Aspects of the present disclosure provide a heat assisted magnetic recording HAMR media structure and methods for reducing the Curie temperature distribution to improve the signal-to-noise characteristics of HAMR media. A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, a heat sink layer on the substrate, and a magnetic recording layer on the heat sink layer. The magnetic recording layer includes a plurality of magnetic recording grains configured for recording and comprising a first magnetic alloy. The magnetic recording layer further includes a plurality of segregants disposed to isolate the plurality of magnetic recording grains and comprising a second magnetic alloy. A Curie temperature of the second magnetic alloy is higher than a Curie temperature of the first magnetic alloy.

Aspects of the present disclosure provide a heat assisted magnetic recording HAMR media structure and methods for reducing the Curie temperature distribution to improve the signal-to-noise characteristics of HAMR media. A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, a heat sink layer on the substrate, and a magnetic recording layer on the heat sink layer. The magnetic recording layer includes a plurality of magnetic recording grains configured for recording and comprising a first magnetic alloy. The magnetic recording layer further includes a plurality of segregants disposed to isolate the plurality of magnetic recording grains and comprising a second magnetic alloy. A Curie temperature of the second magnetic alloy is higher than a Curie temperature of the first magnetic alloy.

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.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording medium includes: a substrate; and a magnetic recording layer structure formed above the substrate. The magnetic recording layer structure includes five or more magnetic recording layers and four or more nonmagnetic exchange coupling layers, where the magnetic recording layers and the nonmagnetic exchange coupling layers are arranged in an alternating pattern, and where the magnetic recording layers are separated from each other by least one of the nonmagnetic exchange coupling layers. The magnetic recording layer positioned closest to the substrate has each of the following: an average magnetic grain pitch of about 8.3 nm or less, a magnetic anisotropy field (H.sub.k) value of greater than or equal to about 20 kOe, and a thickness that is about 40% of a total thickness of the magnetic recording layer structure.

Magnetic media including a magnetic recording layer structure of at least six magnetic recording sublayers and at least six non-magnetic exchange control sublayers in an alternating pattern are provided. The magnetic recording layer structure includes a gradient of platinum content across the magnetic recording sublayers such that a top magnetic recording sublayer has a lowest platinum content and a bottom magnetic recording sublayer has a highest platinum content. In one such case, the magnetic media includes a substrate and the magnetic recording layer structure on the substrate. In another case, a method of fabricating such magnetic media is provided.

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.

Magnetic media including a magnetic recording layer structure of at least six magnetic recording sublayers and at least six non-magnetic exchange control sublayers in an alternating pattern are provided. The magnetic recording layer structure includes a gradient of platinum content across the magnetic recording sublayers such that a top magnetic recording sublayer has a lowest platinum content and a bottom magnetic recording sublayer has a highest platinum content. In one such case, the magnetic media includes a substrate and the magnetic recording layer structure on the substrate. In another case, a method of fabricating such magnetic media is provided.

A magnetic recording medium includes a non-magnetic substrate on which at least a soft magnetic underlayer, an orientation control layer, a perpendicular magnetic layer, and a protective layer are disposed. The perpendicular magnetic layer includes first to fourth magnetic layers. A first exchange coupling control layer is disposed between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. A second exchange coupling control layer is disposed between the second magnetic layer and the third magnetic layer. Following relations are satisfied where Ku.sub.i is a magnetic anisotropic constant of an i-th magnetic layer, Ms.sub.i is a saturation magnetization of the i-th magnetic layer, and t.sub.i is a film thickness of the i-th magnetic layer, Ku.sub.1>Ku.sub.2, Ku.sub.2>Ku.sub.3, Ms.sub.1?t.sub.1>Ms.sub.2?t.sub.2, Ms.sub.2?t.sub.2>Ms.sub.3?t.sub.3, Ku.sub.3<Ku.sub.4, and Ms.sub.3?t.sub.3<Ms.sub.4?t.sub.4.

An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a storage layer and a write layer. The storage layer is magnetic and has an L1.sub.0 crystalline structure. The write layer is directly disposed over the storage layer. The write layer is magnetic and has a crystalline structure that is different from the L1.sub.0 crystalline structure of the storage layer.

A perpendicular type of magnetic recording medium has a multi-layered recording structure made up of a plurality of ferro-magnetic layers and a non-magnetic layer interposed between the plurality of ferro-magnetic layers, and the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy of the lower ferro-magnetic layer is greater than the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy of the upper ferro-magnetic layer. Accordingly, the lower ferro-magnetic layer may be easily magnetically reversed by a magnetic field applied during a write operation. Thus, the perpendicular type of magnetic recording medium exhibits an enhanced thermal stability and write-ability.