Patent ID: 7422808

Claim:
A vertical magnetic recording medium having a recording layer including a track region recorded with information by a magnetic head and an inter-track region separating said track region from an adjacent track region offset in position from said track region in a width direction thereof, said track region and said inter-track region being formed magnetically in said magnetic recording layer, said magnetic recording medium comprising: a substrate; a soft magnetic backing layer formed on said substrate; a magnetic flux confinement layer formed on said soft magnetic backing layer; an intermediate layer formed on said magnetic flux confinement layer; and a recording layer of a vertical magnetization film formed on said intermediate layer, wherein said magnetic flux confinement layer comprises a soft magnetic part formed along said track region and a non-magnetic part formed between said track region and said adjacent track region, said intermediate layer comprises a non-magnetic material of an amorphous material or microcrystalline material and is formed so as to cover a surface of said soft magnetic parts and said non-magnetic parts, and said soft magnetic part of said magnetic flux confinement layer comprises a soft magnetic material having a higher magnetic permeability than a soft magnetic material forming said soft magnetic backing layer.