at grain boundary parts of magnetic grains, and the second magnetic layer is closest to the protection layer among layers within the perpendicular magnetic layer, and includes magnetic grains made of a CoCrPt alloy, and a nitride of carbon or a hydride of carbon.

A tape-shaped magnetic recording medium includes a base, a nonmagnetic layer that is provided on the base and contains a nonmagnetic powder, and a magnetic layer that is provided on the nonmagnetic layer and contains a magnetic powder. In the magnetic recording medium, the magnetic layer has an average thickness of not more than 90 nm, the magnetic powder has an average aspect ratio of from 1.0 to 3.0, a coercive force Hc1 in a perpendicular direction is not more than 3,000 Oe, the coercive force Hc1 in the perpendicular direction and a coercive force Hc2 in a longitudinal direction satisfy the relation of Hc2/Hc1≤0.8, the nonmagnetic layer has an average thickness of not more than 1.1 μm, and the nonmagnetic powder has an average particle volume of not more than 2.0×10.sup.−5 μm.sup.3.