A magnetic recording medium includes: a substrate, and a magnetic recording layer that is made from a material having the chemical formula of Fe.sub.xMn.sub.yPt.sub.z, and that has a bottom surface and an upper surface; wherein x, y, and z indicate average atomic concentrations for Fe, Mn, and Pt, and x+y+z is 100, x and y being greater than 0 and not greater than 65, z being in the range from 35 to 60; and wherein atomic concentration of Fe is gradually decreased from the upper surface to the bottom surface, and atomic concentration of Mn is gradually increased from the upper surface to the bottom surface so that the ferromagnetic property of the magnetic recording layer is gradually reduced from the upper surface to the bottom surface. |