Reliability tests of the MR head in helical-scan tape systems

In a helical-scan tape system, the MR head is brought into contact with the tape surface at high speed and is exposed to the atmosphere without a protective coating. In this paper, we study the contact resistance between the MR head and tape in terms of tape surface resistance and voltage applied to the head. The electrostatic charge that accumulates on the tape surface as a result of running the tape was measured and found to be less than a few volts. Corrosion tests were found to cause no electrical damage and no visual change, and the block error rate remained constant after storage for 1 year and 5 months. We conclude that helical scan tape systems using the MR head are reliable.