Effects of Cr intermediate layers on CoCrPt thin film media on NiAl underlayers

Sputter-deposited NiAl underlayers can induce better in-plane c-axis textures in the overlying CoCrPt films and have a smaller grain size than Cr underlayers. However, it is found that the CoCrPt/NiAl films on glass substrates have on lower coercivity values than the CoCrPt/Cr films. A scheme which inserts a Cr intermediate layer, about 2.5 nm thick, between the CoCrPt and NiAl layers is found to greatly improve the in-plane magnetic properties of the CoCrPt/NiAl films. The existing (10.