TSA

MicroPhysics

MicroPhysics Tape Spacing Analyzer (TSA)

As the need for gigabyte-plus, desktop tape backup systems grows, the tape industry will meet market demands by providing drives that operate at head/tape spacing values below 50 nm (2 micro-inches). In this realm, the tape surface roughness and the tape surface deformation are extremely important factors at the head/tape interface.

The MicroPhysics Tape Spacing Analyzer (TSA) is an integrated measurement system for analysis of head/tape spacing and contact, tape surface roughness and head contour performance. The TSA combines a laboratory grade tape looper with two scientific grade 12 bit digital cameras and a high stability stroboscopic illuminator. Custom optics, mechanics and electronics are used to synchronize and interface all equipment to a host computer. The host computer analyzes the interferometric images and calculates head/tape spacing with nanometer resolution. The tape surface can be characterized in suit with head/tape contact and air bearing pressure forces in action. In addition, new head contours can be characterized by measuring the absolute head/tape spacing and contact.

TSA Measurement using Clear Tape and Real Head

Base Hardware:

TSA complete turnkey measurement system includes:

   TSA interferometer, dual 12 bit digital cameras, high stability strobe
   Controller electronics, Pentium host computer
   Workstation with integrated rack mount
   Superior quality flat-screen monitor
   Tape looper system 0.5 to 10 m/s tape speed with vacuum controlled tape tension, digital indication of
      tape tension
   Manual adjustment of tape wrap by micrometer, 40mm X-Y translation of optics by micrometer, course
      and fine focus of interferometer
   System configured for both glass head/real tape and transparent tape/real head research and failure analysis.