Patent ID: 7273666

Claim:
A magnetic recording medium, comprising: a substrate; an underlayer on said substrate; a first intermediate layer on said underlayer; a second intermediate layer on said first intermediate layer; a third intermediate layer on said second intermediate layer; and a recording layer on said third intermediate layer, wherein said first intermediate layer is made of a cobalt based alloy containing chromium equal to or greater than about 7 at % and equal to or smaller than about 28 at %; and said second intermediate layer is made of a cobalt based alloy containing chromium equal to or greater than about 29 at %; said third intermediate layer is made of a cobalt based alloy containing chromium equal to or greater than about 29 at %; and said recording layer includes a cobalt based alloy; wherein said third intermediate layer contains non-magnetic material and said recording layer contains non-magnetic material, and the non-magnetic material contained in said third intermediate layer is of a greater density than that contained in said recording layer.