MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIUM

PURPOSE:To avoid the exfoliation of protective layers by a method wherein a first protective layer made of at least one of Cr, Ti and Zr is provided on a ferromagnetic metal thin film layer and, further, a second protective layer made of Zr and carbon is provided. CONSTITUTION:NiP alloy is applied to a nonmagnetic substrate 6 by plating or the like to form an intermediate layer 7 having a thickness of 10mum. A ferromagnetic metal thin film layer 8 made of CoNi alloy or the like is formed on the intermediate layer 7 by sputtering, vacuum deposition or the like so as to have a thickness of 0.05mum. A first protective layer 9 made of at least one of Cr, Ti and Zr is provided on the surface of the ferro-magnetic metal thin film 8 by sputtering in an Ar gas atmosphere. Further, a second protective layer 10 made of Zr and carbon is provided by sputtering with a ZrC target in an atmosphere composed of Ar gas and O2 gas. A lubricat-ing layer 11 is provided on the second protective layer 10.