Process for making a thin film metal alloy magnetic recording disk with a hydrogenated carbon overcoat

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of, prior to sputter depositing the magnetic film, sputter depositing an underlayer on the substrate in an atmosphere consisting essentially of argon and hydrogen.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of, prior to sputter depositing the overcoat, sputter depositing an adhesion layer on the magnetic film in substantially the same atmosphere.

Claim 5

A sputter deposition method of fabricating a thin film magnetic recording disk comprising the steps of: providing sputtering targets of a cobalt-based alloy and carbon in a single sputtering station; exposing the targets to the same atmosphere consisting essentially of Ar and H 2 , the H 2 being present in an amount greater than approximately 1% of the Ar-H 2 ; passing a disk substrate past the cobalt-based alloy target to form a magnetic layer consisting essentially of only the material present in the cobalt-based alloy target; and passing the disk substrate past the carbon target to form an overcoat consisting essentially of only the carbon from the carbon target and the hydrogen from the Ar-H 2 atmosphere.

Claim 6

A sputter deposition method of fabricating a thin film magnetic recording disk comprising the steps of: providing sputtering targets of a cobalt-based alloy and carbon in a single sputtering station; exposing the targets to the same atmosphere consisting essentially of Ar and H 2 , the H 2 being present in an amount greater than approximately 1% of the Ar-H 2 ; passing a disk substrate past the cobalt-based alloy target to form a magnetic layer consisting essentially of only the material present in the cobalt-based alloy target; and passing the disk substrate past the carbon target to form an overcoat consisting essentially of only the carbon from the carbon target and the hydrogen from the Ar-H 2 atmosphere.