System for Fabricating a Pattern on Magnetic Recording Media

A mask enhancement process for generating patterned structures comprising

• depositing a patterned photoresist material on a substrate,
• hardening said photoresist material,
• depositing a carbon spacer layer above said patterened photoresist,
• removing said carbon spacer layer using an etch process that simultaneously etches said substrate to generate the desired patterned structure, and
• removal of said hardened photoresist material.

A method of planarizing a magnetic media surface bearing trenches above a magnetic stack, comprising

• depositing a bilayer of carbon of a selected thickness above said magnetic stack, covering said trenches and lands between said trenches,
• depositing a silicon-containing filler layer above said carbon layer to fill said trenches and cover said lands to thereby form a surface above said trenches and lands,
• selectively etching said filler layer in a process highly selective to the silicon-containing filler layer to remove said filler layer above said lands, leaving said filler layer within said trenches, recessed below an upper surface of said carbon bilayer a distance approximately equal to said selected thickness,
• selectively etching said carbon layer in a process highly selective to the carbon layer, to remove exposed carbon on said lands and leave said trenches filled with said carbon layer and said silicon-containing layer.