Magnetic analysis of contact head/tape spacing

A new magnetic analysis method is used to determine the mean magnetic spacing of a contact head/tape interface. The initial part of the curve of readback signal amplitude versus recording current is measured at a low recording density and is fitted by using theoretical approximations to obtain the head/tape spacing. A tape looper test stand, inductive heads, and various high-density metal particle tapes are used in the recording measurements. The mean head/tape spacing obtained from magnetic analysis agrees well with the results from numerical analysis of mechanical measurements.