Large-area patterning of sub-100 nm epitaxial L1 FePt dots array via nanoimprint lithography

Bit-patterned media, a promising candidate for next generation high density magnetic recording, requires sub-100 nm dots array on a wafer scale, a high degree of patterning control of the size distribution, and a material with high perpendicular anisotropy. In this work, large area (0.75 cm × 0.75 cm) dots array was achieved by nanoimprint lithography and ion milling from L10 FePt thin films that are pre-sputtered at 450 °C with both high crystalline quality and good chemical order. The sub-100 nm dots are decoupled from each other and show both narrow size distributions and high coercivity values on the order of 11 kOe. Our work would cast light for the application of bit-patterned media.