DEVELOPING THIN FILMS FOR ADVANCED MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIA

Abstract

In this thesis work an effort has been made to optimize the thin film media for the different magnetic recording technologies viz., PMR, HAMR and BPM. L10 FePt/FCC FePt bilayer ECC media has been optimized for PMR technology. The effect of change of deposition temperature in such ECC bilayers was studied and optimized. In addition, these ECC structures were further optimized by nitrogen plasma treatment and introduction of MgO and Ta exchange control layers (ECL). L10 CoPt capping layer was studied which could remain ferromagnetic at the writing temperature of L10 FePtC (HAMR media), thereby providing the necessary counter-exchange energy to mitigate the stray fields from the adjacent grains. Furthermore, we have also studied the selective transformation of paramagnetic (Co3O4/Pd) to ferromagnetic (CoPd) bits by low energy proton (light) irradiation. By this process., planarization-less ferromagnetic islands of Co/Pd (~10 nm) were created that too with limited cross-talk.