Track-width dependence of medium noise in metal-particle tape systems

Using a high-resolution positioning stage to produce narrow-track recordings, we investigated the track-width dependence of metal-particle tape medium noise. Measurements showed that the medium noise power varies with the square of the track width, creating a linear relationship between the signal power and noise power. The observed track-width dependence results from a long spatial crosstrack correlation length, leading to the conclusion that the head-medium noise continues to dominate the noise in the transition, even at high-track density. Binary noise, which produces a noise power directly proportional to the track width, does not become significant even for track widths below 2 /spl mu/m.