Flat profile tape recording head

Summary form only given. At one step in traditional HDD head processing, linear arrays of thin film heads are produced in the form of flat ´row bars´ having well defined throat and stripe heights. In 1993 it was shown in IBM that these row bars can read and write magnetic tape. Later, in conjunction with the NSIC program, Hans Hinteregger at Haystack Observatory ran row bars for more than 2000 hours at 8 meters per second with no degradation. Flat profile tape heads operate over a wide range of tension, speed and media thickness, and can be fabricated using the high-volume HDD head production methods. This paper discusses their principles of operation and implementation.