The effect of hydrogen in carbon overcoats on the tribology of the head-disk interface

• Published in: IEEE transactions on magnetics Vol. 31; no. 6; pp. 2919 - 2921
• Main Authors: Run-Han Wang, Meeks, S.W., White, R.L., Weresin, W.E.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.11.1995; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bonding; Carbon; Cascading style sheets; Condition monitoring; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Failure (mechanical); Failure analysis; Hydrogen; Lubricants; Lubrication; Magnetic devices; Magnetic thin film devices: magnetic heads (magnetoresistive, inductive, etc.); domain-motion devices, etc; Magnetic thin films; Magnetron sputtering; Monitoring; Optical films; Polyethers; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Transducers; Transistors; Tribology; Wear of materials; X ray photoelectron spectroscopy; Recording head; Durability; Experimental study; Carbon; Amorphous phase; Thin films; Interfaces; Interface properties; Wear; Recording material; Wear resistance; Magnetic recording; Tribology
• ISSN: 0018-9464; 1941-0069
• DOI: 10.1109/20.490190

The effect of hydrogen in the carbon overcoat on the CSS durability of thin film media lubricated with perfluoropolyether (PFPE) is reported. A strain-gauge force transducer and optical surface analyzer (OSA) were employed to investigate the failure mechanism. The OSA provided in-situ monitoring of lubricant migration and modification as well as carbon wear. Durability improved with increasing hydrogen content over the range from 12 to 36 at% of H. The improvement is attributed to changes in lubricant bonding and mobility as a function of hydrogen content.