Thermally assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) media with multi-layer underlayer for recording layers

A heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) medium has a plurality of underlayers between a heat dissipation layer and a recording layer. One embodiment of the underlayer is a multilayer having a thermal barrier layer consisting essentially of MgO and TiO and a seed layer containing MgO and nitrogen (N) and located directly on the thermal barrier layer, wherein the recording layer is on and in contact with the seed layer. The interface between the thermal barrier layer and the seed layer contains Ti and N, some of which may be present as TiN to act as a diffusion barrier to prevent diffusion of the Ti into the recording layer. The titanium-containing thermal barrier layer has a higher thermal resistivity than a conventional MgO thermal barrier/seed layer, and thus reduces the laser power to the recording layer while still achieving a high thermal gradient at the recording layer. 热辅助磁记录(HAMR)介质在散热层与记录层之间具有多层底层。所述底层的一个实施例是具有主要由MgO和TiO组成的热障层及含有MgO和氮(N)且直接位于所述热障层上的晶种层的多层，其中所述记录层在所述晶种层上并与所述晶种层接触。所述热障层与所述晶种层之间的界面含有Ti