In Situ Tem Scratch Testing of Perpendicular Magnetic Recording Multilayers with a Novel Mems Tribometer

Abstract

Utilizing a newly developed two-dimensional (2D) transducer d esigned forin situ transmission electron microscope (TEM ) nanotribology , d eformationmechanisms of a perpendicular magnetic recording film stack under scratchloading conditions were eva l uated . These types of films are widely utilized instorage devices, and loss of data by grain reorientation in the recording layersis of interest . The observed deformation was characterized by a stick-slipmechanism, which was induced by a critical ratio of lateral to normal forceregardless of normal force. At low applied normal forces, the diamond- l ikecarbon (DLC) coating and asperities in the recording layer were remove dduring scratching, while, at higher applied forces , grain reorientation anddebonding of the recording layer was observed . As the normal force and dis-placement were increased, work for stick-slip deformation and contact stresswere found to increase based upon an Archard 's Law analysis. These experi-ments also served as an initial case study demonstrating the capabilities ofthis new transducer.