Grain size reduction for perpendicular magnetic recording media using an Ar-ion etched Ru seedlayer

We report an approach to reduce grain size for perpendicular media by using an Ar-ion etched Ru seedlayer. The surface etching affects the microstructure of the subsequent high pressure deposited Ru2+SiO(2) interlayer and magnetic layer, whose grain size can be controlled. SiO(2) in the interlayer plays a more important role in grain size reduction on the etched seedlayer than the as-grown seedlayer. Small Ru2 grains similar to 3.9 nm and magnetic grains similar to 5.3 nm with uniform distribution have been obtained. Thinner Ru grain boundaries with reduced size could be the cause of nonideal one-to-one grain growth and degraded magnetic properties. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.