Effect of Thin Al Underlayer in Amorphous Magnetic Recording Media

The effect of thin Al underlayers for amorphous TbFeCo-based, perpendicular magnetic recording media were studied in a laser-assisted and also in a non-assisted, conventional magnetic recording method. With the insertion of only a few nanometers of Al underlayer underneath a TbFeCo layer, an increase of coercivity was observed and the linear recording density was improved. It is considered that the relatively rough, grain-like surface structure, of the Al underlayer worked as pinning sites for the TbFeCo laver.