A single-step, non-contact, large-area, high resolution process for effective patterning of a complete magnetic recording structure has been reported by a team from Germany and Austria (A. Dietzel, R. Berger, H. Loeschner, E. Platzgummer, G. Stengl, W. H. Bruenger and F. Letzkus, Adv. Mater., 2003, 15, (14), 1152–1155).

Using large area Ar⁺ ion projection, direct structuring was achieved via a stencil mask a significant distance from the surface of a 1″-format hard disk. This transferred a complete magnetic nanostructural recording pattern to a Co/Pt multilayer.