Abstract:
A perpendicular magnetic recording system uses an exchange-spring type of perpendicular magnetic recording medium. The medium has a recording layer (RL) that includes a lower media layer (ML) and a multilayer exchange-spring layer (ESL) above the ML. The high anisotropy field (high-H k ) lower ML and the multilayer ESL are exchange-coupled across a coupling layer. The multilayer ESL has at least two ESLs separated by a coupling layer, with each of the ESLs having an H k  substantially less than the H k  of the ML. The exchange-spring structure with the multilayer ESL takes advantage of the fact that the write field magnitude and write field gradient vary as a function of distance from the write pole. The thicknesses and H k  values of each of the ESLs can be independently varied to optimize the overall recording performance of the medium.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to perpendicular magnetic recording media, such as disks for use in magnetic recording hard disk drives, and more particularly to media having an exchange-spring structure. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Perpendicular magnetic recording, wherein the recorded bits are stored in the generally planar recording layer in a generally perpendicular or out-of-plane orientation (i.e., other than parallel to the surfaces of the disk substrate and the recording layer), is a promising path toward ultra-high recording densities in magnetic recording hard disk drives. A common type of perpendicular magnetic recording system is one that uses a “dual-layer” medium. This type of system is shown in  FIG. 1  with a single write pole type of recording head. The dual-layer medium includes a perpendicular magnetic data recording layer (RL) on a “soft” or relatively low-coercivity magnetically permeable underlayer (SUL) formed on the substrate. 
         [0005]    One type of material for the RL is a granular ferromagnetic cobalt alloy, such as a CoPtCr alloy, with a hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) crystalline structure having the c-axis oriented generally perpendicular or to the RL. The granular cobalt alloy RL should also have a well-isolated fine-grain structure to produce a high-coercivity media and to reduce intergranular exchange coupling, which is responsible for high intrinsic media noise. Enhancement of grain segregation in the cobalt alloy RL can be achieved by the addition of oxides, including oxides of Si, Ta, Ti, Nb, Cr, V, and B. These oxides tend to segregate to the grain boundaries, and together with the elements of the cobalt alloy form nonmagnetic intergranular material. 
         [0006]    The SUL serves as a flux return path for the field from the write pole to the return pole of the recording head. In  FIG. 1 , the RL is illustrated with perpendicularly recorded or magnetized regions, with adjacent regions having opposite magnetization directions, as represented by the arrows. The magnetic transitions between adjacent oppositely-directed magnetized regions are detectable by the read element or head as the recorded bits. 
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a schematic of a cross-section of a prior art perpendicular magnetic recording disk showing the write field H acting on the recording layer RL. The disk also includes the hard disk substrate that provides a generally planar surface for the subsequently deposited layers. The generally planar layers formed on the surface of the substrate also include a seed or onset layer (OL) for growth of the SUL, an exchange break layer (EBL) to break the magnetic exchange coupling between the magnetically permeable films of the SUL and the RL and to facilitate epitaxial growth of the RL, and a protective overcoat (OC). As shown in  FIG. 2 , the RL is located inside the gap of the “apparent” recording head (ARH), which allows for significantly higher write fields compared to longitudinal or in-plane recording. The ARH comprises the write pole ( FIG. 1 ) which is the real write head (RWH) above the disk, and a secondary write pole (SWP) beneath the RL. The SWP is facilitated by the SUL, which is decoupled from the RL by the EBL and produces a magnetic mirror image of the RWH during the write process. This effectively brings the RL into the gap of the ARH and allows for a large write field H inside the RL. However, this geometry also results in the write field H inside the RL being oriented nearly normal to the surface of the substrate and the surface of the RL, i.e., along the perpendicular easy axis of the RL grains, as shown by typical grain  1  with easy axis  2 . The nearly parallel alignment of the write field H and the RL easy axis has the disadvantage that relatively high write fields are necessary to reverse the magnetization because minimal torque is exerted onto the grain magnetization. Also, a write-field/easy-axis alignment increases the magnetization reversal time of the RL grains, as described by M. Benakli et al.,  IEEE Trans. MAG  37, 1564 (2001). 
