Spacing Loss of Vacuum-Deposited Co-Cr Tapes

In the fabrication of Co-Cr films using a continuous vacuum-deposition system, the incident angle of the vapor beam on the substrate affects the recording characteristics of the film with respect to the spacing loss. The spacing loss factor rises with increasing film anisotropy field Hkefr when signals are recorded and reproduced with a ring head. For Co-Cr films deposited with the angle of incidence varying from 20° to ¿20° the spacing loss is large, loss factor of 140 dB, while for films deposited at incident angles varying from 55° to 20° and from 70° to 20°, the loss factors are estimated to be 110 dB and 85 dB respectively. The head-medium spacing of 40 nm is made up of protrusions and a protective layer indispensable for ensuring the durability and playability of VCR tapes. Films deposited with the incident angle varying between 55° and 20° are advantageous for high-density recording.