Method of manufacturing magnetic recording medium for contact recording

A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium for contact recording with a magnetic head having flying height of less than 760 .ANG., said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a non-magnetic substrate of an aluminum alloy having a surface finished so as to have maximum surface roughness R.sub.max of 100-300 .ANG. and having surface protrusions or unevenness of height less than 760 .ANG.;
• forming an underlying layer directly over said substrate and a magnetic layer over said underlying layer by sputtering, said underlying layer comprising a Cr film and one or more non-magnetic layers selected from Ta, Mo, Zn, and alloys consisting of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ta, Mo, and Zn, said Cr film being formed between said one or more non-magnetic layers and said magnetic layer;
• forming on said magnetic layer a first protective film comprising a non-magnetic film of one or more selected from the group consisting of metals, semiconductors, metallic compounds, and semiconducting compounds;
• coating said first protective film with a solution containing particulates and one or more selected from the group consisting of organosilic compounds and organometallic compounds;
• heating said coating solution to about 150.degree.-300.degree. C. and thereby forming a second protective film comprising an inorganic oxide film and said particulates dispersed within said inorganic oxide film;
• forming a lubricating film on said second protective film;
• and
• burnishing said medium.