Abstract
Carbon thin films were deposited on rigid disks as protective layers by facing targets sputtering (FTS), and their characteristics were evaluated to determine whether they would be suitable protective layers for thin-film magnetic recording disks. The performance and lifetime of a hard disk drive are intimately related to the head–disk interface. Increase in performance due to reduction of the flying height and magnetic spacing, and longer product lifetime are related to the properties of protective layers covering the surfaces of hard disks. Currently, such layers are generally sputtered amorphous carbon films whose characteristics are strongly dependent on various sputtering conditions, such as the Ar gas pressure, substrate temperature, and dc and rf bias voltages. FTS systems are known to have excellent characteristics, such as plasma-free substrates and low working gas pressures in the order of 0.1 mTorr. Thus, very smooth and uniform thin films can be obtained. In this study, the dependence of the characteristics of carbon films on the FTS conditions was investigated. The carbon films were deposited at Ar gas pressures in the range of 0.2 to 10 mTorr and a substrate temperature of 25°C as room temperature, with several dc and rf bias voltages and also without any bias voltage. The properties of the films were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and mechanical durability testing. Consequently, carbon films deposited, without plasma damage by FTS, at an Ar gas pressure of 0.2 mTorr showed a diamond-like carbon and a microscopically flat surface. The relationship between the sputtering conditions and the carbon films characteristics was also systematically clarified for the first time.
Published Version
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