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Servo/ Magnetic Lithography

  Overview
Magnetic lithography: Novel method for instantaneous recording on magnetic media has been developed. The magnetic lithography (qualitatively analogous to optical lithography) employs transfer of information from patterned magnetic mask (analog of optical photomask) to magnetic media (analog of photoresist). The information is recorded in the patterned soft magnetic material (CoNiFe, FeCo) on the magnetic mask. When uniformly magnetized media is brought into intimate contact with the magnetic mask, externally applied magnetic field selectively changes magnetic orientation only in the areas not covered with the soft magnetic material pattern. We fabricated samples of sub-micron patterned FeCo and NiFeCo magnetic masks, and successfully transferred patterns to hard disk CrCo based magnetic media.
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   Fig a,b
     Caption: Schematic explanation of analogy between optical and magnetic lithography:

     a) In the case of optical lithography externally applied source of light penetrates through openings in the optical mask and selectively exposes light sensitive photo resist.

     b) In ML, externally applied magnetic field magnetizes soft magnetic material elements of the magnetic mask. Magnetic field generated by the soft magnetic material elements causes reduction (or complete cancellation) of externally applied field in the close proximity of the magnetic mask, effectively allowing magnetic field to penetrate only through the openings in the magnetic mask. If magnetic media is initially magnetized in one direction (right-to-left), and if subsequently opposite polarity magnetic field is applied to the magnetic media in the close proximity or contact to the magnetic mask, the direction of the magnetization will be reversed only in the areas corresponding to the openings in the magnetic mask.

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     Caption: a) Electron micrograph of the FeCo magnetic mask.

     Caption: b) Magnetic force microscopy image of the magnetic media after magnetic lithography.


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