Improvement of durability and corrosion resistance of metal evaporated tape with chemically deposited SiO/sub x/ overcoat

To improve the reliability of metal evaporated tape (ME tape), SiO/sub x/ overcoat was investigated. The durability of ME tape overcoated with SiO/sub x/ was greatly improved by lubricating with C/sub 18/H/sub 37/OP(H)(O)OH (mono octadecyl phosphite: MOP), which showed more than 10 hours life time in a still mode durability test (relative speed of head to media: 11.3 m/s). Since MOP was solid at room temperature, adhesion did not occur and friction force during the test reduced by 25% compared with perfluoropolyether liquid lubricant. Corrosion of ME tape was prevented by SiO/sub x/ overcoat prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Water transmission rate of PECVD-SiO/sub x/ was one tenth that of physically deposited SiO/sub x/, which suppressed surface corrosion of ME tape in an atmosphere of 60/spl deg/C 90%R.H. and of 4 ppm SO/sub 2/ (40/spl deg/C 80%R.H.).