Development of new sputtering system for film deposition of perpendicular magnetic recording at high rate

In 1987 EP magnetron sputtering system only using a toroidal target and operating DC magnetic coil was improved to solve above problem. But it was difficult to erode only toroidal target, though magnetic field on the targets was changed variously. So the outer yoke of Compressed Magnetic Field(CMF) magnetron sputtering system was exposed near the target surface. Co-Zr-Nb amorphous films for perpendicular head were prerared by this system. As a result, dischanrge characteristics showed constant and low voltage and at higher Pr, applied voltage was low. Rd was 0.13 <micrn>/min at 4.4 W/cm^2. As deposited films had soft magnetic properties as well as Co-Zr film Hc ranged 0.25-30 Oe and 4<pi>Ms was about 14kG along the hard axis. EP and CMF magnetron sputtering technique is effective to deposit the magnetic films. In future magnetic circuit of magnetron cathode should be discussed in detail for deposition of higher quality films.