Thin film magnetic recording structures.

摘要

A magnetic recording structure comprises a substrate (12), a nonmagnetic underlayer (11b) on the substrate, and a magnetic layer (11a) on the underlayer. Both the magnetic layer and the non-magnetic underlayer contain an alloy of Co and at least one other element. According to one arrangement both the non-magnetic underlayer and the magnetic layer have a microstructure primarily in hexagonal close packed form so that the easy axis of the magnetic layer extends primarily perpendicular to the plane of the magnetic layer for vertical recording. According to another arrangement the non-magnetic underlayer has a microstructure primarily in a body centred cubic form and the magnetic layer has a microstructure primarily in hexagonal close packed form so that the easy axis of the magnetic layer extends primarily parallel to the plane of the magnetic layer for horizontal recording.