Etch characteristics of L10 FePt thin films masked with TiN films were investigated using an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactive ion etching in a CH(3)OH/Ar plasma. As the CH(3)OH gas was added to Ar, the etch rates of FePt thin films and TiN hard mask gradually decreased, and the etch profile of FePt films improved with high degree of anisotropy. With increasing ICP rf power and dc-bias voltage to substrate and decreasing gas pressure, the etch rate increased and the etch profile becomes vertical without any redepositions or etch residues. Based on the etch characteristics and surface analysis of the films by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, it can be concluded that the etch mechanism of FePt thin films in a CH(3)OH/Ar gas does not follow the reactive ion etch mechanism but the chemically assisted sputter etching mechanism, due to the chemical reaction of FePt film with CH(3)OH gas. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.