Slider Wear on Disks Lubricated by Ultra-Thin Perfluoropolyether Lubricants with Different Molecular Weights

In this study, the wear properties of a magnetic head slider on disks lubricated by ultra-thin perfluoropolyether (PFPE) lubricants with different molecular weights were evaluated by the continuous sliding of magnetic head sliders using the slider contact by the dynamic flying height control. Two types of PFPE lubricants (Z-tetraol and D-4OH) with different molecular weights were evaluated. Results show that the slider wear depended on the coverage of the lubricant film; i.e., the lubricant film with sufficient coverage reduced slider wear. The lubricant film with a low molecular weight (low-Mw), including a lubricant material with a Fomblin and Demnum main chain, exhibited better coverage on a diamond-like carbon surface. Sliders with a low-Mw lubricant film showed less wear than those of a high molecular weight (high-Mw), and the depletion of the low-Mw lubricant film was less than that of the high-Mw lubricant film.