Geometrically Planar Ion-Implant Patterned Magnetic Recording Media Using Block Copolymer Aided Gold Nanoisland Masks

We have developed patterned media via ion implantation using Au nano mask approach for local control of coercivity of magnetically hard [Co/Pd]_n multilayer film. Au nano-islands produced through a di-block copolymer templated technique is used as the mask for ion implantation. The sputter deposited [Co 0.3 nm/Pd 0.8 nm]₈/Pd 3 nm/Ta 3 nm multilayer film having vertical magnetic anisotropy is coated with a diblock copolymer layer, two phase decomposed into vertically pored nanostructure, then chemically processed to nucleate gold nanoislands corresponding to the diblock copolymer nanostructures. Subsequent nitrogen (N) ion implantation, using these Au islands as implantation-blocking masks, allows a patterned penetration of implanted ions into unmasked portion of the [Co/Pd]_n multilayer film, thus creating invisible but magnetically isolated bit island geometry while maintaining the overall flat configuration of the patterned media.