Epitaxial ferroelectric and magnetic recording structures including graded lattice matching layers

A ferroelectric recording medium structure comprising:

• a single crystal substrate having a lattice constant;
• a metal or metal alloy seed layer deposited on the substrate having a lattice constant substantially matching the substrate lattice constant;
• graded lattice matching layers deposited on the seed layer comprising a lowermost transition metal alloy lattice matching layer and an uppermost transition metal alloy lattice matching layer;
• and
• a ferroelectric recording layer having a lattice constant deposited on the graded lattice matching layers, wherein the lowermost transition metal alloy lattice matching layer has a lattice constant substantially matching the seed layer lattice constant, and the uppermost transition metal alloy lattice matching layer has a lattice constant substantially matching the recording layer lattice constant.

A magnetic recording medium structure comprising:

• a single crystal substrate having a lattice constant;
• a seed layer deposited on the substrate having a lattice constant substantially matching the substrate lattice constant;
• graded lattice matching layers deposited on the seed layer comprising a lowermost lattice matching layer and an uppermost lattice matching layer;
• and
• a magnetic recording layer having a lattice constant deposited on the graded lattice matching layers, wherein the lowermost lattice matching layer has a lattice constant substantially matching the seed layer lattice constant, and the uppermost lattice matching layer has a lattice constant substantially matching the recording layer lattice constant.