Electrically conductive layer of wear-resistant Fe-Mo-B alloy for protecting magnetic recording tape

Electrically conductive thin films of wear-resistant Fe-Mo-B-based alloy were prepared on plasma-free tape substrates by the facing targets sputtering (FTS) method for applying protective layers in magnetic recording tape. Though the sintered targets were polycrystalline and brittle the as-deposited films were amorphous, homogeneous, and flexible. They were perfectly non-magnetic and sufficiently electrically conductive. The resistivity was as small as 1.2×10^-4 Ω-cm. These films seem to be helpful for avoiding the problems caused by electrical charging. The protective layer can largely reduce the dynamical friction coefficient of the surface in magnetic recording tape. Therefore, the thin films of the Fe-Mo-B based alloy seem to be suitable as the protective layers of the magnetic recording tape for improving tribological properties of the tape surface