Microstructures of CoCr-alloy thin film media were investigated by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy focussing on the initial growth region of the magnetic layer grown on nonmagnetic underlayers. An introduction of nonmagnetic hcp-CoCrRu layer between an hcp-CoCrPt recording layer and an hcp- or a bcc-underlayer improved the crystallographic quality of the initial growth region. Sharp compositional distributions of alloying elements at the interfaces of a CoCrPt/CoCrRu/CrTi perpendicular medium and a CoCrPt/CoCrRu/CrTi longitudinal medium were respectively confirmed by electron energy loss spectroscopy employing a finely focussed electron beam. Coercivity and squareness of the thin film media increased by realizing good hetero-epitaxy between the nonmagnetic and the magnetic hcp-layers.

Magnetic layer thickness dependences of magnetic properties are investigated for Co-Cr-Pt polycrystalline thin films with different Cr-alloy underlayers (Cr-Ti, Cr-W, Cr-Mo, Cr-V, Cr-Mo-V). The specimens with Cr-Ti, Cr-V, and Cr-Mo-V underlayers show higher coercivities by about 30% and lower activation magnetic moments than those with Cr-Mo underlayer. The effective diameter of activation volume increases by 10-20% when the magnetic layer thickness is decreased from 12 to 8 nm. Temperature dependences of magnetic properties are also determined and discussed by referring to the data obtained using single crystal magnetic thin films with similar composition.