Patent ID: 7417826

Claim:
A magnetic recording medium comprising a magnetic layer which is sectioned into a plurality of data areas and a plurality of servo areas for information recording, wherein: in each of the servo areas, the magnetic layer is separated into a plurality of servo pattern unit parts forming a predetermined servo pattern and a servo pattern peripheral part surrounding the servo pattern unit parts; each of the servo areas has only a single, integral servo pattern peripheral part; the servo pattern peripheral part is composed of a single magnetic element; each of the servo pattern unit parts includes a set of a plurality of servo pattern unit components; the servo pattern unit components and the servo pattern peripheral part are made of same material and have essentially same thickness; the servo pattern unit components are smaller than the servo pattern peripheral part in a plan view showing a flat surface of the medium; and the servo pattern unit components and the servo pattern peripheral part are formed in different sizes so as to have different magnetic properties.