This aluminum alloy substrate for a magnetic recording medium has a metal structure made of an Al alloy having a composition including Si in a range of 18.0% by mass to 22.0% by mass, Ni in a range of 5.0% by mass to 8.5% by mass, Cu in a range of 2.5% by mass to 4.0% by mass, and Mg in a range of 0.8% by mass to 1.5% by mass with a remainder being Al, a primary-crystal Si precipitate having a maximum diameter of 0.5 m or more and an average particle diameter of 2 m or less is dispersed in the metal structure, a diameter is in a range of 53 mm to 97 mm, and a thickness is in a range of 0.2 mm to 0.9 mm.

A method, in one approach, includes forming a magnetic recording layer having: encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by an encapsulating layer, and a polymeric binder binding the encapsulated nanoparticles.

In one general approach, a product includes an underlayer of a magnetic recording medium. The underlayer has encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by an aromatic polymer, and a polymeric binder binding the encapsulated nanoparticles. A magnetic recording layer is formed above the underlayer. In another general approach, a product includes an electrically conductive underlayer of a magnetic recording medium. The underlayer has encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by an aromatic polymer, and a polymeric binder binding the encapsulated nanoparticles. A magnetic recording layer is formed above the underlayer. The magnetic nanoparticles have an average magnetic field strength of less than 200 Oersted (Oe). An average concentration of the encapsulated nanoparticles in the underlayer is at least 35 vol %.

A product, according to one approach, includes a recording layer. The recording layer includes encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by an encapsulating layer. A polymeric binder binds the encapsulated nanoparticles. A product, according to another approach, includes a recording layer. The recording layer includes encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by an encapsulating layer, and a polymeric binder binding the encapsulated nanoparticles. An average diameter of the magnetic nanoparticles is in a range of 2 nanometers to 20 nanometers. An average thickness of the recording layer is less than 0.2 microns.

A product, according to one approach, includes an underlayer and a magnetic recording layer formed above the underlayer. The underlayer includes first encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a first magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by a first aromatic polymer, and a first polymeric binder binding the first encapsulated nanoparticles. The recording layer includes second encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a second magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by an encapsulating layer, and a second polymeric binder binding the second encapsulated nanoparticles.

A tape cartridge, according to one approach, includes a housing, and a magnetic recording tape at least partially stored in the housing. The magnetic recording tape including a recording layer having encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by an encapsulating layer, and a polymeric binder binding the encapsulated nanoparticles. A tape cartridge, according to another approach, includes a housing, and a magnetic recording tape at least partially stored in the housing. The magnetic recording tape include an underlayer having encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by an aromatic polymer, and a polymeric binder binding the encapsulated nanoparticles.

Provided is a precursor of a current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistive element having a laminated structure of ferromagnetic metal layer/nonmagnetic metal layer/ferromagnetic metal layer, the precursor having a nonmagnetic intermediate layer containing a non-magnetic metal and an oxide in a predetermined ratio such that the distribution thereof is nearly uniform at the atomic level. Also provided is a current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistive element having a current-confinement structure (CCP) which has: a current confinement structure region made of a conductive alloy and obtained by heat-treating a laminated structure of a ferromagnetic metal layer and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer at a predetermined temperature; and a high-resistance metal alloy region containing an oxide and surrounding the current confinement structure region.

[Object] Provided is a technology that is capable of further improving a recording density of data.

[Solving Means] A magnetic recording medium according to the present technology is a magnetic recording medium in a shape of a tape that is long in a longitudinal direction and is short in a width direction, the medium including: a base material; a magnetic layer; and a non-magnetic layer that is provided between the base material and the magnetic layer, and contains one or more types of non-magnetic inorganic particles, in which the magnetic layer includes a data band long in the longitudinal direction in which a data signal is to be written, and a servo band long in the longitudinal direction in which a servo signal is written, and in the magnetic layer, a degree of vertical orientation is greater than or equal to 65%, a half width of a solitary waveform in a reproduction waveform of the servo signal is less than or equal to 195 nm, and a thickness of the magnetic layer is less than or equal to 90 nm, and the non-magnetic layer contains at least Fe-based non-magnetic particles as the non-magnetic inorganic particles, and in the non-magnetic layer, an average particle volume of the Fe-based non-magnetic particles is less than or equal to 2.010.sup.5 m.sup.3, and a thickness of the non-magnetic layer is less than or equal to 1.1 m.

[Object] Provided is a technology that is capable of further improving a recording density of data.

[Solving Means] A magnetic recording medium according to the present technology is a magnetic recording medium in a shape of a tape that is long in a longitudinal direction and is short in a width direction, the medium including: a base material; and a magnetic layer, in which the magnetic layer includes a data band long in the longitudinal direction in which a data signal is to be written, and a servo band long in the longitudinal direction in which a servo signal is written, and in the magnetic layer, a degree of vertical orientation is greater than or equal to 65%, a half width of a solitary waveform in a reproduction waveform of the servo signal is less than or equal to 195 nm, a thickness of the magnetic layer is less than or equal to 90 nm, and a thickness of the base material is less than or equal to 4.2 m.

[Object] To provide a technology for further improving the recording density of data.

[Solving Means] A magnetic recording medium according to the present technology includes: a base material; and a magnetic layer, in which the magnetic recording medium has a tape shape that is long in a longitudinal direction and short in a width direction, the magnetic layer includes a data band and a servo band, a data signal being written to the data band, the data band being long in the longitudinal direction, a servo signal being written to the servo data, the servo band being long in the longitudinal direction, the degree of perpendicular orientation of the magnetic layer being 65% or more, a full width at half maximum of an isolated waveform in a reproduced waveform of the servo signal is 195 nm or less, the magnetic layer has a thickness of 90 nm or less, and the base material has a thickness of 4.2 m or less.