Magnetic recording medium

Abstract

A magnetic recording medium having a high coercive force of a ferromagnetic metal layer, a high anisotropic magnetic field and/or normalized coercive force, and adaptable to high density recording. The magnetic recording medium includes a substrate body and a ferromagnetic metal layer containing at least Co and Cr formed thereon via a metallic underlying layer of Cr. Magnetic inversion is utilized for the recording. A first region which penetrates through the ferromagnetic metal layer and in which Cr is segregated are formed among the crystal grains constituting the ferromagnetic metal layer. The Cr concentration in the intermediate portions of the first region in the direction of thickness of the ferromagnetic metal layer is smaller than that of the portions near the surface and near the metallic underlying layer. The crystal grains of the ferromagnetic metal layer are constituted by a second region in which the Cr concentration increases toward the grain boundary and a third region which is formed at the center of the crystalline particle and whose Cr concentration is lower than that near the grain boundary. The maximum Cr concentration in the third region is smaller than the maximum Cr concentration in the second region.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.