SPUTTERING TARGET COMPRISING OXIDE PHASE DISPERSED IN CO OR CO ALLOY PHASE, MAGNETIC MATERIAL THIN FILM COMPRISING CO OR CO ALLOY PHASE AND OXIDE PHASE, AND MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIUM PRODUCED USING THE MAGNETIC MATERIAL THIN FILM

摘要

Disclosed is a sputtering target comprising an oxide phase dispersed in a Co or Co alloy phase. The sputtering target comprises: a Co-containing metal matrix phase; and a phase containing SiO₂ and having an oxide dispersed therein in an amount of 6 to 14 mol% so as to form particles (referred to as "an oxide phase", hereinafter). The sputtering target is characterized in that a Cr oxide is scattered in the oxide phase or the surface area of the oxide phase in an amount of not less than 0.3 mol% and less than 1.0 mol% in addition to components constituting the metal matrix phase and the oxide phase, and the average surface area of particles contained in the oxide phase is 2.0 μm² or less. The sputtering target comprising an oxide phase dispersed in a Co or Co alloy phase enables the reduction in arcing, can achieve steady electrical discharge in a magnetron sputtering device, and produces a reduced amount of particles upon sputtering at a high density.