Highly oriented magnetic thin films, recording media, transducers, devices made therefrom and methods of making

An apparatus for data storage comprising:

• a recording medium comprising,
• a substrate,
• a Co or Co alloy film having a (10{overscore (1)}0) crystal texture forming a magnetic recording layer,
• an underlayer structure having (i) at least one first underlayer having a face centered cubic structure and a (110) crystal texture disposed between said substrate and said magnetic layer, and (ii) at least one second underlayer having a body centered cubic structure and a (112) crystal texture disposed between said first underlayer and said magnetic layer;
• and,
• a magnetic transducer positioned in close proximity to said medium to record and read data to and from said medium.

A method of producing a Co or Co alloy magnetic layer having a (10{overscore (1)}0) crystal texture on a substrate, said method comprising:

• providing an underlayer structure characterized by providing at least one first underlayer having a face centered cubic structure and a (110) crystal texture on a substrate and
• growing at least one second underlayer having a body centered cubic structure and a (112) crystal texture from the first underlayer;
• and,
• depositing a Co or Co alloy magnetic layer on the second underlayer.

A recording medium comprising:

• a substrate;
• a Co or Co alloy film having a (11{overscore (2)}0) crystal texture forming a magnetic recording layer;
• and,
• a first underlayer having a face centered cubic structure and a (001) crystal texture disposed between said substrate and said magnetic layer.

A transducer comprising:

• a substrate;
• a soft magnetic layer having a face centered cubic structure and a (111) crystal texture;
• a first underlayer having one of a face centered cubic structure and a (111) crystal texture or a body centered cubic structure and a (110) crystal texture disposed between said substrate and said soft magnetic layer;
• and,
• a second underlayer having a face centered cubic structure and a (111) crystal texture disposed between said first underlayer and said soft magnetic layer.

A recording medium comprising:

• a substrate;
• an underlayer structure having at least first and second layers;
• and
• a magnetic layer structure disposed on the underlayer structure;
• wherein the substrate is a single crystal Si having one of a (111) crystal texture or a (110) crystal texture or a (001) crystal texture which is in contact with and induces the epitaxial growth of the first layer of the underlayer structure from the substrate.

A recording medium comprising:

• a substrate;
• an underlayer structure epitaxially grown on the substrate;
• and
• a magnetic layer structure disposed on the underlayer structure comprising a Co or Co alloy based material having a (0002) crystal texture;
• wherein the substrate is a single crystal Si having one of a (111) crystal texture or a (110) crystal texture or a (001) crystal texture;
• wherein said underlayer structure is comprised of at least one first underlayer having a face centered cubic structure and a (111) crystal texture disposed between said substrate and said magnetic layer;
• at least one second underlayer disposed between said first underlayer and said magnetic layer structure;
• and,
• a third underlayer comprised of a hexagonal close packed structure having a (0002) crystal texture disposed between said second underlayer and said magnetic layer structure.

A recording medium comprising:

• a substrate;
• an underlayer structure epitaxially grown on the substrate;
• and
• a magnetic layer structure disposed on the underlayer structure;
• wherein the substrate is a single crystal Si having a (110) crystal texture and the underlayer structure is comprised of at least one first underlayer having a face centered cubic structure and a (110) crystal texture disposed between said substrate and said magnetic layer;
• and, at least one second underlayer having a body centered cubic structure and a (112) crystal texture disposed between said first underlayer and said magnetic layer structure.

A recording medium comprising:

• a substrate comprised of a single crystal Si having one of a (111) crystal texture or a (110) crystal texture or a (001) crystal texture;
• an underlayer structure epitaxially grown on the substrate;
• and
• a magnetic layer structure comprised of a Co or Co alloy based material having a (1120) crystal texture disposed on the underlayer structure;
• wherein said underlayer structure is characterized by at least one first underlayer disposed between said substrate and said magnetic layer and at least one second underlayer disposed between said first underlayer and said magnetic layer structure, said second underlayer having a body centered cubic structure and a (002) crystal texture.

A recording medium comprising:

• a substrate comprised of a single crystal Si having a (001) crystal texture;
• an underlayer structure epitaxially grown on the substrate;
• and
• a magnetic layer structure disposed on the underlayer structure;
• wherein the underlayer structure is comprised of at least one first underlayer having a face centered cubic structure and a (002) crystal texture disposed between said substrate and said magnetic layer;
• and, at least one second underlayer disposed between said first underlayer and said magnetic layer structure.

A transducer comprising:

• an underlayer structure having at least first and second layers;
• a magnetic layer structure disposed on the underlayer structure;
• and,
• a substrate disposed beneath the underlayer structure wherein the substrate is a single crystal Si having one of a (111) crystal texture or a (110) crystal texture or a (001) crystal texture and is in contact with and induces the epitaxial growth of the first layer of the underlayer structure from the substrate.

A recording medium comprising:

• an underlayer structure;
• and
• a super lattice multilayer magnetic layer structure disposed on the underlayer structure;
• and,
• a substrate disposed beneath the underlayer structure, the recording medium characterized in that the substrate is a single crystal Si having one of a (111) crystal texture or a (110) crystal texture or a (001) crystal texture;
• wherein the underlayer structure is characterized by (i) at least one first underlayer having a face centered cubic structure and a (111) crystal texture, (ii) at least one second underlayer disposed on said first underlayer and having a face centered cubic structure and a (111) crystal texture, (iii) a soft magnetic layer disposed on said second underlayer, and (iv) at least one third underlayer disposed on said soft magnetic layer and having one of a hexagonal close packed structure with a (0002) crystal texture or a face centered cubic structure with a (111) crystal texture.

A recording medium comprising:

• a substrate;
• an underlayer structure epitaxially grown on the substrate;
• and
• a magnetic layer structure disposed on the underlayer structure;
• wherein the substrate is a single crystal Si having one of a (111) crystal texture or a (110) crystal texture or a (001) crystal texture;
• wherein the magnetic layer structure is Co or a Co alloy and the underlayer structure is characterized by (i) at least one first underlayer having a face centered cubic structure and a (111) crystal texture, (ii) at least one second underlayer disposed on said first underlayer and having a face centered cubic structure and a (111) crystal texture, (iii) at least one soft magnetic layer disposed on said second underlayer, and (iv) at least one third underlayer disposed on said soft magnetic layer and having one of a hexagonal close packed structure with a (0002) crystal texture or a face centered cubic structure with a (111) crystal texture.

A recording medium comprising:

• a substrate;
• an underlayer structure;
• and
• a magnetic layer structure disposed on the underlayer structure, said magnetic layer structure comprised of Co, a Co alloy or a superlattice structure;
• wherein the underlayer structure is characterized by (i) at least one first nonmagnetic underlayer having a face centered cubic structure and a (111) crystal texture, (ii) a soft magnetic layer disposed on said first underlayer and having a face centered cubic structure and a (111) crystal texture, (iii) at least one second underlayer disposed on said soft magnetic layer and having a hexagonal close packed structure and a (0002) crystal texture.

A recording medium comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first underlayer of a face centered cubic structure and a (111) crystal texture disposed on the substrate;
• a second underlayer having a body centered cubic structure and a (112) crystal texture disposed on the first underlayer;
• and
• a magnetic layer structure disposed on the second underlayer and made of a Co or Co alloy based material and a (10{overscore (1)}0) crystal texture.