We have demonstrated that PdICo metal multilayers have superior perpendicular magnetic recording properties when compared with conventional CoCr perpendicular alloy media. Using a perpendicular contact probe transducer, the multilayers exhibit more than two times the readback signal of CoCr media. For instance, at 145,000 flux changes per inch, multilayer media exhibited a track amplitude of 380pV, compared with 140pV for conventional media using the same transducer. The multilayers can be made with low roughness suitable for contact recording, and can generate narrow 12 microinch readback pulses with large amplitude.In addition, the multilayers have essentially no dead layer. Many aspects of Pd/Co performance can be predictably optimized for a given set of transducer properties.

Abstract-We investigated the magnetic and perpendicular recording properties of DC magnetron sputtered Co/pt multi layer media using a single pole contact head. Thin Co/pt multilayer films have attractive magnetic properties for perpendicular recording. This medium shows excellent recording performances relative to CoCrTa conventional media. The multi layer films sputtered at high Ar pressure have columnar" microstructure. This structure contributes to large coercivities and low media noise. This paper shows the possibilities of ultra-high-density recording using combination of thin film metal multi layer media and inductive single pole head.

We demonstrate that Pd/Co multilayers can have superior properties for perpendicular magnetic recording media using a contact probe head. The multilayers are capable of generating relatively large signal amplitudes compared to conventional perpendicular CoCrTa alloy media, with a more than twofold increase in signal amplitude at 145 kilo flux changes per inch. We have also investigated the effect of Cr alloying of the Co layer to reduce the demagnetization energy of the magnetic layer. Cr reduced both the demagnetizing energy of the magnetic layer and the surface anisotropy of the Pd/CoCr interface.

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Comparisons of magnetic anisotropy and switching behavior of CoCr-based alloy and Co/Pd multilayer media were made using a vector vibrating sample magnetometer. Magnetic anisotropy energy was determined from angle-dependent measurements of the transverse magnetization, using a simple approximate expression for transverse moment versus applied field and rotation angle. Switching behavior was deduced from hysteresis and angle-dependent energy-loss measurements. The multilayers were found to switch by curling and domain wall motion, while the Co78Cr17Ta5 and Co70Cr15Ta5Pt10 media were found to switch by nearly coherent (Stoner–Wohlfarth) rotation. Plasma oxidation of the multilayers was found to slightly reduce the amount of coupling, but degraded readback amplitude to a contact recording transducer.