High resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy has been used to obtain vibrational spectra of Fomblin Z-tetraol lubricant films on a commercial magnetic hard disk. The, energy loss intensities of the ν(CF2) stretching mode are roughly independent of scattering angle up to angles of &UDelta;θ < 14&DEG; indicating that they are excited by impact scattering. As a consequence there is little information that can be gleaned from the spectra about molecular orientation on the surface. A negative ion resonance enhances the energy loss cross section of the ν(CF2) stretching mode at the impact energy of E-I=4 eV. It is possible that this resonance is associated with the known sensitivity of fluorocarbons to electron induced dissociation. Annealing the disk sample to T=700 K causes a dramatic decrease in the intensity of C-F stretching modes and an increase of the loss features due to C-H stretching. This indicates that the Fomblin Z-tetraol has decomposed and is exposing the a-CHx overcoat on the magnetic media surface. © 2005 American Vacuum Society.