Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to magnetic recording heads of magnetic recording devices, such as magnetic read sensors of magnetic read heads of hard disk drives (HDD). In one implementation, a reader includes a magnetic seed layer and a shield layer. Two free layers are disposed between the magnetic seed layer and the shield layer. The magnetic seed layer and the shield layer are magnetized in opposite directions. In one or more embodiments, each of the magnetic seed layer and the shield layer is magnetized using a simple pinning arrangement having an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer. In one or more embodiments, one of the magnetic seed layer or the shield layer is magnetized using a simple pinning arrangement having an AFM) layer, and the other of the magnetic seed layer or the shield layer is magnetized using a synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) pinning arrangement having an AFM layer.

A magnetic recording medium includes: an elongated substrate having flexibility; a first layer, being provided on the substrate, containing Cr, Ni, and Fe, and having a face-centered cubic lattice structure with a (111) plane preferentially oriented so as to be parallel to a surface of the substrate; a second layer, being provided on the first layer, containing Co and O, having a ratio of an average atomic concentration of O to an average atomic concentration of Co of 1 or more, and having a column structure with an average particle diameter of 3 nm or more and 13 nm or less; a third layer, being provided on the second layer, and containing Ru; and a perpendicular recording layer, being provided on the third layer.

Described is an apparatus which comprises: a heat spreading layer; a first transition metal layer adjacent to the heat spreading layer; and a magnetic recording layer adjacent to the first transition metal layer. Described is an apparatus which comprises: a first electrode; a magnetic junction having a free magnet; and one or more layers of Jahn-Teller material adjacent to the first electrode and the free magnet of the magnetic junction.

A magnetic recording medium is provided that includes, in the order recited, a substrate; a first seed layer; a second seed layer containing ZnO; a third seed layer containing MgO; and a magnetic recording layer containing an ordered alloy. The first seed layer contains Ru and at least one material selected from the group consisting of oxides, carbides, and nitrides. Employing seed layers enables the magnetic recording medium to be a perpendicular magnetic recording medium by having the magnetic recording layer contain an ordered alloy suitable for perpendicular magnetic recording. Recording density is improved thereby while ensuring required thermal stability. Further, the invention achieves an increased thickness of the magnetic layer and a reduced grain size.

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 a substrate, a first heat sink layer, a barrier layer, a second heat sink layer, and a magnetic layer that are successively stacked. The magnetic layer is made of a material including a first main component that is an alloy having a L1.sub.0 crystal structure and a content of 50 at % or higher, or content of 50 mol % or higher. The barrier layer is made of a material including a second main component that is one of an oxide, a nitride, and a carbide having a content of 50 at % or higher, or content of 50 mol % or higher.

According to one embodiment, a perpendicular magnetic recording layer comprises a granular film type recording layer and a continuous film type recording layer. The granular film type recording layer comprises a first granular film type recording layer in which magnetic crystal grains in a film plane has an average crystal grain diameter of 3 to 7 nm, and a second granular film type recording layer including magnetic crystal grains having an in plane average crystal grain diameter larger than that of the magnetic crystal grains of the first granular film type recording layer.

A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, a first heat sink layer, a barrier layer, a second heat sink layer, and a magnetic layer that are successively stacked. The magnetic layer is made of a material including a first main component that is an alloy having a L1.sub.0 crystal structure and a content of 50 at % or higher, or content of 50 mol % or higher. The barrier layer is made of a material including a second main component that is one of an oxide, a nitride, and a carbide having a content of 50 at % or higher, or content of 50 mol % or higher.

A magnetic recording medium includes: a substrate; an underlayer; and a magnetic layer including an alloy having a L1.sub.0 type crystal structure whose plane orientation is (001). The substrate, the underlayer, and the magnetic layer are stacked in this order. The underlayer includes a first underlayer. The first underlayer is a crystalline layer that includes a material containing Al, Ag, Cu, W, or Mo as a main component element and includes an oxide of the main component element, a content of the oxide of the main component element in the first underlayer being in a range of from 2 mol % to 30 mol %.

Provided herein is a method including depositing an amorphous magnetic soft underlayer (SUL) over a substrate. A first portion of a heatsink layer is deposited over the SUL, wherein the first portion includes first heat conductive grains that are separated by first grain boundaries. A second portion of the heatsink layer is deposited over the first portion, wherein the second portion includes second heat conductive grains that are separated by second grain boundaries. The second grain boundaries are thicker than the first grain boundaries. A third portion of the heatsink layer is deposited over the second portion, wherein the third portion includes third heat conductive grains that are separated by third grain boundaries. The third grain boundaries are thicker than the second grain boundaries. A granular recording layer is deposited over the heatsink layer.