We investigated a new lubricant made using ion beam assisted depositio
n of fluorinated monomers. The fluorocarbon film is referred to as ion
beam lubricant, IBL. Typical thin film media deposition was followed
by deposition of the IBL. The IBL provided an acceptable number of sta
rt/stop cycles without mechanical wear, but the stiction became too hi
gh after several hundred start/stop cycles on the data zone of laser t
extured media.