Patent ID: 8206778

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, comprising the steps of: (a) forming an intermediate layer that is electrically conductive over a non-magnetic substrate; (b) forming an aluminum-containing layer on the intermediate layer; (c) forming a plurality of micro pits in the aluminum-containing layer; (d) generating an alumina-containing layer by anode oxidation of the aluminum-containing layer in an electrolytic solution for anodization and simultaneously forming a plurality of nano holes in the alumina-containing layer originating from the plurality of micro pits respectively to expose the intermediate layer; (e) cleaning with pure water immediately after anode oxidation in step (d) and without intervening drying to avoid forming boehmite; (f) cleaning and drying the plurality of nano holes immediately after step (e) using a fluid selected from the group consisting of a sub- and super-critical carbon dioxide fluid to remove foreign substances and dry the plurality of nano holes, and provide a plurality of cleaned and dried nano holes; and (g) depositing a magnetic metal, after cleaning and drying, selectively through the plurality of cleaned and dried nano holes in the alumina-containing layer on the intermediate layer to form a plurality of magnetic recording elements that collectively comprise a magnetic recording layer, wherein cleaning and drying prior to depositing removes substantially all of the foreign substances including residual electrolytic solution for anodization so that gas formation by residual electrolytic solution within the plurality of nano holes is eliminated during depositing of the magnetic material.