Super-Resolution Near-Field Structure with Alternative Recording and Mask Materials

Using a variety of recording materials, such as terbium–iron–cobalt (TbFeCo), tungsten (W), silver (Ag) and silver–zinc (Ag–Zn), the characteristics of super-resolution near-field structure (super-RENS) disks with the reactive diffusion (RD) recording mechanism were investigated. As a new mask material, WO x , which has a high transition temperature, was applied to a super-RENS disk. A combined W recording layer and WO x mask layer achieved much higher carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR), and better thermal stability, compared with AgO x light-scattering-type super-RENS disks.