Patterned magnetic media and method of making the same using selective oxidation

A method of making a magnetic disk medium with magnetic zones and substantially non-magnetic zones comprising the following steps:

• a) providing a substrate with a magnetic layer of a predetermined thickness;
• b) depositing a metal layer of a predetermined thickness on said magnetic layer;
• c) coating a polymer layer on said metal layer;
• d) placing a template in contact with said polymer layer, said template having a predetermined pattern comprising raised surfaces and depressed surfaces;
• e) applying a predetermined pressure and temperature to said template and said substrate to make a patterned polymer layer, whereby said raised surfaces of said template are depressed surfaces of said patterned polymer and depressed surfaces of said template are raised surfaces of said patterned polymer layer;
• f) separating said template from said patterned polymer layer;
• g) removing said polymer from said depressed surfaces of said patterned polymer layer to make a discontinuous polymer layer and a patterned metal under-layer;
• h) etching said patterned metal under-layer to leave a patterned magnetic under-layer and a metal mask;
• i) exposing patterned magnetic under-layer to an oxygen plasma to substantially reduce the local magnetic moment of the exposed patterned magnetic under-layer;
• and
• j) removing said polymer and said metal mask;
• thereby generating a magnetic disk medium with said magnetic zones and substantially non-magnetic zones.