Seed Layer Oxidation for Magnetic Recording Surface Flatness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional magnetic disk manufacturing methods fail to achieve sufficient flatness on the recording surface, which is crucial for reducing the floating height of the magnetic head and increasing recording density, and are not suitable for mass production due to inefficiencies in the production process.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of a seed layer with oxidized and non-oxidized regions, allowing for the growth of a recording layer with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, achieved through pattern oxidation and epitaxial growth, resulting in a continuous film structure with improved surface flatness and enabling in-line production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional manufacturing method with photoresist patterning and etching is used, then a patterned recording layer can be formed, but the recording surface flatness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention forms a seed layer with a predetermined pattern before depositing the recording layer material. This preliminary patterning of the seed layer serves as a template that guides the subsequent deposition process, ensuring that the recording layer material is deposited only in the desired pattern areas. This approach achieves precise pattern formation and surface flatness without requiring complex photoresist and etching processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the photoresist layer and etching process from the conventional manufacturing sequence. By using a pre-patterned seed layer as the foundation, the method removes the need for subsequent photoresist application, exposure, development, and etching steps, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining pattern precision and surface flatness.
2Manufacturing precision
If mechanical polishing is used to improve surface flatness, then the recording surface becomes flatter, but the production efficiency decreases and the process is not suitable for mass production
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs the patterning action in advance by pre-forming the seed layer with the desired pattern before depositing the recording layer. This preliminary structuring eliminates the need for post-deposition mechanical polishing, as the patterned seed layer naturally guides the deposition process to create a flat, precisely patterned recording surface in a single vacuum deposition sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention maintains continuous operation within the vacuum chamber by eliminating mechanical polishing steps that would require removing the substrate from the deposition environment. The entire process—from seed layer deposition to recording layer formation—occurs in an uninterrupted vacuum sequence, maximizing production efficiency and enabling mass production.
3Productivity
If the magnetic head floating height is reduced to increase recording density, then the recording density increases, but the recording surface must be extremely flat which is difficult to achieve with conventional methods
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a pre-patterned seed layer with precise geometric control before recording layer deposition. This preliminary structuring establishes a perfectly flat and accurately patterned foundation that enables the magnetic head to operate at reduced floating heights while maintaining high recording density, as the pre-formed pattern ensures precise magnetic domain formation without requiring extreme surface flatness adjustments.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method provides a magnetic recording medium with a sufficiently flat recording surface, reducing the floating height of the magnetic head and enhancing recording density while facilitating efficient mass production by maintaining the process within a vacuum chamber.
Implementation Method 1
a crystal plane or a crystal structure that achieves lattice matching with a crystal plane of a magnetic film formed by epitaxially growing a predetermined magnetic material on a non-oxidized ground of the seed layer
Implementation Method 2
epitaxially growing a predetermined magnetic material on a non-oxidized ground of the seed layer
Implementation Method 3
oxidized region on the surface of the seed layer
Data Source
AI summary
A magnetic recording medium includes a continuous recording layer, and a seed layer including a surface held in contact with the recording layer. The seed layer includes an oxidized region and a non-oxidized region in the surface held in contact with the recording layer. The recording layer includes a recording magnetic region and a non-recording magnetic region. The recording magnetic region corresponds in position to the non-oxidized region and has perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The non-recording magnetic region corresponds in position to the oxidized region.