Design of Carbon Surface Functional Groups on the Viewpoint of Lubricant Layer Structure

Chemical modification technique with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been used for a quantitative analysis of surface functional groups of the carbon overcoats. As the nitrogen content in the carbon overcoat layer increases, the total abundance of functional groups on the carbon overcoat surface increases. The increase of the functional groups leads to an increase of a physisorbed lubricant layer ratio. Increase of the physisorbed layer ratio on the carbon overcoat surface showed a higher durability on the head/disk interface, and decreased the spin-off of the lubricant on a high rotation of the disk. The increase of the physisorbed layer leads to a higher recovery of the lubricant defect by the wear, and the increase of functional groups on the carbon overcoat surface leads to a stronger interaction of the lubricant with the carbon overcoat surface is estimated. Presented as a Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Paper at the ASME/STLE Tribology Conference in Seattle, Washington, October 1-4, 2000