Patent · US Active

Patterned perpendicular magnetic recording medium with exchange coupled recording layer structure and magnetic recording system using the medium

US8021769B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
8References
9Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateMay 22, 2007
Grant dateSep 20, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 22, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B5/855
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A patterned perpendicular magnetic recording medium has discrete magnetic islands, each of which has a recording layer (RL) structure that comprises two exchange-coupled ferromagnetic layers. The RL structure may be an “exchange-spring” RL structure with an upper ferromagnetic layer (MAG2), sometimes called the exchange-spring layer (ESL), ferromagnetically coupled to a lower ferromagnetic layer (MAG1), sometimes called the media layer (ML). The RL structure may also include a coupling layer (CL) between MAG1 and MAG2 that permits ferromagnetic coupling. The interlayer exchange coupling between MAG1 and MAG2 may be optimized, in part, by adjusting the materials and thickness of the CL. The RL structure may also include a ferromagnetic lateral coupling layer (LCL) that is in contact with at least one of MAG1 and MAG2 for mediating intergranular exchange coupling in the ferromagnetic layer or layers with which it is in contact (MAG2 or MAG1). The ferromagnetic alloy in the LCL has significantly greater intergranular exchange coupling than the ferromagnetic alloy with which it is in contact (MAG2 or MAG1).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.