Magnetic recording medium having an intermediate layer comprising uniform size globules of Ag Sn peritectic alloy

Claim 1

Thin film magnetic recording media having enhanced magnetic and textured properties, said media comprising: a substrate; a seed layer, comprising substantially uniformly sized but mutually dispersed globules of a substantially homogenous and peritectic alloy formed on said substrate by sputter deposition from a substantially homogenous target, comprising a substantially homogenous and peritectic alloy; a magnetic recording layer sputter coated over said substantially uniformly sized globules of said substantially peritectic alloy seed layer, while substantially maintaining the homogeneity of said peritectic alloy in its sputtering transition from said sputtering target to said substrate and while said magnetic recording layer is formed; the presence of said substantially homogenous and peritectic seed layer providing said substantially uniform sizing of said dispersed globules of peritectic alloy, inducing a substantially uniform surface roughness for said sputter coated magnetic recording layer, orienting the crystal orientation of said magnetic recording layer such that the axis of easy magnetization generally lies in the film plane of said media, and substantially reducing the magnetic variation in the film plane of said magnetic, recording layer; and the thickness of said seed layer being formed within a range of about fifty (50) to one hundred (100) angstroms, with said seed layer thickness substantially minimizing modulation properties of said magnetic recording layer, and substantially, nearly equalizing coercivity of said magnetic recording layer as measured tangentially along the recording trace and as measured orthogonally of said tangential measurement; and said media having substantially uniform sizing of said globules obtained in response to the peritectic character of said peritectic alloy forming said seed layer, and said substantial maintenance of homogeneity of said peritectic alloy; said peritectic alloy comprising about seventy five (75) percent, by weight, silver and about twenty five (25) percent by weight tin; the homogeneity of said peritectic alloy globules resulting, during equilibrium solidification of said peritectic alloy globules on said substrate, from reaction of solid and liquid components of said alloy prior solidification of said globules, to form a single, homogenous, peritectic alloy; and said dispersed globules of peritectic alloy being substantially free of reaction with said magnetic recording layer and manifesting a generally uniform, globular configuration array underlying said magnetic recording layer.