Recording Media Having a Nanocomposite Protection Layer and Method of Making Same

Abstract

A method includes: forming a recording layer on a substrate and depositing a nanocomposite layer on the recording layer, the nanocomposite layer including a wear-resistant material and a solid lubricant material, wherein the atomic percentage of the solid lubricant material in the nanocomposite layer is in a range from about 5% to about 99%.

1 . A method comprising:
 forming a recording layer on a substrate; and   depositing a nanocomposite layer on the recording layer, the nanocomposite layer including a wear-resistant material and a solid lubricant material, wherein the atomic percentage of the solid lubricant material in the nanocomposite layer is in a range from about 5% to about 99%.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wear-resistant material has a hardness of at least 10 GPa. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wear-resistant material comprises at least one of:
 diamond-like carbon, Al 2 O 3 , SiN, TiN, TiC or YSZ.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solid lubricant material comprises at least one of:
 sputtered PTFE, or chemical vapor deposited CF x , or WO N .   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the nanocomposite layer has a thickness in the range from about 1 nm to about 5 nm.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of depositing a nanocomposite layer on the recording layer comprises:
 co-deposition of the wear-resistant material and the solid lubricant material.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of depositing a nanocomposite layer on the recording layer comprises:
 co-sputtering the wear-resistant material and the solid lubricant material using two separate targets.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of depositing a nanocomposite layer on the recording layer comprises:
 sputtering the wear-resistant material and the solid lubricant material using a composite target.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of depositing a nanocomposite layer on the recording layer comprises:
 depositing the wear-resistant material and the solid lubricant material in alternating layers.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the number of layers is in a range of from 2 to about 25. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the thickness of the layers is in a range from about 0.2 nm to about 2 nm. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 depositing an overcoat layer between the nanocomposite layer and the recording layer.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the overcoat layer comprises:
 ion beam deposited carbon.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the protection layer is in a range of from about 0.5 nm and about 5 nm. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 forming a recording layer on a substrate; and   depositing a nanocomposite layer on the recording layer, the nanocomposite layer including a wear-resistant material and a solid lubricant material, wherein the mole ratio between the solid lubricant material and the wear-resistant material is in a range from about 0.2 to about 100.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of depositing a nanocomposite layer on the recording layer comprises:
 co-deposition of the wear-resistant material and the solid lubricant material.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of depositing a nanocomposite layer on the recording layer comprises:
 co-sputtering the wear-resistant material and the solid lubricant material using two separate targets.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of depositing a nanocomposite layer on the recording layer comprises:
 sputtering the wear-resistant material and the solid lubricant material using a composite target.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of depositing a nanocomposite layer on the recording layer comprises:
 depositing the wear-resistant material and the solid lubricant material in alternating layers.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the number of layers is in a range of from 2 to about 25.