A method for forming a CoFeSiBPd alloy thin film exhibiting perpendicular magnetic anisotropy includes: simultaneously sputtering a CoFeSiB target and a Pd target inside a vacuum chamber to form a CoFeSiBPd alloy thin film on a substrate disposed inside the vacuum chamber; and annealing the substrate, on which the CoFeSiBPd alloy thin film is formed, to exhibit perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.

A method for forming a multilayer thin film exhibiting perpendicular magnetic anisotropy includes alternately sputtering a CoFeSiB target and a Pd target inside a vacuum chamber to form a [CoFeSiB/Pd] multilayer thin film on a substrate disposed inside the vacuum chamber. The number of times the [CoFeSiB/Pd] multilayer thin film is stacked may be 3 or more.

A method for forming a multilayer thin film exhibiting perpendicular magnetic anisotropy includes alternately sputtering a CoFeSiB target and a Pd target inside a vacuum chamber to form a [CoFeSiB/Pd] multilayer thin film on a substrate disposed inside the vacuum chamber. The number of times the [CoFeSiB/Pd] multilayer thin film is stacked may be 3 or more.

A method includes forming an amorphous magnetic film on a film formation subject by sputtering a target that includes any one selected from a group consisting of Mn.sub.3Sn, Mn.sub.3Ge, and (Mn.sub.1-xFe.sub.x)Ge as a main component and crystalizing the amorphous magnetic film by heating the amorphous magnetic film. The crystalizing includes heating the amorphous magnetic film to a temperature that is greater than or equal to 225 C. and less than or equal to 400 C.

An object of the present invention is to reduce particles generated in sputtering, and in order to achieve such an object, there is provided a sputtering target material including in at. %: 10 to 50% of B; and the balance of at least one of Co and Fe, and unavoidable impurities, in which the intensity ratio [I [(CoFe).sub.3B]/I [(CoFe).sub.2B]] of the X-ray diffraction intensity [I [(CoFe).sub.3B]] of (CoFe).sub.3B (121) to the X-ray diffraction intensity [I [(CoFe).sub.2B]] of (CoFe).sub.2B (200), the intensity ratio [I (Co.sub.3B)/I (Co.sub.2B)] of the X-ray diffraction intensity [I (Co.sub.3B)] of Co.sub.3B (121) to the X-ray diffraction intensity [I (Co.sub.2B)] of Co.sub.2B (200), or the intensity ratio [I (Fe.sub.3B)/I (Fe.sub.2B)] of the X-ray diffraction intensity [I (Fe.sub.3B)] of Fe.sub.3B (121) to the X-ray diffraction intensity [I (Fe.sub.2B)] of Fe.sub.2B (200) is 1.50 or less.

A method of making a sputtering target in which an atomized powder including, in at. %, 10 to 50% of B, 0 to 20% in total of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Re, Ru, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, and Ag, and a balance of one or both of Co and Fe, and unavoidable impurities is provided. Fine particles are removed from the atomized powder to obtain a powder having a particle distribution where the cumulative volume of particles having a particle diameter of 5 m or less is 10% or less, and the cumulative volume of particles having a particle diameter of 30 m or less is 5-40%. The obtained powder is sintered to form a sputtering target comprising a sintered body. The sputtering target comprises hydrogen of 20 ppm or less.

Provided is an FePt based magnetic material sintered compact, comprising BN and SiO.sub.2 as non-magnetic materials, wherein Si and O are present in a region where B or N is present at a cut surface of the sintered compact. A high density sputtering target is provided which enables production of a magnetic thin film for heat-assisted magnetic recording media, and also reduces the amount of particles generated during sputtering.

The magnetic memory element (100) includes: a conductive layer that includes a heavy metal layer (10) containing a 5d transition metal; a first ferromagnetic layer (20) that is adjacent to the conductive layer and contains a ferromagnetic layer having a reversible magnetization; a barrier layer (30) that is adjacent to the first ferromagnetic layer (20) and includes an insulating material; a reference layer (40) that is adjacent to the barrier layer (30) and has at least one second ferromagnetic layer (41) having a fixed magnetization direction; a cap layer (50) that is adjacent to the reference layer (40) and includes a conductive material; a first terminal (T1) that is capable of introducing a current into one end of the heavy metal layer (10) in the longitudinal direction; a second terminal (T2) that is capable of introducing a current into the other end of the heavy metal layer (10) in the longitudinal direction; and a third terminal (T3) that is capable of introducing a current into the cap layer (50).

Provided is an FePt based magnetic material sintered compact, comprising BN and SiO.sub.2 as non-magnetic materials, wherein Si and O are present in a region where B or N is present at a cut surface of the sintered compact. An object of the present invention is to provide a high density sputtering target which enables production of a magnetic thin film for heat-assisted magnetic recording media, and also reduces the amount of particles generated during sputtering.

A device includes a housing unit and a number of magnets. The housing unit includes a number of holes therein. The magnets are positioned in the holes. The magnets have a same pole orientation. It is appreciated that the magnets are positioned in the holes to form a mechanically balanced and magnetically unbalanced structure.