Adsorption of fluorinated ethers and alcohols on fresh and oxidized carbon overcoats for magnetic data storage

Temperature programmed desorption has been used to study the desorption kinetics and desorption energies of perfluorodiethylether, (CF3CF2)2O, and 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, CF3CH2OH, adsorbed on fresh and oxidized hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-CHx) films. (CF3CF2)2O and CF3CH2OH serve as models for the ether backbone and hydroxyl end-groups of Fomblin Zdol, the lubricant most commonly used to lubricate the surfaces of amorphous carbon overcoats on magnetic data storage hard disks. Our measurements clearly reveal, for the first time, the effects of surface oxidation on the adsorption of fluorocarbon lubricants such as Fomblin Zdol on a-CHx films. Oxidation of the a-CHx surface increases the desorption energy of CF3CH2OH but has no observable impact on the desorption energy of (CF3CF2)2O. These results support the suggestion that the alcohols interact with the surface via hydrogen bonding. From a practical perspective, these results imply that the oxidation of the fresh a-CHx film may serve as a means to control or tailor the a-CHx surface to optimize the properties of the lubricant-overcoat interface in hard disks.