Magnetic recording medium, method of manufacturing the same, and magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus

Abstract

A magnetic recording medium is obtained by easily patterning a magnetic recording layer without deteriorating its electromagnetic conversion characteristics, by forming a silicon-based protective film between the magnetic recording layer and a photoresist, and performing dry etching and oxygen plasma processing.

1 . A magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus comprising a magnetic recording medium including stacked bodies including a magnetic recording layer formed on the nonmagnetic substrate and a silicon based protective layer formed on the magnetic recording layer, and patterned into a track shape or dot shape, and a carbon-based protective layer formed on the stacked bodies and the nonmagnetic substrate in at least one part of a region except for the regions where the magnetic recording layer is formed, and a recording/reproduction head. 
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the silicon-based protective layer has a thickness of 5 to 15 Å. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the silicon-based protective layer is essentially made of amorphous nitrogen-doped silicon. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the carbon-based protective layer has a thickness of 5 to 20 Å. 
     
     
         5 . A magnetic recording medium manufacturing method comprising:
 forming a photoresist on a silicon-based protective layer of stacked bodies having a magnetic recording layer formed on a nonmagnetic substrate and the silicon based protective layer formed on the magnetic recording layer;   patterning the photoresist by a photolithography technique to form a photoresist pattern corresponding to a track shape or dot shape;   partially removing the stacked bodies by etching by using the photoresist pattern as a mask;   removing the photoresist pattern by using oxygen plasma processing, thereby patterning stacked bodies into a track shape or dot shape; and   forming a carbon-based protective layer on the stacked bodies and the nonmagnetic substrate in at least one part of a region except for the regions where the magnetic recording layer is formed.   
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the silicon-based protective layer has a thickness of 5 to 15 Å. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the silicon-based protective layer is essentially made of amorphous nitrogen-doped silicon. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the carbon-based protective layer has a thickness of 5 to 20 Å. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the etching is dry etching.