Effects of ultra-high vacuum on crystallographic, recording and magnetic properties of thin film media

A range of CoCrPt thin film discs sputtered on CrV underlayers have been prepared under varying base pressures. A general improvement in H/sub c/, squareness S* and recording performance determined by the media SNR was seen when the base pressure was reduced. Electron diffraction studies have clearly shown that a significant proportion of fcc grains are induced when a high base pressure is allowed to remain in the chamber and this is consistent with the presence of residual nitrogen gas in the system.