Method and apparatus for forming magnetic recording media

A system for producing magnetic recording media comprising:

• means for applying an uncured layer containing magnetically orientable particles onto a surface of a substrate;
• means for establishing a magnetic field and having a surface from which emanates lines of flux which are generally parallel to each other over a portion of their extent in a given direction from said surface;
• means for establishing relative motion between the field and the substrate to effect alignment of the magnetic particles as they are immediately adjacent said surface and in the generally parallel portion of the field, the layer being disposed on at least one side of the substrate;
• means for directing electron beam energy onto the layer as it passes through the magnetic field to effect a freezing of the particles in the layer, while the particles are maintained in alignment under the influence of the magnetic field wherein said directing means is on the side of the substrate opposite said means for establishing a field;
• and,
• means for applying a strippable covering sheet onto the uncured coating prior to subjecting the particles to the field so as to minimize surface disruptions caused by the particles clumping together in the field;
• and for removing the sheet from the coating subsequent to the orienting by the field.

A method of producing magnetic recording media comprising the steps of:

• applying an uncured coating containing particles that can be oriented in a magnetic field onto a surface of a substrate;
• establishing a magnetic field having lines of flux generally parallel to each other over a portion of their extent in a given direction from a given surface;
• establishing relative motion between the field and a substrate having the uncured coating to effect alignment of the particles as they are in the generally parallel portion of the magnetic field immediately adjacent the given surface;
• directing electron beam energy through the coating as it passes through the magnetic field for freezing the particles in the coating while the particles are maintained in alignment under the influence of the field, wherein electron beam energy is incident on the side of the substrate opposite the side facing said means for producing said field;
• and
• applying a strippable cover to a surface of the uncured coating prior to passing through the field so as to retain the particles in the coating and thereby inhibit coating surface disruptions otherwise caused by chaining of the particles subjected to the field, and stripping the cover from the coating following orientation of the particles in the field.