Vertical magnetic recording medium and magnetic recording reproducing apparatus

Abstract

A magnetic recording medium comprising a substrate, at least one soft magnetic underlayer formed on the substrate, a perpendicular magnetic recording layer formed on the soft magnetic underlayer, and a protective layer formed on the perpendicular magnetic recording layer, is provided wherein the perpendicular magnetic recording layer is comprised of a primary recording layer, a non-magnetic intermediate layer and an auxiliary layer; the primary recording layer comprises magnetic crystal grains and grain boundary portions surrounding the magnetic crystal grains, and has a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; the auxiliary layer has a negative magneto crystalline anisotropy; and the non-magnetic intermediate layer is formed between the primary recording layer and the auxiliary layer and comprises at least one metal selected from Ru, Rh and Ir, or at least one alloy thereof. This magnetic recording medium exhibits high heat resistance and good recording/reproducing characteristics, and enables a high recording density.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.