Patent ID: 7201977

Claim:
An anti-ferromagnetically coupled, granular-continuous (“AFC-GC”) magnetic recording medium, comprising a layer stack formed on a surface of a non-magnetic substrate and including: (a) a continuous ferromagnetic stabilizing layer; (b) a non-magnetic spacer layer contacting said ferromagnetic stabilizing layer; and (c) a granular ferromagnetic layer contacting said non-magnetic spacer layer, said granular ferromagnetic layer comprises a CoCrPt—X′ material, where X′ is selected from the group consisting of: oxides, nitrides, and carbides, and adjacent magnetic grains are substantially magnetically isolated from each other; wherein: (i) said continuous ferromagnetic stabilizing layer and said granular ferromagnetic layer are anti-ferromagnetically coupled across said non-magnetic spacer layer, the amount of anti-ferromagnetic coupling preselected to ensure magnetic relaxation after writing; (ii) lateral interactions in said granular, ferromagnetic recording layer are substantially completely eliminated or suppressed; and (iii) the exchange coupling strength in said continuous, ferromagnetic stabilizing layer is preselected to be larger than the strength of the anti-ferromagnetic coupling provided by the non-magnetic spacer layer to thereby enhance thermal stability of the recording bits.