Patent ID: 8663486

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, comprising, in the order recited, the steps of: (a) forming a mask protective film comprised of carbon on a magnetic layer; (b) forming a resist with a predetermined pattern on the mask protective film; (c) forming a protective mask by etching the mask protective film using the resist as a mask; (d) forming protrusions and recesses on a magnetic layer by etching the magnetic layer using the resist and the protective mask as masks; (e) removing the protective mask using ultraviolet light with a principal wavelength not longer than 340 nm to evaporate the protective mask; and (f) forming a protective layer on the magnetic layer having the protrusions and recesses formed thereon; wherein the magnetic recording medium is not exposed to the atmosphere during a period of time at least from step (e) removing the protective mask to step (f) forming a protective layer.