         [0008]    The use of a trailing shield to the write pole has been proposed to tilt the write field relative to the media anisotropy axis to make magnetization reversal in the RL easier. The trailing shield also has the advantage of an improved write field gradient needed to obtain high density recording. However, the use of a trailing shield comes at the expense of a reduction in magnitude of the effective write field that can be realized. 
         [0009]    To also address the problem of write-field/easy-axis alignment, “tilted” media have been theoretically proposed, as described by K.-Z. Gao et al.,  IEEE Trans. MAG  39, 704 (2003), in which the magnetic easy axis of the RL is tilted at an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to the surface normal, so that magnetization reversal can be accomplished with a lower write field and without an increase in the reversal time. While there is no known fabrication process to make high-quality recording media with a tilted easy axis, there have been proposals to achieve a magnetic behavior that emulates tilted media using a media structure compatible with conventional media fabrication techniques. In one technique, the perpendicular recording medium is a composite medium of two ferromagnetically exchange-coupled magnetic layers with substantially different anisotropy fields (H k ). (The anisotropy field H k  of a ferromagnetic layer with uniaxial magnetic anisotropy K u  is the magnetic field that would need to be applied along the easy axis to switch the magnetization direction.) Magnetic simulation of this composite medium shows that in the presence of a uniform write field H the magnetization of the lower-H k  layer will rotate first and assist in the reversal of the magnetization of the higher-H k  layer. This behavior, sometimes called the “exchange-spring” behavior, and various types of composite media are described by R. H. Victora et al., “Composite Media for Perpendicular Magnetic Recording”,  IEEE Trans MAG  41 (2), 537-542, February 2005; and J. P. Wang et al., “Composite media (dynamic tilted media) for magnetic recording”,  Appl. Phys. Lett.  86 (14) Art. No. 142504, Apr. 4 2005. 
         [0010]    Pending application Ser. No. 11/231,516, published as US2006/0177704A1 on Aug. 10, 2006 and assigned to the same assignee as this application, describes an exchange-spring perpendicular magnetic recording medium with a lower high-H k  magnetic layer (sometimes called the “media” layer) exchange-coupled across a coupling layer to an upper low-H k  magnetic layer (sometimes called the “exchange-spring” layer). 
         [0011]    The recording performance of an exchange-spring medium is determined by the lateral and vertical exchange strength provided by the exchange-spring layer, the magnetic moment, the thickness of the layers, the anisotropy field of the exchange-spring layer, and the properties of the media layer. The exchange-spring layer serves several purposes. The exchange-spring effect reduces the write field needed to needed to switch the RL and also serves as a means of reducing the noise in the system by controlling lateral exchange. However, it is difficult to independently control these parameters to achieve the desired recording performance. 
         [0012]    What is needed is an improved exchange-spring type of perpendicular magnetic recording medium that allows better control over the various parameters, like writability, noise performance, thermal stability and resolution, to achieve a medium with the desired recording performance. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The invention relates to an exchange-spring type of perpendicular magnetic recording medium with a multilayer exchange-spring layer (ESL) and a recording system that incorporates the medium. The recording layer (RL) includes the high-H k  lower media layer (ML) and a multilayer exchange-spring layer (ESL), with the ML and the multilayer ESL being exchange-coupled across a coupling layer. The ESL comprises at least two exchange-spring layers separated by a coupling layer, with each of the ESLs having an H k  substantially less than the H k  of the ML. 
         [0014]    The exchange-spring structure with the multilayer ESL takes advantage of the fact that the write field magnitude and write field gradient vary as a function of distance from the write pole. The thicknesses, lateral exchange and H k  values of each of the ESLs can be independently varied to optimize the overall recording performance of the medium. In one example for a medium with a two-layer ESL, the upper ESL has a higher H k  than the lower ESL, resulting in a reduction in the width of an isolated transition (reduced T 50 ). In another example, the upper ESL has a lower H k  than the lower ESL, which allows the upper ESL to rotate easier when exposed to the write field and create a greater torque to assist in reversing the magnetization of the lower ESL and the ML. 
