Effect of MgO and Al2O3 on the microstructure and magnetic properties of CoCrPt-oxide perpendicular recording media

Abstract

MgO, Al2O3 and SiO2 incorporated CoCrPt thin films (20 nm) have been fabricated on the Ru underlayer to study the role of different oxides on magnetic isolation of CoCrPt grains. Unlike the SiO2 incorporated case, the MgO and Al2O3 incorporated specimens do not show higher coercivity and squareness. Microstructural analysis of MgO and Al2O3 cases shows quite different morphology than that Of SiO2 MgO and Al2O3 are segregated within the grains as well as grain boundaries in a patch form. The differences in magnetic properties are speculated in terms of different kinetics for the different chemical species. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.