Magnetic recording medium and method of fabricating the same

A method of fabricating a magnetic recording medium, comprising:

• preparing a stack having a substrate and a magnetic recording layer disposed on the substrate;
• forming a mask having a first area including a plurality of first projecting portions arrayed in lines in mutually different first, second, and third directions, and a second area including a plurality of second projecting portions arrayed in a line in the third direction and each having a length longer than that of the respective first projecting portion in the third direction, and a plurality of third projecting portions each disposed between adjacent second projecting portions and on extensions in the first and the second directions of the first projecting portions, and disposed along with the first area, on the magnetic recording layer;
• and
• forming a plurality of first magnetic dots corresponding to the first projecting portions, a plurality of magnetic portions corresponding to the second projecting portions, and a plurality of second magnetic dots corresponding to the third projecting portions, by performing etching on the magnetic recording layer by using the mask.