METHOD FOR MAKING A PATTERNED PERPENDICULAR MAGNETIC RECORDING DISK USING GLANCING ANGLE DEPOSITION OF HARD MASK MATERIAL

摘要

A method for making a bit-patterned media (BPM) magnetic recording disk by etching the recording layer using a patterned hard mask layer uses glancing angle deposition (GLAD) of additional hard mask material as a capping layer onto the tops of the patterned hard mask pillars while the disk is rotated about an axis orthogonal to the plane of the disk. In one embodiment the capping layer is deposited after the pillars have been only partially eroded during a partial ion-milling of the recording layer. Ion-milling is then again performed to remove the remaining recording layer material. In another embodiment, before ion-milling of the recording layer, the capping layer is deposited onto the tops of the un-eroded hard mask pillars. This increases the lateral dimension of the hard mask pillars so that after ion-milling of the recording layer, the magnetic islands have an increased lateral dimension.

主权项

1. A method for forming a patterned magnetic recording layer on a perpendicular magnetic recording disk comprising:
providing a disk substrate having a perpendicular magnetic recording layer with a hard mask layer formed on the recording layer; patterning the hard mask layer into a plurality of pillars with trenches of exposed recording layer between the pillars; forming on the tops of the hard mask pillars a capping layer by depositing capping layer material at an oblique angle to the substrate while rotating the substrate about an axis orthogonal to the plane of the substrate; and ion-milling the exposed recording layer, using the capped hard mask pillars as an etch mask.