Effect of Palladium Nuclei Insertion by Electroless Deposition on Magnetic Intergranular Isolation and Read/Write Characteristics in SmCo5 Perpendicular Magnetic Recording Media

In order to improve the magnetic intergranular isolation between the magnetic grains in the SmCo5 perpendicular magnetic recording media, the palladium nuclei deposited by an electrochemical process were introduced into a sputter deposition process of the SmCo5 film. A few nanometer size Pd nuclei were electrochemically deposited on the sputtered Cu underlayer by a displacement deposition (chemical plating). The sizes of Pd nuclei were controlled by adjusting the Pd ion concentration in electrolyte solutions. The magnetic domain size in Sm-Co layer deposited on Pd nuclei / Cu / Ti underlayer became smaller and the magnetization reversal process was changed from the wall motion to the coherent rotation. Moreover, the read/write characteristics were improved at higher linear recording densities.