Patent ID: 6773556
Filing Date: 2004-08-10
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic recording medium comprising at least one ferromagnetic thin film recording layer having magnetic particles with substantially uniform barriers to magnetization reversal, the method comprising steps of:(a) providing a precursor structure for a thin film magnetic recording medium, said precursor structure including a surface and at least one ferromagnetic thin film recording layer having a first, higher coercivity, which first, higher coercivity may be greater than that which permits writing of said precursor structure, said at least one ferromagnetic thin film recording layer comprising magnetic particles having a distribution of energy barriers to magnetization reversal; and (b) uniformly bombarding the entire surface of said precursor structure with particles of sufficient dosage and energy to: (i) substantially equalize the energy barriers to magnetization reversal of said magnetic particles; (ii) lower the coercivity of said at least one ferromagnetic thin film recording layer from said first, higher coercivity to a second, lower coercivity within a range of coercivities permitting writing of the bombarded said at least one ferromagnetic thin film recording layer; (iii) substantially retain the signal amplitude decay behavior of said precursor structure; and (iv) limit the reduction in signal-to-medium noise ratio (SMNR) of said precursor structure to a pre-selected amount.