Tetrahedral amorphous carbon film and method of making same

Abstract

A method of making a tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) film comprises depositing carbon atoms over the surface of an object. The surface of the object is kept exposed to fluorine atoms during the deposition of the carbon atoms. The method allows the fluorine atoms to scatter within the deposited carbon atoms in the tetrahedral amorphous carbon film. The hardness of the tetrahedral amorphous carbon film can be improved in response to an increased content of sp 3 carbon bonds included within the tetrahedral amorphous carbon film. In addition, the tetrahedral amorphous carbon film still provides a sufficient repellent performance to water due to the fluorine atoms existing near the exposed surface of the tetrahedral amorphous carbon film.

1 - 7 . (canceled)  
   
   
       8 . A tetrahedral amorphous carbon film overlaid on a substrate and including fluorine atoms inside the film.  
   
   
       9 . The tetrahedral amorphous carbon film according to  claim 8 , wherein content of the fluorine atoms is set smaller than 20 at %.  
   
   
       10 . The tetrahedral amorphous carbon film according to  claim 8 , wherein the fluorine atoms disperse within tetrahedral amorphous carbon.  
   
   
       11 . The tetrahedral amorphous carbon film according to  claim 10 , wherein content of sp 3  carbon bonds is set equal to or larger than 80% in the tetrahedral amorphous carbon.  
   
   
       12 . The tetrahedral amorphous carbon film according to  claim 11 , wherein content of the fluorine atoms is set smaller than 20 at %.  
   
   
       13 . A head slider comprising: 
 a slider body opposing a bottom surface to a recording medium; and    a tetrahedral amorphous carbon film overlaid on the bottom surface, said tetrahedral amorphous carbon film including fluorine atoms inside.    
   
   
       14 . The head slider according to  claim 13 , wherein the fluorine atoms disperse within tetrahedral amorphous carbon.  
   
   
       15 . The head slider according to  claim 14 , wherein content of the fluorine atoms is set smaller than 20 at %.  
   
   
       16 . The head slider according to  claim 14 , wherein content of sp 3  carbon bonds is set equal to or larger than 80% in the tetrahedral amorphous carbon.  
   
   
       17 . The head slider according to  claim 16 , wherein content of the fluorine atoms is set smaller than 20 at %.