Double-layered perpendicular magnetic recording media of granular-type FePt-MgO films

The recording performance of double-layered granular-type FePt-MgO perpendicular magnetic recording media fabricated onto glass discs by sputtering is investigated. The (0 0 1)-textured FePt granular films are obtained by annealing FePt/MgO multilayers. Three different multilayer structures are compared in their magnetic properties and recording SNR performances. To evaluate thermal stability property of these granular-type FePt disks, the time-dependent magnetic force microscope (MFM) signal from the written bits on one of these disks is recorded in the temperature range 25-200 degreesC. The signal decay at high observation temperature is interpreted based on the temperature dependence of magnetic anisotropy (K-u). (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.