The frictional behavior of thin film magnetic disks

The frictional behavior of carbon-overcoated disks is studied under constant speed drag testing conditions. The effects of linear velocity, environmental conditions, and surface contamination on the friction at the head/disk interface are investigated. The results suggest that the friction build-up as a function of repeated passes may be related to changes in the carbon-hydrogen bonds in the carbon overcoat. During sliding in air, oxygen or water vapor may affect the C-H bonds, which may in turn be responsible for the observed friction increase. This phenomenon is influenced by the temperature at the interface of sliding, the environmental conditions, and the surface cleanliness of the disk.<
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