Perpendicular recording media with enhanced anisotropy through energy assisted segregation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10793944-B2
Application number	US-201514970809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2015
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

Apparatus for recording data and method for making the same. In accordance with some embodiments, a magnetic layer is supported by a substrate and comprises a magnetic magnetic material, a non-magnetic material, and an energy assisted segregation material. The segregation material enhances segregation of the non-magnetic material into grain boundaries within the layer at an elevated, moderate energy level.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising depositing on a substrate a perpendicular magnetic recording layer comprising respective amounts of a magnetic material comprising cobalt (Co), a non-magnetic material comprising Chromium (Cr), an oxide and an energy assisted segregation material comprising Boron (B) at an elevated, moderate energy level comprising a substrate temperature of from about 100° C. to about 150° C. and a substrate voltage magnitude of from above 0V to about 500V, wherein during said depositing of the magnetic recording layer a sputtering process is used while maintaining the substrate temperature and the substrate voltage magnitude such that the amount of the energy assisted segregation material relative to the amount of the magnetic material, the non-magnetic material and the oxide is adjusted to enhance segregation of the non-magnetic material into grain boundaries within the magnetic recording layer, and wherein said depositing of the magnetic recording layer comprises depositing a greater first amount of the energy assisted segregation material on the substrate at a beginning of the depositing of the magnetic recording layer to initiate formation of non-magnetic areas of the magnetic recording layer, and subsequently depositing a reduced second amount of the energy assisted segregation material on the substrate as the non-magnetic areas grow in size.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic recording layer is a continuous granular composite (CGC) layer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate temperature is about 150° C.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic recording layer is deposited upon the substrate within a chamber, and wherein the method further comprises applying a pressurized atmosphere within the chamber at a pressure greater than one atmosphere during the depositing of the magnetic recording layer.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bias voltage is from about 200V to about 400V.

6. A method for forming a perpendicular recording media, comprising:
placing a substrate into a chamber;
heating the substrate to a temperature of from 100° C. to 150° C.;
applying a voltage to the substrate greater than 0V and less than or equal to 500V;
providing a target within the chamber having a magnetic material comprising Cobalt (Co), a non-magnetic material comprising Chromium (Cr), an oxide and an energy assisted segregation material comprising Boron (B); and
using the target for depositing a magnetic recording layer by sputtering onto the substrate, the magnetic recording layer comprising the magnetic material arranged as grains separated by the non-magnetic material and the oxide, the energy assisted segregation material enhancing separation of the magnetic material from the non-magnetic material responsive to the heating of the substrate and the applying of the voltage to the substrate, wherein during the depositing of the magnetic layer onto the substrate the heating of the substrate and the applying of the voltage to the substrate are maintained, such that a greater first amount of the energy assisted segregation material is used at a beginning of the depositing of the magnetic recording layer to initiate formation of non-magnetic areas of the magnetic recording layer, and a reduced second amount of the energy assisted segregation material is used during continued depositing of the magnetic recording layer onto the substrate as the non-magnetic areas grow in size.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the voltage applied to the substrate has a magnitude of 200V or less.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the substrate temperature is about 150° C.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the bias voltage is from about 200V to about 400V.

10. A method for forming a perpendicular magnetic recording layer on a substrate, the method comprising steps of:
placing the substrate into a chamber;
heating the substrate to a temperature of from 100° C. to 150° C.;
applying a voltage to the substrate having a magnitude of from above 0V to 500V;
providing a target within the chamber with a target material comprising Co, Pt, Cr, an oxide and B where B is characterized as an energy assisted segregation material; and
sputtering the target material to deposit onto the substrate to form the magnetic recording layer, the magnetic recording layer separated into magnetic grains and non-magnetic boundaries by the energy assisted segregation material responsive to the heating of the substrate and the applying of the voltage to the substrate, wherein during the sputtering of the target material onto the substrate the heating of the substrate and the applying of the voltage to the substrate are maintained, such that a greater first amount of the energy assisted segregation material is used at a beginning of the sputtering of the substrate to initiate formation of the non-magnetic boundaries of the magnetic recording layer, and a reduced second amount of the energy assisted segregation material is used during continued sputtering of the substrate as the non-magnetic boundaries grow in size.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising applying a pressurized atmosphere within the chamber during the sputtering of the substrate at a pressure greater than one atmosphere.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the substrate voltage magnitude is 200V or less.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the substrate temperature is about 150° C. and the bias voltage is from about 200V to about 400V.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the magnetic recording layer is a continuous granular composite (CGC) layer.

Assignees

• Seagate Technology Llc

Inventors

• Wang Chun
• Liu Connie
• Nolan Thomas P
• Chour Kueir-Weei

Classifications

• C23C14/345

  using substrate bias · CPC title

• C23C14/0084 Primary

  Producing gradient compositions · CPC title

• G11B5/851 Primary

  Coating a support with a magnetic layer by sputtering · CPC title

• C23C14/541

  Heating or cooling of the substrates · CPC title

• C23C14/087

  of copper or solid solutions thereof · CPC title