Tape heads for high track density linear recording

Summary form only given. Higher track densities and higher linear densities are two of the main issues to be considered during the development of thin-film heads for future linear tape drives. Smaller track widths lead to proportionally smaller signal levels. Read heads need to be improved in magnetic efficiency to increase their signal level in order to keep the system medium-noise limited. In a tape drive with small track widths, tracking information is needed to dynamically position the data head against the tape in order to prevent tracking faults during read and write operations. The tracking information in the ADR system is magnetically embossed into the tape at the same location as that where the data information is written. Using an novel read head yoke construction, a double density servo write head and a modified AC-bias servo writing method, it was possible to double the track density of the ADR (Advanced Digital Recording) system.