         [0015]    For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a schematic of a prior art perpendicular magnetic recording system. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a schematic of a cross-section of a prior art perpendicular magnetic recording disk showing the write field H acting on the recording layer (RL). 
           [0018]      FIG. 3A  is a schematic of a cross-section of a prior art perpendicular magnetic recording disk with an exchange-spring recording layer (RL) made up of two ferromagnetically exchange-coupled magnetic layers (MAG 1  and MAG 2 ). 
           [0019]      FIG. 3B  is a schematic of a cross-section of a perpendicular magnetic recording disk with an exchange-spring recording layer (RL) made up of two magnetic layers (MAG 1  and MAG 2 ) separated by a coupling layer (CL), and the fields H 1  and H 2  acting on MAG 1  and MAG 2 , respectively. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a schematic of a cross-section of a perpendicular magnetic recording disk according to this invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]      FIG. 3A  is a schematic of a cross-section of a perpendicular magnetic recording disk according to the prior art with an exchange-spring recording layer (RL) made up of two ferromagnetically exchange-coupled magnetic layers (MAG 1  and MAG 2 ). MAG 1 , sometimes called the exchange-spring layer, and MAG 2 , sometimes called the media layer, each has perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. However, MAG 1  and MAG 2  have different magnetic properties, so that they respond differently to the applied write field. For example, one of MAG 1  and MAG 2  can be magnetically soft (low H k ) and the other magnetically hard (high H k ). The magnetic grains in the soft layer may be exchange-decoupled from one another, meaning that there is very low intergranular exchange coupling in the soft layer. With a proper interlayer exchange coupling between the grains in MAG 1  and MAG 2 , the soft grains will rotate first under the applied write field, while at the same time providing an exchange field to the hard grains to mimic an effective tilt of their easy axis, thus assisting in the magnetization reversal of the grains in the hard layer. In the prior art disk of  FIG. 3A  the two magnetic layers MAG 1  and MAG 2  are in contact and are directly exchange-coupled without an intermediate coupling layer. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3B  illustrates an exchange-spring medium like that described in the previously-cited pending application Ser. Nos. 11/231,516 wherein a coupling layer (CL) is located between MAG 1  and MAG 2 . The composite RL has at least two exchange-coupled magnetic layers (MAG 1  and MAG 2 ), each with generally perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, that are separated by the CL. The exchange-spring layer (MAG 2 ) has a lower H k  than media layer MAG 2 . The CL provides the appropriate ferromagnetic coupling strength between the magnetic layers. As shown in the expanded portion of  FIG. 3B , a typical grain  10  in MAG 2  has a generally perpendicular or out-of-plane magnetization along an easy axis  12 , and is acted upon by a write field H 2 . A typical grain  20  in MAG 1  below the MAG 2  grain  10  also has a perpendicular magnetization along an easy axis  22 , and is acted upon by a write field H 1  that is less than H 2  as a result of MAG 1  being farther from the write head than MAG 2 . In the presence of the applied write field H 2 , the lower-H k  MAG 2  will rotate first and act as a write assist layer by exerting a magnetic torque onto the higher-H k  MAG 1  that assists in reversing the magnetization of MAG 1 . In this non-coherent reversal of the magnetizations of MAG 1  and MAG 2 , MAG 2  changes its magnetization orientation in response to a write field and in turn amplifies the “torque,” or reverse field, exerted on MAG 1 , causing MAG 1  to change its magnetization direction in response to a weaker write field. 
         [0023]    The exchange-spring type of perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to this invention is shown in the sectional view of  FIG. 4 . The recording layer (RL) includes the high-H k  lower layer MAG 1 , which is the media layer (ML) in the exchange-spring structure, and a multilayered exchange-spring layer (ESL), with ML and ESL being exchange-coupled across coupling layer CL 1 . The ESL comprises at least two exchange-spring layers (ESL 1  and ESL 2 ) separated by a coupling layer (CL 2 ), with each of ESL 1  and ESL 2  having an H k  substantially less than the H k  of MAG 1 . 
