Development of 18 Track 2 Layer Thin Film Head Using All Dry Process

An eighteen-track, two-layer thin film write head, fabricated using only dry processes, has been developed for use in magnetic tape drive systems. The all-dry production relies on repeated sputtering and ion milling processes. In smoothing processes, two kinds of resist were used, and the maximum step size was 200 Å. The front taper angle could be controlled between 30 and 45°. The head employed a Co-Nb-Zr-Ta amorphous alloy with high Bs (12,000 G), developed to enable complete writing of the medium. The Co-Nb-Zr-Ta amorphous film was deposited by bias sputtering. The AYA-2L (for Active Yoke by Amorphous-2 Layer) head was developed as an enhanced write head fabricated using only dry processes.