Tilted Media for Hard Disk Drives and Magnetic Data Storage Devices

Abstract

A digital storage medium for use in data storage devices has two magnetic layers where the respective easy axes of the magnetic moments in the two layers are perpendicular to each other. Exchange coupling of the magnetic moments in the magnetic layers produces a resultant magnetic moment that is tilted out of the plane of the digital storage medium. The resultant magnetic moment of the medium allows the use of either a ring head, a single pole head, or a head that generates a field tilted at an angle for write operations.

1 - 23 . (canceled)  
   
   
       24 . A method of manufacturing a digital storage medium, the method comprising 
 depositing a first magnetic layer on a substrate surface, wherein the first magnetic layer has a first magnetic moment with a first easy axis; and    depositing a second magnetic layer on the first magnetic layer, wherein the second magnetic layer has a second magnetic moment with a second easy axis;    wherein the second easy axis is perpendicular to the first easy axis; and    wherein exchange-coupling of the first magnetic moment and the second magnetic moment forms tilted easy axes in the first and second magnetic layers.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first magnetic layer has a perpendicular anisotropy and the second magnetic layer has a longitudinal anisotropy.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first magnetic layer has a longitudinal anisotropy and the second magnetic layer has a perpendicular anisotropy.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the magnetic layer with the perpendicular anisotropy includes a ferromagnetic material selected from a group consisting of cobalt, iron, and alloys thereof.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the magnetic layer with the perpendicular anisotropy includes a ferromagnetic material selected from a group consisting of cobalt, iron, and alloys thereof.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the magnetic layer is formed from a single layer of at least one alloy selected from a group consisting of cobalt-platinum (CoPt), cobalt-palladium (CoPd), cobalt-chromium-platinum (CoCrPt), cobalt-chromium-platinum-boron (CoCrPtB), cobalt-chromium-platinum-tantalum (CoCrPtTa), cobalt-chromium-platinum-niobium (CoCrPtNb), and iron-platinum (FePt).  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the magnetic layer is formed from a single layer of at least one alloy selected from a group consisting of cobalt-platinum (CoPt), cobalt-palladium (CoPd), cobalt-chromium-platinum (CoCrPt), cobalt-chromium-platinum-boron (CoCrPtB), cobalt-chromium-platinum-tantalum (CoCrPtTa), cobalt-chromium-platinum-niobium (CoCrPtNb), and iron-platinum (FePt).  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the magnetic layer is formed from multiple layers of ferromagnetic materials selected from a group consisting of cobalt with palladium as a spacer layer (Co/Pd), cobalt with platinum as a spacer layer (Co/Pt), a cobalt alloy with palladium as a spacer layer, and a cobalt alloy with platinum as a spacer layer.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the magnetic layer is formed from multiple layers of ferromagnetic materials selected from a group consisting of cobalt with palladium as a spacer layer (Co/Pd), cobalt with platinum as a spacer layer (Co/Pt), a cobalt alloy with palladium as a spacer layer, and a cobalt alloy with platinum as spacer layer.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the alloys are doped with non-ferromagnetic materials selected from a group consisting of silicon oxide and silicon nitride.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the alloys are doped with non-ferromagnetic materials selected from a group consisting of silicon oxide and silicon nitride.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer each have a thickness that is variable.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein an angle is formed between the tilted easy axes and a perpendicular plane of the digital storage medium.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the angle is adjustable by varying the type of ferromagnetic materials in the first and second magnetic layers.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the angle is adjustable by varying an exchange-coupling constant between the first and second magnetic layer.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the angle is adjustable by varying the thickness of the first and second magnetic layers.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein an interlayer is disposed between the first and second magnetic layers.