Optical sensor to recording head alignment

• US 7,023,650 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2001
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quantum Corporation (Chi Ko Investment Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Quantum Corporation (Chi Ko Investment Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bellesis, George, Basra, Vijay K., Guglielmo, Leo
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, KIN C
• Application Number:
  US10/037,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20030086199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 360/77.12
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/584 for track following on tapes

Abstract

A technique of positioning a recording head relative to an optical servo system in a magnetic recording tape system read/write assembly is described. The technique includes positioning an optical sensor of the optical servo system at a first position relative to a selected one of recording channels on the recording head and positioning the optical sensor at a second position relative to the selected recording channel using an alignment target on the recording head.

A recording head in a read/write assembly of a magnetic recording tape system is also described. The recording head includes recording channels fabricated on a wafer and an alignment target affixed to the wafer between a first read-write element of a recording channel and a second read-write element of the recording channel, the alignment target fabricated to produce an optical reflectance signal.

Claims

1. A recording head in a read/write assembly of a magnetic recording tape system comprises:

a plurality of recording channels fabricated on a wafer; and

an alignment target affixed to the wafer between a first read-write element of a recording channel and a second readwrite element of the recording channel, the alignment target fabricated to produce an optical reflectance signal, wherein the alignment target comprises a plurality of etched alignment grooves, each of the grooves spaced apart from each other and arranged parallel to a direction of magnetic tape travel.

2. The recording head of claim 1 wherein the alignment target is affixed to the wafer using an ultraviolet (UV) cured adhesive.

3. The recording head of claim 1 wherein the recording head and the alignment target are fabricated from the same material.

4. The recording head of claim 3 wherein the material is silicon.

5. The recording head of claim 3 wherein the material is aluminum titanium carbide (AlTiC).

6. The recording head of claim 3 wherein the material is silicon-AMC composite.

7. The recording head of claim 1 wherein the grooves are fabricated using an image reversal resist process.

8. The recording head of claim 1 wherein the grooves are fabricated using a bi-layer resist process.

9. The recording head of claim 1 wherein each of the grooves has a profile to maximize optical signal reflectivity.

10. The recording head of claim 9 wherein the orientation comprises a groove depth, a sloped wall groove angle and a bottom shape.

11. The recording head of claim 10 wherein the groove depth is in the range of 200 to 300 nanometers.

12. The recording head of claim 10 wherein the sloped wall groove angle is in the range of 50 to sixty degrees.

13. The recording head of claim 10 wherein the bottom shape is round.