Magnetic media with permanently defined non-magnetic tracks and servo-patterns

A magnetic medium comprising:

• a substrate;
• an underlayer over the substrate;
• a magnetic layer over the underlayer, the magnetic layer formed a magnetic material, wherein select locations of the magnetic layer have a relatively non-magnetic crystallographic structure so as to permanently define servo-patterns on the magnetic medium, wherein the magnetic layer is a magnetic thin film.

The magnetic medium of claim 3, wherein the magnetic layer has a homogeneous composition.

A magnetic medium comprising:

• a substrate having a relatively smooth surface profile;
• an underlayer over the substrate, the underlayer formed of a non-magnetic material and having a crystallographic structure;
• a magnetic layer over the underlayer, the magnetic layer formed of a magnetic material with magnetic properties which vary based on the crystallographic structure of the underlayer, wherein features of the magnetic layer which are generally magnetically responsive are permanently defined between generally non-magnetic areas.