The tribology of advanced digital recording (ADR) systems

The advanced digital recording system, a linear tape recording system is ex amined with respect to the tribology involved at the head/tape interface. U sing atomic force microscopy (AFM), Auger elcetron spectrocopy (AES) and sc anning Anger microscopy (SAM) surface characterisation techniques, several wear mechanisms are isolated: scratching, attributed to the polishing actio n of the tape asperities; microfracture then pullout of the Al2O3-TiC ceram ic used as tape bearing surface; and ploughing due to three-body action of ceramic pullouts entrapped on the recessed poles. A ceramic differential we ar is found to occur at the expense of the Al2O3 component, which therefore forms the ceramic recessed regions. The ceramic pullouts involved in the p oles' three-body abrasion, however, appear to consist of TiC particles. A m odel for the ceramic wear mechanism is proposed. A transferred mixture of p ossibly magnetic pigments, binder and lubricant from the tape to the head i s observed in the form of adhesive deposits. The iron component of this tra nsfer is found in higher concentrations on the pole tips and the prominent part of the ceramic. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.