         [0024]    A representative disk structure for the medium shown in  FIG. 4  will now be described. The hard disk substrate may be any commercially available glass substrate, but may also be a conventional aluminum alloy with a NiP surface coating, or an alternative substrate, such as silicon, canasite or silicon-carbide. 
         [0025]    The adhesion layer or OL for the growth of the SUL may be an AlTi alloy or a similar material with a thickness of about 1-10 nm. The SUL may be formed of magnetically permeable materials such as alloys of CoNiFe, FeCoB, CoCuFe, NiFe, FeAlSi, FeTaN, FeN, FeTaC, CoTaZr, CoFeTaZr, CoFeB, and CoZrNb. The SUL may also be a laminated or multilayered SUL formed of multiple soft magnetic films separated by nonmagnetic films, such as electrically conductive films of Al or CoCr. The SUL may also be a laminated or multilayered SUL formed of multiple soft magnetic films separated by interlayer films that mediate an antiferromagnetic coupling, such as Ru, Ir, or Cr or alloys thereof. 
         [0026]    The EBL is located on top of the SUL. It acts to break the magnetic exchange coupling between the magnetically permeable films of the SUL and the RL and also serves to facilitate epitaxial growth of the RL. The EBL may not be necessary, but if used it can be a nonmagnetic titanium (Ti) layer; a non-electrically-conducting material such as Si, Ge and SiGe alloys; a metal such as Cr, Ru, W, Zr, Nb, Mo, V and Al; a metal alloy such as amorphous CrTi and NiP; an amorphous carbon such as CN x , CH x  and C; or oxides, nitrides or carbides of an element selected from the group consisting of Si, Al, Zr, Ti, and B. If an EBL is used, a seed layer may be used on top of the SUL before deposition of the EBL. For example, if Ru is used as the EBL, a 1-5 nm thick NiFe or NiW seed layer may be deposited on top of the SUL, followed by a 5-30 nm thick Ru EBL. 
         [0027]    Each of the MAG 1 , ESL 1  and ESL 2  layers may be formed of any of the known amorphous or crystalline materials and structures that exhibit perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Thus, one or more of MAG 1 , ESL 1  and ESL 2  may be a layer of granular polycrystalline cobalt alloy, such as a CoPt or CoPtCr alloy, with a suitable segregant such as oxides of Si, Ta, Ti, Nb, Cr, V and B. Also, one or more of MAG 1 , ESL 1  and ESL 2  may be composed of multilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, such as Co/Pt, Co/Pd, Fe/Pt and Fe/Pd multilayers, containing a suitable segregant such as the materials mentioned above. However, ESL 1  and ESL 2  each has a substantially lower anisotropy field (H k ) than the H k  of MAG 1  to assure that they respond differently to the applied write field and thereby exhibit the exchange-spring behavior to improve writability. A substantially lower H k  means that the H k  value for ESL 1  and ESL 2  should each be less than about 70% of the H k  value for MAG 1 . If each of MAG 1 , ESL 1  and ESL 2  is formed of a granular CoPtCr alloy, for example, the H k  value of any of the magnetic layers can be increased or decreased by increasing or decreasing, respectively, the concentration of Pt. 
