Patent ID: 8315017

Claim:
A magnetic recording medium comprising a magnetic layer comprising a ferromagnetic powder and a binder on a nonmagnetic support, wherein a height of protrusions with a protrusion density of equal to or lower than 0.002 protrusion/μm 2 on a surface of the magnetic layer as measured by an atomic force microscope is equal to or lower than 40 nm; a density of protrusions that are equal to or higher than 15 nm in height on the surface of the magnetic layer as measured by an atomic force microscope ranges from 0.01 to 0.18 protrusion/μm 2 ; and the protrusions that are equal to or higher than 15 nm in height include protrusions formed of carbon black and protrusions formed of a substance with a Mohs' hardness exceeding 7, and an average height of the protrusions formed of carbon black is greater than an average height of the protrusions formed of the substance with a Mohs' hardness exceeding 7.