Grand unified theory of fluorocarbon polymer mobility on disk surfaces

Abstract

Numerous mechanisms can drive polymer molecules across a rotating disk surfaces inside of disk drives. This paper discusses in a unified manner, all the mechanisms for polymer mobility surfaces. Starting with the weakest and going to the strongest, these mechanisms are evaporation and redeposition, diffusion, Newtonian flow due to a gradient in the disjoining pressure, centrifugal acceleration, air shear created by the rotating disk surface, air shear created by the slider flying over the disk surface, and direct contact of the slider with the disk and lubricant.