Appeal 2007-3546
Application 10/418,180
Appellants’ claimed invention is directed to a perpendicular magnetic
recording medium and a process for making same. The medium includes,
among possible other items, a non-magnetic substrate, an intermediate layer,
a magnetic recording layer, a protective layer, and a liquid lubricant layer, in
that order. The magnetic layer comprises an amorphous alloy including a
rare earth metal, a transition metal, and silver (Ag). The layer includes
terbium (Tb) and cobalt (Co). According to Appellants, provision of a
segregated silver component in the magnetic recording medium layer can
serve to fix domain walls and can contribute to the magnetic characteristics
of the perpendicular magnetic recording medium (Specification ¶ 0009).
Claim 1 is illustrative and reproduced below:
1. A perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprising:
a nonmagnetic substrate of glass or an aluminum alloy;
an intermediate layer above the nonmagnetic substrate;
a magnetic recording layer on the intermediate layer;
a protective layer on the magnetic recording layer; and
a liquid lubricant layer on the protective layer;
wherein the magnetic recording layer comprises an amorphous alloy
layer comprising a rare earth element, a transition metal and Ag, wherein
said amorphous alloy layer comprises Tb and Co.
The Examiner relies on the following prior art references as evidence
in rejecting the appealed claims:
Sekiya US 5,665,468 Sep. 9, 1997
Heyse US 6,602,483 B2 Aug. 5, 2003
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