MgO seed layers for CoCrPt/Cr longitudinal magnetic recording media

Sputter deposited MgO thin films with the B1 crystal structure and ~002! film texture are used as seed layers to improve the texture and magnetic properties of the CoCrPt/Cr magnetic thin films on glass substrates for longitudinal recording. The desired ~002! textured Cr underlayers are usually obtained by sputtering Cr onto heated substrates. However, it is found that the MgO seed layers can induce the ~002! film texture in the Cr underlayers without using a heated substrate and hence, the overlying CoCrPt films are formed with the ~112̄0! texture. Vibrating-sample magnetometry measurements show greatly improved in-plane coercivities that are suitable for future high density recording media can be easily obtained. © 1995 American Institute of Physics.