Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved structure and method of forming a dual magnetoresistive element head. The dual magnetoresistive element head includes a first and a second magnetoresistive element and leads extending from opposite end segments of each magnetoresistive element. In one aspect of the present invention, the first and second magnetoresistive elements and the leads are simultaneously formed from a wafer comprising a first and a second magnetic layer separated by an intermediate gap layer.

Abstract: A high efficiency write element for use with a multiple element, multiple track longitudinal magnetic tape head. The write element includes a recess formed in the surface of the substrate in which a conductive thin film coil is disposed. This places the coil windings below the surface of the substrate resulting in a planar substrate surface. The ferrite substrate also includes a trench formed in the recess which is parallel to the front gap region and filled with a nonmagnetic composition. An insulator is interposed between the conductive thin film coil and the ferrite substrate to produce a gap spacer when the ferrite substrate is mated with a closure section. The closure section is a planar nonmagnetic material having a magnetic pole piece of a high saturation magnetic flux density material deposited on its surface. The ferrite substrate and closure section are mated such that the magnetic pole piece is positioned in the front gap and the back gap of the resulting magnetic tape head module.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head having a write element capable of producing a magnetic flux density sufficient to write the high coercivity magnetic tapes at high track density. The manufacturing process requires a minimum number of lithographic steps, thereby increasing the yield of the multiple track magnetic head module. A trench is cut into the ferrite substrate material and filled with an insulator to produce a more efficient write element. A recess is then formed in the ferrite substrate having a geometry sufficient to hold a deposited thin-film conductive coil below the surface of the ferrite substrate. An insulator is then deposited on the ferrite substrate to form a gap spacer as well as to insulate the conductive thin-film coils from the ferrite substrate. The conductive thin-film coil is then deposited on the ferrite substrate in the recesses.

Abstract: A multi-track longitudinal magnetic tape head capable of writing data to high-coercivity magnetic tapes is disclosed. The multi-track, longitudinal magnetic tape head according to the present invention comprises a plurality of write elements and read elements. The write elements comprise a write pole separated from a substrate by a write gap. The write poles each comprise a block of magnetic material, having a planar gap surface and a convex top surface. A high B.sub.s composition is deposited on an etched portion of the magnetic material of each write pole at the gap surface. As a result, the gap surface comprises high B.sub.s composition extending from the top convex surface to a point part way down the gap surface. A method for manufacturing this multi-track longitudinal tape head is also disclosed.

Abstract: An integral head module having read and write elements positioned in an alternating relationship. A first pole piece of the integrated head module is formed with recesses into which are positioned write coils of write elements in order to provide write gaps of a greater length than the gaps of the MR read elements which are positioned on non-recessed portions of the first pole piece. The second pole piece is then affixed to the first pole piece together with a required insulating layer in order to form gaps of a first and increased length for the write elements and of a second and shorter length for the MR read elements.

Abstract: An MR read head in which increased sensitivity is achieved by a flux path that enables an increased amount of flux that enters the MR element at its top edge on a read operation to pass through the entirety of the MR read element. This improved path is achieved by forming an extension area on the bottom inner edge of the MR read element. The extension extends through an aperture in an insulator layer to a first magnetic pole piece. This extension provides a low-impedance path that permits a higher percentage of the flux entering the MR element at its top portion to travel through the entirety of the MR element and thereby generates an increased signal output per unit of detected flux.

Abstract: This method of manufacturing a multi-turn multi-track composite recording head increases the cross sectional area of the conductors used to implement the windings in the recording head. This is accomplished by etching a recess into the ferrite substrate of the first ferrite magnetic pole piece to receive the winding. This recess may be deep enough to incorporate the entirety of the winding. This configuration does not constrain the gap size but simply increases the space into which the winding is placed. The thickness of the winding deposited in this space is no longer constrained by the dimensions of the gap but can be equal to the gap dimension plus the depth of the recess etched into the ferrite substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for permitting a plurality of substrates to be positioned within a magnetic field unique to each substrate so that the plurality of substrates may be placed in a vacuum chamber and concurrently coated with a thin film. A magnetic field unique to and associated with each substrate may be oriented so that all substrates have a uniform magnetic field and magnetic orientation. Alternatively, the magnetic field and orientation of each substrate may be individually tailored to produce a different magnetic characteristic for each substrates.