Magnetic media formatted with an integrated thin film subgap subpole structure for arbitrary gap pattern magnetic recording head

Abstract

An arbitrary gap thin film magnetic recording head is fabricated by forming a substrate based on traditional vertical planar thin film head wafer technology which is designed to produce an integrated subgap and subpole substrate structure. The wafer is then processed into row bars to reveal, in a plane parallel to the transducing direction of the medium, the subgap and subpoles at the surface of the row bar and to bring the structure to a certain coil depth or gap depth. A flat or cylindrical contour may be utilized. This thin film subgap row bar is taken through a film deposition or growth process that deposits the magnetic film on a plane perpendicular to the wafer plane, horizontal planar processing, forming a surface film recording head where an arbitrary gap structure can be made in-between the subpoles and generally directly on top of the subgap. The surface thin film is deposited and patterned on the tape bearing surface of the head to optimize various element configurations, gap patterns and head-to-tape medium contact. An arbitrary gap thin film magnetic recording head is manufactured using two major thin film processing planes, one orthogonal to the other, the first major plane is wafer level and the second major plane is sub-wafer level and perpendicular to the first. The first major plane of processing defines the magnetically active substrate including coils, subgap and subpole members. The second major plane of processing defines the surface film which transmits the flux from the subpoles to the gap features contained in the surface film. This resulting structure is a recording head that is wired to the servo system electronics and will format the tape with the arbitrary gap pattern.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
   
   
       29 . Magnetic tape comprising a pattern that serves as servo data written on the tape by a surface film magnetic recording head comprising:
 the pattern formed by at least one recording gap, the pattern is located between a pair of magnetically permeable thin film subpole members and contained within a magnetically permeable surface film between the pair of magnetically permeable thin film subpole members, thereby forming a magnetic circuit;   the magnetic circuit adapted to conduct magnetic flux for a particular state of current through the pair of magnetically permeable thin film subpole members and the magnetically permeable surface film, with some of the magnetic flux leaking over the at least one gap and makes contact with the magnetic tape, whereby the pattern is written on the tape.   
   
   
       30 . The magnetic tape of  claim 29 , wherein the pattern is a timing based pattern. 
   
   
       31 . The magnetic tape of  claim 29 , wherein the pattern is an amplitude based servo pattern. 
   
   
       32 . The magnetic tape of  claim 29 , wherein the pattern is a combination of a timing based and an amplitude based servo pattern. 
   
   
       33 - 37 . (canceled) 
   
   
       38 . Magnetic media comprising a pattern that serves as servo data written on the tape, the magnetic media formatted by:
 providing an integrated thin film magnetic recording head having a plurality of recording elements each comprising
 first and second magnetically permeable thin film subpole members, separated by a substantially low permeability subgap member, an integrated electrically conductive coil structure embedded in part within the subgap member and in part in-between the first and second subpole members, the subgap member and subpole members forming part of a magnetic circuit; and 
 a magnetically permeable thin film layer spanning from at least the first subpole member to the second subpole member and including one or more arbitrary recording gap patterns; and 
   passing the magnetic media over the magnetic recording head;   wherein the plurality of recording elements are substantially magnetically isolated and electrically independent of one another, each recording element having a unique coil; and   wherein the direction of film growth of the magnetically permeable thin film layer is substantially orthogonal to the direction of thin film growth of the first and second magnetically permeable thin film subpole members.   
   
   
       39 . The magnetic media of  claim 38 , wherein the coil structure of each of the plurality of recording elements is a single layer coil. 
   
   
       40 . The magnetic media of  claim 38 , wherein the coil structure of each of the plurality of recording elements is a multi-layer coil. 
   
   
       41 . The magnetic media of  claim 38 , wherein there is an apex point between the first and second subpole members of each of the plurality of recording elements, and the distance from the subgap surface to the apex point is a control parameter in the creation of a magnetic field surrounding the magnetic circuit. 
   
   
       42 . A method of formatting magnetic media comprising:
 providing an integrated thin film magnetic recording head having at least one recording element comprising
 first and second magnetically permeable thin film subpole members, separated by a substantially low permeability subgap member, an integrated electrically conductive coil structure embedded in part within the subgap member and in part in-between the first and second subpole members, the subgap member and subpole members forming part of a magnetic circuit; and 
 a magnetically permeable thin film layer spanning from at least the first subpole member to the second subpole member and including one or more arbitrary recording gap patterns; and 
   passing magnetic media over the magnetic recording head;   wherein the thin film layer has been selectively removed in portions so as to magnetically isolate each of the recording elements; and   wherein the direction of film growth of the magnetically permeable thin film layer is substantially orthogonal to the direction of thin film growth of the first and second magnetically permeable thin film subpole members.   
   
   
       43 . The method of formatting magnetic media of  claim 42 , wherein the magnetic recording head comprises a plurality of recording elements which share a common coil. 
   
   
       44 . The method of formatting magnetic media of  claim 42 , wherein the magnetic media is formatted with a timing based servo pattern. 
   
   
       45 . The method of formatting magnetic media of  claim 42 , wherein the magnetic media is formatted with an amplitude based servo pattern. 
   
   
       46 . The method of formatting magnetic media of  claim 42 , wherein the thin film is structured to focus the flux from the subpole members across the thin film lying on top of the subgap member so as to increase the flux delivered to the one or more arbitrary recording gap patterns. 
   
   
       47 . The method of formatting magnetic media of  claim 42 , wherein the magnetic recording head comprises a plurality of recording elements, each having a unique coil. 
   
   
       48 . The method of formatting magnetic media of  claim 42 , wherein the coil structure is a single layer coil. 
   
   
       49 . The method of formatting magnetic media of  claim 42 , wherein the coil structure is a multi-layer coil.