Magnetic recording medium, method of manufacturing the same, and magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus

A magnetic recording medium manufacturing method comprising:

• forming, on a substrate, a magnetic recording layer including magnetic grains and a grain boundary formed between the magnetic grains and made of a first material;
• and
• forming a trench by removing at least a portion of the grain boundary, and forming, on the trench, a layer made of a second material having a thermal conductivity lower than that of the first material, thereby forming a structure in which the grain boundary is divided into a first grain boundary having a first thermal conductivity and a second grain boundary formed on the first grain boundary and having a second thermal conductivity different from the first thermal conductivity, and at least one of the first grain boundary and the second grain boundary suppresses thermal conduction.

A magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus comprising:

• a magnetic recording medium comprising a substrate, and a magnetic recording layer formed on the substrate, and including magnetic grains and a grain boundary formed between the magnetic grains, the grain boundary including a first grain boundary having a first thermal conductivity, and a second grain boundary formed on the first grain boundary and having a second thermal conductivity different from the first thermal conductivity, and at least one of the first grain boundary and the second grain boundary suppressing thermal conduction;
• and
• a magnetic head including a heat source configured to heat the magnetic recording medium.