Read-write characteristics and magnetic properties of Co-CoO obliquely evaporated film on a cobalt oxide underlayer

Magnetic properties and read-write characteristics of Co-CoO obliquely evaporated tape provided with a CoO underlayer were investigated. By forming a fine CoO crystal plane on the underlayer surface and optimizing the thickness and oxygen flow rate of the magnetic layer, we were able to make a medium with a coercivity, Hc=240 kA/m, the highest for the Co-CoO obliquely evaporated media. This medium also shows a decrease in the switching field distribution compared to the conventional medium. The read-write characteristics of this medium present a narrower half-amplitude pulsewidth (PW/sub 50/) and a higher output than conventional medium. The obtained results suggest that providing an underlayer brings about a sharp magnetization reversal.