International Business Machines Corporation

Globalfoundries Inc.

Jason Liang

Robert G Biskeborn

Calvin S Lo

Icko E T Iben

Ho-Yiu Lam

Robert Fontana

W Stanley Czarnecki

Ernest Stewart Gale

Peter VanderSalm Koeppe

Edwin Ralph Childers

Andrew C Ting

Hoodin Hamidi

Gary Decad

David Lee Swanson

Mark Alfred Lantz

Cherngye Hwang

Hugo Eric Rothuizen

Philipp Herget

Wlodzimierz Stanley Czarnecki

Simeon Furrer

Kevin Bruce Judd

Lee Curtis Randall

Paul Merril Greco

Teya Topuria

Icko Et Iben

Daniel Brown

Stella Brach

Georg Lothar Lauhoff

Provided are devices for use in a magnetic tape head, a magnetic tape head, and methods for forming the same. A device includes a chiplet including at least one of a reader and a writer. The device also includes an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield embedded in the chiplet. The EMI shield is configured to inhibit electromagnetic interference during operation of the at least one of the reader and the writer.

Embedded electromagnetic interference shield

In an approach to improve write transducers a write transducer for recording data on a magnetic media is disclosed. The write transducer comprises a first pole piece. The write transducer further comprises a second pole piece. The first pole piece and the second pole piece are arranged in such a way, that a write gap is formed between the first pole piece and the second pole piece. A longitudinal axis is defined between opposite ends of the write gap. A length of the write gap along the longitudinal axis varies in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.

Magnetic write transducer with variable write gap length

A method, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, includes writing, by a tape drive, data tracks to a data band of a magnetic tape having servo bands flanking the data band, the writing being performed using a magnetic head that is not designed for a format of the magnetic tape. An effective pitch of servo readers of the magnetic head used simultaneously during the writing matches a servo reader pitch specification of the format of the magnetic tape. An average effective pitch of write transducers of the magnetic head is greater than a data track pitch specification of the format of the magnetic tape.

Magnetic tape reuse across products

Provided are a magnetic tape head, a magnetic tape drive, and a computational device in which the magnetic tape head is comprised of a plurality of modules comprising reader modules and writer modules, and a plurality of elements, wherein a total of shifts of selected elements of the plurality of elements that are shifted add up to a desired total shift to realign the plurality of modules, such that a median head span of each module type matches as close as possible to a desired value of a head span for all module types including the reader modules and the writer modules and wherein the head span is shifted at a wafer level.

Mechanism to shift the head span of a tape head at a wafer level

An apparatus includes a beam, a chip coupled to the beam, a cable coupled to the beam by a first material located at opposite edges of the cable, and wire bonds extending from pads of the cable to pads of the chip. An apparatus includes a beam and a chip coupled to the beam. The chip includes an array of magnetic transducers for transducing data on a magnetic recording tape. The apparatus includes a cable coupled to the beam by a first material located at opposite edges of the cable, wire bonds extending from pads of the cable to pads of the chip, and a second material encapsulating ends of the wire bonds that are located adjacent the cable. The second material does not contact the chip.

Cable bonding protection for head dimensional stability

In one aspect of the present disclosure, the degree of side erasure occurring in neighboring tracks is controlled by controlling the skew angle of the tape head, relative to the longitudinal direction of motion of the tape past the head as a track is written. In one embodiment, the tape head is rotated relative to the longitudinal direction of tape travel, and the trailing edge of the tape head which forms an acute angle with the edge of a track being written, is used for writing tracks at a desired track pitch. Other aspects and advantages may be provided, depending upon the particular application.

Side erasure control for track writing in a system

Provided are a magnetic tape head, a magnetic tape drive, and a computational device in which the magnetic tape head is comprised of a plurality of elements, wherein a pitch between adjacent elements of the plurality of elements is not identical. Selected elements of the plurality of elements that are shifted from a nominal position are selected in a symmetrical manner in the plurality of elements. A total of shifts of the elements of the plurality of elements that are shifted add up to a desired total shift to realign a plurality of modules, such that the median head span of each module type match as closely as possible to a desired value of a head span for all module types.

An apparatus includes a magnetic head having a first array of read transducers, an array of write transducers, and a second array of read transducers. A center-to-center pitch of the read transducers in the first array is less than a center-to-center pitch of the write transducers. A center-to-center pitch of the read transducers in the second array is greater than a center-to-center pitch of the write transducers. The read transducers in the first and second arrays are aligned with the write transducers along an intended direction of tape travel thereacross for enabling read-while-write operation.

