A magnetic recording medium includes: a flexible and elongated substrate; a soft magnetic layer having an average thickness of 10 nm or more to 50 nm or less; and a recording layer, in which the soft magnetic layer is disposed between the substrate and the recording layer, and a difference in Young's modulus between the magnetic recording medium and the substrate in a longitudinal direction of the substrate is 2.4 GPa or more.

Various apparatuses, systems, methods, and media are disclosed to provide a heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) medium. The HAMR medium includes a substrate, a heat sink layer on the substrate, and a plurality of magnetic recording layers on the heat sink layer. The plurality of magnetic recording layers includes a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer disposed on the first magnetic layer. The second magnetic layer includes FePtAgCuX, wherein X is a segregant comprising BN. The HAMR medium can use BN-based segregants to improve a thermal gradient of the HAMR medium for better areal density capability (ADC) and enable the use of a MgO underlayer with reduced thickness.

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 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.

A magnetic recording medium with a reduced average grain diameter and reduced grain diameter dispersion is provided. A magnetic recording medium having a magnetic property (magnetic anisotropy energy) applicable as a magnetic recording medium is provided. It is a magnetic recording medium containing a substrate, a grain diameter control layer, a first seed layer, a second seed layer, and a magnetic recording layer containing an ordered alloy in this order, in which the second seed layer is composed of crystal grains having TiN as a main component, and a grain boundary material having at least one or more selected from the group consisting of metal oxides and carbon as a main component.

A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, a barrier layer, a crystal grain size control layer, and a magnetic layer that are arranged in this order. The barrier layer includes at least one of oxides, nitrides, and carbides, and the crystal grain size control layer is a crystalline layer including Ag and having an average thickness in a range of 0.1 nm to 1 nm. The barrier layer makes contact with the crystal grain size control layer, and the magnetic layer includes an alloy having a L1.sub.0 crystal structure and a (001) face orientation.

A magnetic recording medium includes an amorphous buffer layer, a hybrid layer including a barrier layer, and a texture control layer. The magnetic recording medium also includes a heat sink layer, an under layer, and a perpendicular recording layer.

Thermal barrier layers and seed layers for control of thermal and structural properties of heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) media are provided. One such HAMR medium includes a substrate, a heat sink layer on the substrate, a thermal barrier layer of SrTiO.sub.3 on the heat sink layer, an underlayer of MgO on the thermal barrier layer, and a magnetic recording layer on the underlayer. Another such HAMR medium includes a substrate, a heat sink layer on the substrate, a thermal barrier layer of an ABO3-type oxide on the heat sink layer, and a magnetic recording layer on the thermal barrier layer.