317 Gb/in2 Recording Areal Density on Strontium Ferrite Tape

The recording performance of a new prototype magnetic tape based on perpendicularly oriented strontium ferrite particles is investigated using a 29 nm wide tunneling magnetoresistive reader. At a linear density of 702 kbpi, a post-detection byte-error rate of 2.8e-2 is demonstrated based on measured recording data and a software read channel. The read channel uses a 64-state implementation of an extended version of a data-dependent noise-predictive maximum-likelihood detection scheme that tracks the first and second order statistics of the data-dependent noise. At the demonstrated post-detection byte-error rate, a post-error-correction-coding byte-error rate of less than 1e-20 can be achieved using an iterative decoding architecture. To facilitate aggressive track-density scaling, we made multiple advances in the area of track following. First, we developed a new timing-based servo pattern and implemented a novel quad channel averaging scheme. Second, we developed a new field programmable gate array prototyping platform to enable the implementation of quad channel averaging. Third, we enhanced our low disturbance tape transport with a pair of 20 mm diameter air bearing tape guides and a prototype track-following actuator. Fourth, we developed a novel low friction tape head and finally, we designed a set of tape speed optimized track-following controllers using the model-based H_∞ design framework. Combining these technologies, we achieved a position error signal (PES) characterized by a standard deviation ≤ 3.18 nm over a tape speed range of 1.2 to 4.1 m/s. This magnitude of PES in combination with a 29 nm wide reader enables reliable recording at a track width of 56.2 nm corresponding to a track density of 451.9 ktpi, for an equivalent areal density of 317.3 Gb/in².

317 Gb/in2 Recording Areal Density on Strontium Ferrite Tape

The recording performance of a new prototype magnetic tape based on perpendicularly oriented strontium ferrite particles is investigated using a 29 nm wide tunneling magnetoresistive reader. At a linear density of 702 kbpi, a post-detection byte-error rate of 2.8e-2 is demonstrated based on measured recording data and a software read channel. The read channel uses a 64-state implementation of an extended version of a data-dependent noise-predictive maximum-likelihood detection scheme that tracks the first and second order statistics of the data-dependent noise. At the demonstrated post-detection byte-error rate, a post-error-correction-coding byte-error rate of less than 1e-20 can be achieved using an iterative decoding architecture. To facilitate aggressive track-density scaling, we made multiple advances in the area of track following. First, we developed a new timing-based servo pattern and implemented a novel quad channel averaging scheme. Second, we developed a new field programmable gate array prototyping platform to enable the implementation of quad channel averaging. Third, we enhanced our low disturbance tape transport with a pair of 20 mm diameter air bearing tape guides and a prototype track-following actuator. Fourth, we developed a novel low friction tape head and finally, we designed a set of tape speed optimized track-following controllers using the model-based H_∞ design framework. Combining these technologies, we achieved a position error signal (PES) characterized by a standard deviation ≤ 3.18 nm over a tape speed range of 1.2 to 4.1 m/s. This magnitude of PES in combination with a 29 nm wide reader enables reliable recording at a track width of 56.2 nm corresponding to a track density of 451.9 ktpi, for an equivalent areal density of 317.3 Gb/in².

Design of a Playback Control System for Flight Parameter Recorder

A play-back controller was designed for a certain series of aircraft. The XC866 MCU was used as the main controller unit, and an 8051 MCU as the assistant control unit. It achieved the function of channel selection, channel switching, signal filtering, signal decoding and tape speed controlling. Compared with other play-back controllers this instrument is more superior in control precision, reliability, use of flexibility and simple of structure.

Modeling the Traction of a Thin Tape Guided by a Grooved Roller

The Stribeck effect describes the velocity dependence of the friction coefficient between moving components [9]. In the case of an axially translating tape, supported by a roller, air entrainment can cause reduction in the contact pressure, and hence in the tractive capacity of the interface [5]. Grooved rollers are used to prevent excessive built-up of air pressure [6,7,8,1,2]. In this work, tribology and mechanics of a tape-grooved-roller interface is modeled in order to investigate the traction as a function of tape speed, tension and groove size.

Development of Multi-plume and Multi-turn (MPT) PLD for YBCO Coated Conductor

Our multi-plume and multi-turn (MPT) pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) has been improved to accelerate reliable and fast deposition technique of high Ic (critical current) YBCO (YBa2Cu3O7-x) layer for a long coated conductor fabrication, for we increased the number of multi-turn, from three to four, in our multi-plume and multi-turn (MPT) PLD system. This increase of the number of depositing turns achieved high deposition rate corresponded to 75 mm3/h (=1 μm-thick × 10 mm-wide × 7.5 m/h, throughout all 4 turns) for YBCO layer. This four turn (4t)-MPT-PLD also indicated a capability to combine high deposition rate and high Ic. We attained the highest Ic's of 321 A at the tape speed of 3 m/h and 340 A at tape speed of 2 m/h by 4t-MPT-PLD in 10 mm-wide and 10 cm-long samples.Based on these results, we successfully deposited a 100 m long YBCO layer by 4t-MPT-PLD. This coated conductor had high Ic as high as 159 A, therefore, the multiplication of Ic and length exhibited high value of 15.9 kA·m.

Numerical and Experimental Investigations of the Head/Tape Interface in a Digital Linear Tape Drive

Finite element analysis is applied to simulate the head/tape interface in a Digital Linear Tape (DLT) drive. The numerical model was verified by contact spacing measurements using a “three-bump” glass head and three-wavelength interferometry. The effect of tape speed, tension and head contour parameters (island width, island radius, and penetration) on the head/tape spacing is investigated numerically for a three-bump and a five-bump DLT-type head. A “Local Tape Wrap Angle” is defined to characterize the head/tape interface.