Magnetic recording medium with magnesium-titanium oxide (MTO) layer formed using pulsed direct current sputter deposition

A method for manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• providing a heatsink layer on the substrate, the heatsink layer comprising Cr;
• providing a thermal resistive layer on the heatsink layer, the thermal resistive layer comprising RuAlTiO2;
• providing an underlayer on the thermal resistive layer, wherein the underlayer comprises a first MgO—TiO layer with less than 50 mol % of TiO and a second MgO—TiO layer comprising 50 or more mol % of TiO;
• and
• providing a magnetic recording layer comprising FePt on the underlayer.

A magnetic recording medium formed using a process comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• providing a heatsink layer on the substrate, the heatsink layer comprising Cr;
• forming a thermal resistive layer on the heatsink layer, the thermal resistive layer comprising RuAlTiO2;
• forming an underlayer on the heatsink layer, wherein the underlayer comprises a first MgO—TiO layer with less than 50 mol % of TiO and a second MgO—TiO layer comprising 50 or more mol % of TiO;
• and
• providing a magnetic recording layer comprising FePt on the underlayer.