         [0028]    Because the CLs (CL 1  and CL 2 ) are below magnetic layers, they should be able to sustain the growth of the magnetic layers while mediating a sufficient level of ferromagnetic exchange coupling between the magnetic layers. Hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) materials for instance, which can mediate a weak ferromagnetic coupling and provide a good template for the growth of magnetic layers, are good candidates. Because the CLs must enable an appropriate coupling strength, they should be either nonmagnetic or weakly ferromagnetic. Thus the CLs may be formed of RuCo and RuCoCr alloys with sufficiently low Co content (&lt;about 65 atomic percent), or CoCr and CoCrB alloys with high Cr and/or B content (Cr+B&gt;about 30 atomic percent). Si-oxide or other oxides like oxides of Ta, Ti, Nb, Cr, V and B may be added to these alloys. The CLs may also be formed of face-centered-cubic (fcc) materials, such as Pt or Pd or alloys based on Pt or Pd, because these materials enable a ferromagnetic coupling between magnetic layers of tunable strength (i.e., they reduce the coupling by increasing the thickness) and are compatible with media growth. In addition, the effect of a CL may be realized by controlling the alloy composition, particularly the fraction of a segregant in either the ESL or MAG layers, at the boundary between these layers. Control of inter-layer coupling can also be achieved by controlling the deposition conditions and thus the growth of one or both layers at the interface. 
         [0029]    Depending on the choice of material for the CLs, and more particularly on the concentration of cobalt (Co) in the CLs, the CLs may have a thickness of less than 2.0 nm, and more preferably between about 0.2 nm and 1.5 nm. Because Co is highly magnetic, a higher concentration of Co in the CLs may be offset by thickening the CLs to achieve an optimal inter-layer exchange coupling between MAG 1 , ESL 1  and ESL 2 . The inter-layer exchange coupling between MAG 1 , ESL 1  and ESL 2  may be optimized, in part, by adjusting the materials and thickness of the CLs. The CLs should provide a coupling strength sufficient to have a considerable effect on the switching field (and the switching field distribution), but small enough to not couple the MAG 1 , ESL 1  and ESL 2  layers rigidly together. 
         [0030]    The OC formed on top of the RL may be an amorphous “diamond-like” carbon film or other known protective overcoats, such as Si-nitride. 
         [0031]    The improved recording properties of the medium according to this invention have been demonstrated by micromagnetic modeling. A test structure (like that shown in  FIG. 4 ) having a 12 nm MAG 1  of H k =14 kOe, a 4 nm ESL 1  of H k =5 kOe, and a 2 nm ESL 2  of H k =7 kOe nm was compared with a reference structure (like that shown in  FIG. 3B ) having a 12 nm MAG 1  of H k =14 kOe and a 8 nm ESL (MAG 2 ) of H k =5 kOe. Key recording performance parameters of jitter (which is the positioning error for bit transitions, measured as the standard deviation of the zero crossings for the readback voltage) and T 50  (which is the width of an isolated transition, measured as the distance between the +50% and the −50% points of the signal) were calculated. Jitter for the test structure was 1.8 nm compared to 2.2 nm for the reference structure. T 50  for the test structure was 25.4 nm compared to 26.0 nm for the reference structure. This example shows that a total thickness for the multilayer ESL in the test structure (6 nm) less than the thickness for the ESL in the reference structure (8 nm) results in improved recording performance. 
         [0032]    The exchange-spring structure with the multilayer ESL according to this invention enables the thicknesses and H k  values of each of the ESL layers to be varied to optimize the overall recording performance of the medium. The test structure described above is one example: the upper ESL (ESL 2 ) had a higher H k  than the lower ESL (ESL 1 ), resulting in an improved value of T 50 . This requires a greater field from the write head to switch the magnetization of ESL 2  than if the H k  value was the same as for ESL 1 , but ESL 2  is closer to the write head and will thus experience a greater head field than ESL 1 . As another example, ESL 2  can have a lower H k  than ESL 1 , for example 3 kOe vs. 5 kOe. This will enable ESL 2  to rotate easier when exposed to the head field and create a greater torque to assist in reversing the magnetization of ESL 1  and MAG 1 . This could, for example, allow the media layer (MAG 1 ) to have a larger value of H k . 
         [0033]    While the invention has been shown and described with an RL having an ESL comprised of only two magnetic layers (ESL 1  and ESL 2 ) and one coupling layer (CL 2 ), the RL may have three or more magnetic layers in the ESL, with additional CLs as required to mediate an optimized level of exchange coupling between adjacent magnetic layers in the ESL. 
         [0034]    While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the disclosed invention is to be considered merely as illustrative and limited in scope only as specified in the appended claims.