A method, according to one approach, includes forming an underlayer of a magnetic recording medium. The underlayer includes encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by an aromatic polymer, and a polymeric binder binding the encapsulated nanoparticles. The underlayer is cured by irradiating the underlayer for causing crosslinking of the polymeric binder. In another approach, a method includes forming an underlayer of a magnetic recording medium by spray coating a mixture of a magnetic nanoparticles, aromatic polymer, and polymeric binder onto a structure as a sprayed-on aerosol coating; and curing the underlayer.

To provide a magnetic recording tape and the like that have excellent magnetic properties and exhibit a favorable SNR. There are provided a magnetic recording tape and the like including at least: a base layer that includes a long film having flexibility; and a magnetic layer formed on a side of one main surface of the base layer, in which an under layer and a seed layer are provided in the stated order from a side of the magnetic layer toward a side of the base layer between the magnetic layer and the base layer, the underlayer contains at least Co and Cr, and has an average atomic number ratio represented by the following formula (1): Co.sub.(100-y)Cr.sub.y (where y is within a range of 37≤y≤45.), and the seed layer formed directly on the base layer has a film thickness of 5 nm or more and 30 nm or less, and contains Ti and O and has an average atomic number ratio represented by the following formula (2): Ti.sub.(100-x)O.sub.x (where x≤10.) or contains Ti—Cr—O and has an average atomic number ratio represented by the following formula (3): (TiCr).sub.(100-x)O.sub.x (where x≤10.).

A method, according to one approach, includes forming an underlayer of a magnetic recording medium. The underlayer includes encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by an aromatic polymer, and a polymeric binder binding the encapsulated nanoparticles. A method, according to another approach, includes mixing encapsulated nanoparticles with a polymeric binder and a solvent to form a mixture, the encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by an aromatic polymer. The mixture is applied onto a structure. The applied mixture is at least partially dried and cured.

To provide a magnetic recording tape and the like that have excellent magnetic properties and exhibit a favorable SNR. There are provided a magnetic recording tape and the like including at least: a base layer that includes a long film having flexibility; and a magnetic layer formed on a side of one main surface of the base layer, in which an under layer and a seed layer are provided in the stated order from a side of the magnetic layer toward a side of the base layer between the magnetic layer and the base layer, the underlayer contains at least Co and Cr, and has an average atomic number ratio represented by the following formula (1): Co.sub.(100-y)Cr.sub.y (where y is within a range of 37≤y≤45.), and the seed layer formed directly on the base layer has a film thickness of 5 nm or more and 30 nm or less, and contains Ti and O and has an average atomic number ratio represented by the following formula (2): Ti.sub.(100-x)O.sub.x (where x≤10.) or contains Ti—Cr—O and has an average atomic number ratio represented by the following formula (3): (TiCr).sub.(100-x)O.sub.x (where x≤10.).

A method, according to one approach, includes forming an underlayer of a magnetic recording medium. The underlayer includes encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by an aromatic polymer, and a polymeric binder binding the encapsulated nanoparticles. A method, according to another approach, includes mixing encapsulated nanoparticles with a polymeric binder and a solvent to form a mixture, the encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by an aromatic polymer. The mixture is applied onto a structure. The applied mixture is at least partially dried and cured.

A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, an underlayer formed on the substrate, and a magnetic layer formed on the underlayer. The magnetic layer includes an alloy having a L1.sub.0 structure. The underlayer includes a first underlayer and a second underlayer. The first underlayer includes Mo and Ru, the content of Ru in the first underlayer is in a range of 5 atom % to 30 atom %, and the second underlayer includes a material having a body-centered cubic (BCC) structure. The second underlayer is formed between the first underlayer and the substrate.

A heat assisted magnetic recording disk drive comprises a magnetic recording media with a heat sink layer including at least a material being defined by the general structure M.sub.n+1AX.sub.n, wherein M is a transition metal, A is an A-group element, X is C or N or a mixture of C and N, and n is a positive integer, or a material defined by the general structure M.sub.n+1AX.sub.n, wherein M is a transition metal, X is one or both of C and N, and n is a positive integer, or a mixture of the materials being defined by the general structure M.sub.n+1AX.sub.n and the material defined by the general structure M.sub.n+1X.sub.n, wherein the crystal structure of the materials is hexagonal with repeated M-X-M (quasi 2D) atomic layers. The atomic layers are stacked along the {right arrow over (c)}-axis that is oriented substantially parallel to the surface normal of the heat sink layer.

A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, an underlayer formed on the substrate, and a magnetic layer formed on the underlayer. The magnetic layer includes an alloy having a L1.sub.0 structure. The underlayer includes a first underlayer and a second underlayer. The first underlayer includes Mo and Ru, the content of Ru in the first underlayer is in a range of 5 atom % to 30 atom %, and the second underlayer includes a material having a body-centered cubic (BCC) structure. The second underlayer is formed between the first underlayer and the substrate.

A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, an underlayer, and a magnetic layer including an alloy having a L1.sub.0 type crystal structure with a (001) orientation, wherein 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 W as a main component and a nitride whose content ranges from 1 mol % to 80 mol %, and the nitride includes one or more elements selected from a group consisting of Al, B, Si, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, and W.

A method, according to one approach, includes forming an underlayer of a magnetic recording medium. The underlayer includes encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by an aromatic polymer, and a polymeric binder binding the encapsulated nanoparticles. The underlayer is cured by irradiating the underlayer for causing crosslinking of the polymeric binder. In another approach, a method includes forming an underlayer of a magnetic recording medium by spray coating a mixture of a magnetic nanoparticles, aromatic polymer, and polymeric binder onto a structure as a sprayed-on aerosol coating; and curing the underlayer.