ESCA determination of fluorocarbon lubricant film thickness on magnetic disk media

Fluorocarbon films are in extensive use as lubricants for Winchester-type disks, to reduce disk head wear and to reduce friction during landing and start-up. This paper describes a particularly precise and simple method of measuring the average, relative thickness of such films using ESCA spectroscopy. Film thicknesses are measured with a typical precision of 5% of value (lσ), over the operational range of these films.