Patterned media with nickel nanopillar arrays as the magnetic recording units was prepared with electron beam direct-writing lithography and electrodeposition. The results show that the diameter of pores in the electron beam direct-writing templates is determined by the exposure time under the condition of fixed accelerating voltage and exposure current

within an adjustable range of 10 nm for pore diameters and spacings. Increasing the interval of pores in the template and lowering the cathode electrolytic potential properly can reduce the interference of adjacent pores during the electrodeposition process and hence improve the deposition uniformity.