Magnetic recording medium with CR <110> preferred growth along a predetermined direction, method of producing the same and magnetic storage apparatus

A magnetic storage apparatus comprising at least one magnetic recording medium, the magnetic recording medium including:

• a textured surface that is textured in a predetermined direction, said textured surface having a distance λ between two mutually adjacent texturing lines satisfying a relationship 5<λ<30 nm, and an angle φ between the textured surface and an oblique texture plane satisfying a relationship 0.5<φ7 degrees;
• a Cr-based underlayer provided on the textured surface and having a preferred growth so that a number of grains having Cr<110> in a vicinity of 0 degrees or 90 degrees with respect to the predetermined direction is two times or greater than a number of grains having Cr<110> in a vicinity of 45 degrees with respect to the predetermined direction;
• and
• a Co-based magnetic layer provided on the underlayer and having Co(1120) preferred growth along the predetermined direction.

A method of producing a magnetic recording medium, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a textured surface that is textured in a predetermined direction, said textured surface having a distance λ between two mutually adjacent texturing lines satisfying a relationship 5<λ<30 nm, and an angle φ between the textured surface and an oblique texture plane satisfying a relationship 0.5 <φ<7 degrees;
• (b) forming a Cr-based underlayer provided on the textured surface and having a preferred growth so that a number of grains having Cr<110> in a vicinity of 0 degrees or 90 degrees with respect to the predetermined direction is two times or greater than a number of grains having Cr<110> in a vicinity of 45 degrees with respect to the predetermined direction;
• and
• (c) forming a Co-based magnetic layer provided on the underlayer and having Co(1120) preferred growth along the predetermined direction.