In-situ texturing of a thin film magnetic medium
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsChristopher V. Jahnes, Mohammad T. Mirzamaani, Michael A. Russak
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Abstract
A magnetic storage medium is composed of a non-wettable substrate upon which a transient liquid metal layer is deposited and maintained as a distribution of discontinuous liquid features. An intermediate metal layer is subsequently deposited in-situ in an atmosphere comprising oxygen and at least one inert gas. A magnetic layer is then deposited on the intermediate metal layer. The surface topology and magnetic characteristics of the medium are controlled by adjusting the thickness of the TLM layer and the conditions under which the TLM layer, intermediate metal layer, and magnetic layer are deposited.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing a storage medium comprising the steps of:
- providing a substantially non-wettable substrate;
- depositing a transient liquid metal layer on said substrate while said substrate is maintained at a temperature in excess of the melting point of said transient liquid metal to form a distribution of molten metal spherical structures;
- maintaining said transient liquid metal layer in a liquid state while depositing in-situ an intermediate metal layer on said transient liquid metal layer in an atmosphere comprising oxygen and at least one inert gas;
- and
- depositing a magnetic layer on said intermediate metal layer.
A method of manufacturing a storage medium in a deposition apparatus having a deposition chamber and means for supplying gas flow to said deposition chamber comprising the steps of:
- providing a substantially non-wettable substrate;
- depositing a transient liquid metal layer of a thickness on said substrate while said substrate is maintained at a temperature in excess of the melting point of said transient liquid metal to form a distribution of molten metal spherical structures;
- maintaining said transient liquid metal layer in a liquid state while depositing an intermediate metal layer on said transient liquid metal layer in an atmosphere comprising oxygen and at least one inert gas;
- and
- depositing a magnetic layer on said intermediate metal layer.
A method of controlling the surface topology of a magnetic storage medium comprising the steps of:
- providing a substantially non-wettable substrate;
- sputter depositing a transient liquid metal layer of a thickness on said substrate while said substrate is maintained at a temperature in excess of the melting point of said transient liquid metal to form a distribution of disconnected molten metal spherical structures and maintaining said transient liquid metal layer in a liquid state while sputter depositing in-situ an intermediate metal layer onto said transient liquid metal layer in an atmosphere comprising oxygen and at least one inert gas, whereby the thickness is selected for controlling the topology of the magnetic layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.