Patent ID: 8383209

Claim:
A magnetic recording medium manufacturing method of forming a thin film over a substrate, said magnetic recording medium manufacturing method characterized by comprising a magnetic layer forming step of forming a magnetic layer over said substrate; a protective film forming step of forming a hydrocarbon protective film over said magnetic layer; and a thin film forming step of forming said thin film using a plasma-converted substance as a material, wherein said thin film forming step forms said thin film using material substance concentration means for gathering said plasma-converted substance around said substrate by generating a magnetic field around said substrate using a magnet having a maximum energy product of 1.0 to 50 MGOe, the magnet being provided at a position facing an outermost surface of said hydrocarbon protective film, the outermost surface being opposite of a side of said hydrocarbon protective film that is closer to said magnetic layer; and said thin film forming step is a step of introducing nitrogen into a surface of said hydrocarbon protective film by a plasma CVD method using a nitrogen gas and by applying a bias voltage to said substrate, thereby forming a film containing the nitrogen at the outermost surface of said hydrocarbon protective film.