Nanopatterning of magnetic disks by single-step ar+ ion projection

Large-area Ar+ projection has been used to generate planar magnetic nanostructures on a 1"-format hard disk in a single step (see Figure). The recording pattern was transferred to a Co/Pt multilayer without resist processes or any other contact to the delicate media surface. It is conceivable that magnetic nanostructures can be replicated from a single stencil mask on large quantities of disks for future high-density recording.