Organic buildup on slider leading edge tapers and its effect on wet stiction

The phenomenon of organic mixture buildup on slider leading edge tapers (LETs) was studied experimentally by conducting contact start/stop (CSS) tests in a humidity chamber. The effect of organic buildup on wet stiction performance of head/disk interface (HDI) was investigated. It is found that high humidity leads to higher rate of PFPE lubricant loss at disk landing zone and significant material buildup at the end of head slider LET surfaces. Such changes at the HDI cause irreversible high stiction, large stiction modulation, and, therefore, shorter CSS life. Organic silicone vapor film from silicone outgassing speeds up to the buildup process and leads to early HDI failure. Reducing LET organic buildup can extend wet CSS life.<>