RECORDING PERFORMANCE OF THE COMBINATION OF MAGNETORESISTIVE HEAD ANDTHIN METAL EVAPORATED TAPE

Thin metal evaporated (ME) tape with low remanence-thickness product ( M-r delta), high coercivity (Hc) and low noise was designed to match a magnetoresistive (MR) head. This article focuses on the high density recording performance of a shielded MR head/thin ME tape media designe d for use with an MR head. The PW50 measurement was adopted to certify that the depth of recording was restricted by magnetic layer thicknes s. Reduced second harmonic distortion at low density shows saturation- free operation of the MR head. Frequency domain measurements indicate drastically reduced ac erase noise level and higher output level at sh ort wave length. High readback density (neglecting intertrack interfer ence) of 1.07 Gbits/in(2) with signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) after equal ization of 18.7 dB was attained for a FeNi (AMR) head and 1.29 Gbits/i n.(2) with SNR of 20.0 dB for a spin-valve (GMR) head. The performance of the MR head/thin ME tape system was compared to commercial ME tape and thin metal particulate tape in terms of noise characteristics, de pth of recording, and SNR after equalization. (C) 1997 American Instit ute of Physics.