Perpendicular magnetic recording medium and magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus using the same

A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus comprising:

• a magnetic recording medium;
• a medium driving section for driving the magnetic recording medium;
• a magnetic head for performing recording/reproducing operations on the magnetic recording medium;
• and
• a head driving section for positioning the magnetic head at a desired track position on the magnetic recording medium;
• wherein
• the magnetic recording medium has at least an intermediate layer, a seed layer, a magnetic recording layer, and a protecting layer formed above a substrate, in which
• the intermediate layer comprises a mixture of a first material and a second material, the first material is a non-magnetic alloy comprising Co and Cr as its main components, the second material is an oxide, and the average content ratio of an oxygen element in the intermediate layer is in the range from 10 at % to 20 at %,
• the seed layer has a face-centered cubic structure and is positioned on a substrate side of the intermediate layer, the seed layer comprising a Ti layer, a Cu layer positioned above the Ti layer, and an alloy including Ni as its main component and materials selected from Ta and W at 10 at % or less in total positioned above the Cu layer, and
• wherein a grain diameter of crystal grains of the intermediate layer and a grain diameter of crystal grains of the magnetic recording layer are both in a range from 5 nm to 15 nm.

A perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprising:

• a substrate;
• an intermediate layer;
• a seed layer of a face-centered cubic structure on a substrate side of the intermediate layer, the seed layer comprising a Ti layer, a Cu layer positioned above the Ti layer, and an alloy including Ni as its main component and materials selected from Ta and W at 10 at % or less in total positioned above the Cu layer,
• a magnetic recording layer disposed adjacent to the intermediate layer;
• and
• a protecting layer, said seed layer, said intermediate layer, and said magnetic recording layer formed above the substrate,
• wherein the intermediate layer comprises a mixture of a first material and a second material,
• wherein the first material is a non-magnetic alloy comprising Co and Cr as its main components along with materials selected from a group consisting of Pd, Ni, and Cu such that an atomic percentage of the selected materials in total is in a range from 2% to 8%,
• wherein the second material is an oxide with an average content ratio of an oxygen element in the intermediate layer being in a range from 10 at % to 20 at %,
• wherein a content of the Co element in the non-magnetic alloy of the intermediate layer material is in a range from 45 at % to 65 at %,
• wherein the oxide of the intermediate layer material includes less than 10 mol % in total of materials selected from a group consisting of Si, Ti, and Ta, and
• wherein a grain diameter of crystal grains of the intermediate layer and a grain diameter of crystal grains of the magnetic recording layer are both in a range from 5 nm to 15 nm.