System and method for patterning a master disk for nanoimprinting patterned magnetic recording disks

A method for patterning a master disk for nanoimprinting magnetic recording disks, the method comprising:

• providing a master disk to be patterned comprising a substantially rigid substrate having a substantially planar surface, a resist layer on said substrate surface and comprising a material whose etching properties are changed when heated by laser radiation, a protective overcoat on the resist layer, and a layer of liquid lubricant on the overcoat;
• providing an aperture structure comprising material substantially reflective to laser radiation at a specified wavelength and having an aperture therein, said aperture having a size less than said specified wavelength;
• rotating the master disk about an axis substantially perpendicular to the substrate;
• supporting the aperture structure on an air-bearing slider having an air-bearing surface (ABS) facing the rotating master disk, the aperture being maintained less than said specified wavelength from the resist layer during rotation of the master disk;
• directing pulses of laser radiation at said specified wavelength through the aperture, through the liquid lubricant and protective overcoat, and to the resist layer to heat regions of the resist layer to thereby change the etching properties in said heated regions;
• using said heated regions as an etch mask, etching the resist layer and underlying substrate in regions of the resist not exposed to said laser radiation to remove substrate material underlying regions of the resist not exposed to said laser radiation;
• and
• after said etching, removing the remaining resist material from the substrate.