• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.106-114
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• 2002

To reduce the grain size and the media noise in a typical CrMo/CoCrPtB longitudinal media, a sputtering process which includes the exposure of oxygen onto the surface of CrW$_x$ (x=0, 25, 50, 75, 100 at.%) and CrTi$_{15}$ seedlayers with the thickness of 0.5 nm have been utilized. The main results are: (1) the media grain size and the media noise are reduced when using CrW$_x$ (x=0, 25, 50 at.%) seedlayers, and not reduced when using CrTils or CrW$_x$ (x=75, 100 at.%) seedlayers, (2) AES and RHEED results suggest that W seedlayer, which has the highest melting point, forms layer-like film with very small and dense island grain, due to its high free surface energy and low mobility. On the other hand, CrW$_{50}$ and Cr seedlayers, which have lower melting point than W seedlayer, form island film, (3) to effectively reduce the media grain size and improve the media signal to noise ratio, it is essential to utilize a very thin Cr-based seedlayer with high affinity for oxygen and which forms island-like structure, such as CrW$_{50}$ seedlayer.