Tape head pitch spacing

Embodiments are disclosed for a method. The method includes determining a reference plane for a tape drive read-write array. The tape drive read-write array includes a first array element, a predetermined array element, and a last array element. Further, determining the reference plane is based on a first array position of the first array element and a last array position of the last array element. The method also includes capturing a position of a predetermined array element using an imaging device. The method further includes determining a deviation of the captured position from the reference plane. Additionally, the method includes generating a plot of an in-plane bow based on the deviation.

Determining in-plane bow of a tape drive head module

In an approach for providing simulation results of an interaction between a transducer head and a magnetic medium, a computer identifies a first raster scan of a sample via a scanning probe microscope. The computer generates a topography image based on the first raster scan of the sample. The computer identifies one or more reference features within the created topography image. The computer calculates an average height based on the one or more reference features. The computer determines a lift distance associated with a probe of the scanning probe microscope. The computer defines a uniform plane based on the calculated average height and the determined lift distance. The computer performs a second raster scan of the sample based on the defined uniform plane. The computer generates a fly-height image based on the second raster scan. The computer provides simulation results based at least in part on the second raster scan.

Fly-height interaction simulation

An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes a substrate and a closure above the substrate. A gap is positioned between the closure and the substrate, the gap having an array of magnetic transducers extending therealong and unpatterned films. The gap further includes a first layer of a first material having a bulk modulus of elasticity lower than the unpatterned films in the gap. An apparatus according to another embodiment includes a plurality of magnetic transducers arranged in a linear array, and a layer of an expansion material between each adjacent pair of magnetic transducers in the array. An encapsulant is positioned between each layer of the expansion material and the adjacent magnetic transducers. The expansion material has a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than the encapsulant.

Tape head with element-to-element spacing and adjustment and mechanism to control the spacing

A system, according to one embodiment, includes: a processor, and logic that is integrated with the processor, executable by the processor, or integrated with and executable by the processor. Moreover, the logic is configured to: detect, by the processor, a change in a resistance value of at least one of a plurality of detector structures, for identifying a defect on a magnetic medium. Each of the detector structures includes a pair of conductive layers separated by an insulating material. However, none of the detector structures include an operable reader for reading data from a magnetic medium. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

Detecting media defects

In one general approach, an apparatus includes a sensor having an active tunnel magnetoresistive region, magnetic shields flanking the active tunnel magnetoresistive region, and gaps between the active tunnel magnetoresistive region and the magnetic shields. The active tunnel magnetoresistive region includes a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer and a reference layer. At least one of the gaps includes a seed layer of a chromium alloy and an electrically conductive layer having a refractory material formed on the seed layer. The seed layer in this configuration is more resistant to corrosion than elemental chromium when used in a magnetic recording head and/or in a structure exposed to even trace amounts of fluorine.

Tunnel magnetoresistive sensor with adjacent gap having chromium alloy seed layer and refractory material layer

A method includes determining whether a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) sensor is corroded using resistance, amplitude and signal to noise ratio (SNR) measurements of the sensor. A method to determine whether a TMR sensor is corroded includes determining an expected initial resistance value, Rand measuring a resistance value, R, of the sensor. The method includes calculating a ratio of the Rvalue and the expected initial resistance value, Rand determining whether the ratio is in a predefined range for the TMR sensor. In response to determining that the ratio of the sensor is within the predefined range, the method includes outputting an indication that the TMR sensor is corroded. In response to determining that the ratio of the sensor is outside the predefined range, the method includes outputting an indication that the TMR sensor is not corroded.

Setting bias currents and limiting corrosion in TMR sensors

A method for measuring a distance between features of a sample, according to one embodiment, includes moving a precision stage having the sample thereon for positioning a first feature of the sample in a field of view of an imaging device. The imaging device is instructed to generate a first image of the first feature of the sample. The sample is moved a defined distance using the precision stage. The imaging device is instructed to generate a second image of a second feature of the sample at the defined distance. The first image and the second image are used to determine an actual distance between the first feature and the second feature. A product, according to one embodiment, includes a thin film structure having a plurality of elements, and at least two features dedicated for enabling measurement therebetween. Each feature is positioned at a known position relative to a respective one of the elements.

Growing community of inventors

Campbell, CA, United States of America

Jason Liang