Reduced tape stick tape drive systems
A read and/or write head for a tape drive system has a tape bearing surface that includes relatively smooth areas surrounded by relatively rough areas. Read and/or write elements are located in the smooth areas.
1. A linear tape head module for a linear tape drive system, the system including a tape having a data track, the module comprising:
a substrate having a surface with a roughness;
a thin film, having a surface with a roughness, including a data track element to at least one of read from and write to the data track; and
a closure having a surface with a roughness to cap the thin film wherein the substrate, thin film, and closure surfaces cooperate to provide a tape bearing surface for the tape and wherein a roughness of a predefined portion of the tape bearing surface is less than a roughness of the tape bearing surface outside the predefined portion.
2. The module of claim 1 wherein the data track element includes at least one of a pole tip and shield located in the predefined portion of the tape bearing surface.
3. The module of claim 2 wherein the data track element includes a pole tip and wherein the pole tip protrudes a distance above the tape bearing surface.
4. The module of claim 2 wherein the data track element includes a shield and wherein the shield protrudes a distance above the tape bearing surface.
5. The module of claim 2 wherein the thin film surface includes a plateau to further provide a tape bearing surface for the tape.
6. The module of claim 5 wherein the data track element includes a pole tip and wherein the plateau includes the pole tip.
7. The module of claim 6 wherein the pole tip protrudes a distance above a surface of the plateau.
8. The module of claim 5 wherein the data track element includes a shield and wherein the plateau includes the shield.
9. The module of claim 8 wherein the shield protrudes a distance above a surface of the plateau.
10. The module of claim 5 wherein a height of the plateau varies.
11. The module of claim 5 wherein the plateau has a predefined shape.
12. The module of claim 5 wherein the plateau has a polygonal shape.
13. The module of claim 1 wherein the predefined portion of the thin film surface has a rounded shape.
14. The module of claim 1 wherein the predefined portion of the thin film surface has an elliptical shape.
15. The module of claim 1 wherein the tape has a path direction and wherein the predefined portion of the thin film surface has an elongated shape in the path direction.