Method of manufacturing a glass substrate, glass substrate manufactured by the method, and magnetic recording medium using the glass substrate

A method of manufacturing a glass substrate, comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a glass substrate comprised of an alkali metal oxide glass containing an oxide of at least one alkali metal;
• and
• b. immersing the glass substrate in an aqueous solution containing potassium formate dissolved in water and present in an amount ranging from an amount effective to raise an ion exchange rate between hydronium ions (H3O+) generated from the water and alkali metal in the glass substrate sufficient to achieve reformation of a surface of the glass substrate up to 77.7 wt %,
• wherein immersing takes place at a process temperature ranging from 120° C. to 210° C., and for a process time ranging from 1 to 270 minutes so that subsequent elution of alkali metal from the glass substrate is suppressed.