High-density reproduction characteristics with MR head for rotary drum in helical-scan tape system

A Magneto-resistive (MR) head for a rotary drum in a helical-scan tape syst em has been developed to realize a high-capacity tape storage system with a high data transfer rate that uses a small cassette. Also, various experime ntal ME (Metal Evaporated) tapes whose magnetic layer thickness is 0.1 mum or less (thin-magnetic-layer NEE tapes) for the MR head has been fabricated . Reproduction characteristics of the MR head with the ME tapes was evaluat ed. The output voltage of the MR head was 20 times that of a conventional i nductive head. An areal recording density of 1.2 Gbit/inch(2) was found to be possible combining the MR head with the thin-magnetic-layer ME tapes who se magnetic layer thickness was 0.09 pro.