Comparison of Corrosion and Tribological Properties of Ultrathin (<2 nm) Carbon Films on Hard-Disk Media by DC Sputtering and FCVA Processes

Author

Dwivedi, Neeraj ; Goohpattader, Partho S. ; Yeo, Reuben J. ; Satyanarayana, Nalam ; Rismani, Ehsan ; Bhatia, Charanjit S.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Nat. Univ. of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

Volume

50

Issue

11

fYear

2014

fDate

Nov. 2014

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

4

Abstract

Ultrathin carbon overcoats (COCs) are of great interest for future hard-disk media. In view of future requirements, the key research focus lies in investigating/maintaining tribological and oxidation resistance properties of different types of COCs with thicknesses <;2nm. We report on the tribological and oxidation resistance properties of sputtering and filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) processed ultrathin COCs of thicknesses in the range of ~1.2-1.6nm. FCVA-deposited 1.6nm COC exhibits excellent properties in terms of lower coefficient of friction (COF, 0.2-0.25), higher wear resistance and greater oxidation resistance. In contrast, sputtered 1.2 and 1.5nm COCs show higher COF (~0.4-0.5), poor wear and oxidation resistance properties. The tribological and oxidation resistance performance of 1.2 and 1.6nm thick FCVA-processed COCs are found to be comparable with, or even better than, significantly thicker ~2.7nm commercial COC, demonstrating the effectiveness of the FCVA processed ultrathin protective magnetic media overcoats.

Keywords

carbon; corrosion resistance; friction; hard discs; oxidation; sputter deposition; thin films; vacuum deposition; wear resistance; C; FCVA method; corrosion; dc sputtering; filtered cathodic vacuum arc; friction coefficient; hard-disk media; oxidation resistance; size 1.2 nm to 1.6 nm; tribological properties; ultrathin carbon films; ultrathin carbon overcoats; ultrathin protective magnetic media overcoats; wear resistance; Bonding; Carbon; Media; Oxidation; Resistance; Sputtering; Thermal stability; Filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA); oxidation resistance; sputtering; tribological properties; ultrathin carbon overcoat (COC);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TMAG.2014.2320517

Filename

6971389