Growth-Control and Microstructure Characterization of Magnetic Thin Films, Application to High Density Perpendicular Magnetic Recording Media

摘要

The paper reviews the development of thin film technology for perpendicular magnetic recording, focusing on the microstructure control of Co-alloy recording layer. The following topics are discussed: (1) nucleation and growth of magnetic thin films through hetero-epitaxy on nonmagnetic underlayers, (2) microstructure and micro-composition characterization, (3) magnetization structure analysis, and (4) media possibility for higher densities. The relationship between film microstructure and recorded magnetization structure is also discussed.