Patent ID: 8767350

Claim:
A method for forming a magnetic recording medium, the method comprising: forming an adhesion layer above a substrate; forming a lower soft magnetic layer above the adhesion layer; forming an antiferromagnetic coupling layer above the lower soft magnetic layer; forming an upper soft magnetic layer above the antiferromagnetic coupling layer; forming a seed layer above the upper soft magnetic layer; forming an interlayer above the seed layer and below a patterned magnetic recording layer; forming a protective layer above recording regions of the patterned magnetic recording layer and separating regions between the recording regions, wherein the recording regions comprise a magnetic material, and wherein the protective layer forms on sides of the recording regions between the recording regions and the separating regions and partially fills the separating regions; and forming a filler layer on the protective layer, wherein the filler layer completely fills the separating regions, and wherein the filler layer has an uneven upper surface.