Low noise properties and thermal stability of Co-based thin film media for high density longitudinal recording

Media with excellent signal to noise properties and adequate high temperature thermal stability have been developed for over 20 Gbit/in/sup 2/ recording. The media are fabricated by dc magnetron sputtering onto textured NiP films on Al-Mg substrates. The magnetic layer is a CoCr-based quaternary alloy with (11.0) preferred orientation on a Cr alloy [002] underlayer. The average grain diameter has been reduced to an average of 0.3 memu/cm/sup 2/ consistent with magnetometry measurements.