Patent Publication Number: US-10777221-B2

Title: Segmented magnetic recording write head for writing timing-based servo patterns

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to data storage systems, and more particularly, this invention relates to magnetic recording heads. 
     In magnetic storage systems, magnetic transducers read data from and write data onto magnetic recording media. Data is written on the magnetic recording media by moving a magnetic recording transducer to a position over the media where the data is to be stored. The magnetic recording transducer then generates a magnetic field, which encodes the data into the magnetic media. Data is read from the media by similarly positioning the magnetic read transducer and then sensing the magnetic field of the magnetic media. Read and write operations may be independently synchronized with the movement of the media to ensure that the data can be read from and written to the desired location on the media. 
     An important and continuing goal in the data storage industry is that of increasing the density of data stored on a medium. For tape storage systems, that goal has led to increasing the track and linear bit density on recording tape, and decreasing the thickness of the magnetic tape medium. However, the development of small footprint, higher performance tape drive systems has created various problems in the design of a tape head assembly for use in such systems. 
     In a tape drive system, the drive moves the magnetic tape over the surface of the tape head at high speed. Usually the tape head is designed to minimize the spacing between the head and the tape. The spacing between the magnetic head and the magnetic tape is crucial and so goals in these systems are to have the recording gaps of the transducers, which are the source of the magnetic recording flux in near contact with the tape to effect writing sharp transitions, and to have the read elements in near contact with the tape to provide effective coupling of the magnetic field from the tape to the read elements. 
     SUMMARY 
     An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a plurality of first modules each having a first write transducer. The apparatus further includes a plurality of second modules each having a second write transducer. Planes of deposition of write gaps of the second write transducers are oriented at an angle of greater than 4 degrees relative to planes of deposition of write gaps of the first write transducers. The media bearing surfaces of the modules are primarily planar, and lie along offset parallel planes. 
     An apparatus according to another embodiment includes a first module having a plurality of first write transducers. The apparatus further includes a second module having a plurality of second write transducers. Planes of deposition of write gaps of the second write transducers are oriented at an angle of greater than 4 degrees relative to planes of deposition of write gaps of the first write transducers. 
     Any of these embodiments may be implemented in a magnetic data storage system such as a tape drive system, which may include a magnetic head, a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic medium (e.g., recording tape) over the magnetic head, and a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head. 
     Other aspects and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, when taken in conjunction with the drawings, illustrate by way of example the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a schematic diagram of a simplified tape drive system according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 1B  is a schematic diagram of a tape cartridge according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of a flat-lapped, bi-directional, two-module magnetic tape head according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2A  is a tape bearing surface view taken from Line  2 A of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 2B  is a detailed view taken from Circle  2 B of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 2C  is a detailed view of a partial tape bearing surface of a pair of modules. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial tape bearing surface view of a magnetic head having a write-read-write configuration. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial tape bearing surface view of a magnetic head having a read-write-read configuration. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of a magnetic tape head with three modules according to one embodiment where the modules all generally lie along about parallel planes. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of a magnetic tape head with three modules in a tangent (angled) configuration. 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of a magnetic tape head with three modules in an overwrap configuration. 
         FIG. 8  is a top down view of a portion of a segmented magnetic recording write head, in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a top down view of a portion of a segmented magnetic recording write head, in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 10A  is a side view of an illustrative transducer pair, in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 10B  is a cross-sectional view of the illustrative transducer pair of  FIG. 10A  taken along line  10 B of  FIG. 10A . 
         FIG. 11A  is a side view of an illustrative transducer pair, in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 11B  is a cross-sectional view of the illustrative transducer pair of  FIG. 11A  taken along line  11 B of  FIG. 11A . 
         FIG. 12A  is a side view of an illustrative transducer pair, in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 12B  is a cross-sectional view of the illustrative transducer pair of  FIG. 12A  taken along line  12 B of  FIG. 12A . 
         FIG. 13A  is a top down view of a portion of a segmented magnetic recording write head, in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 13B  is a top down view of a portion of a segmented magnetic recording write head, in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a top down view of a portion of a segmented magnetic recording write head, in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a top down view of a portion of a segmented magnetic recording write head, in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 16  is a top down view of a portion of a segmented magnetic recording write head, in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 17  is a top down view of a portion of a segmented magnetic recording write head, in accordance with one embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the present invention and is not meant to limit the inventive concepts claimed herein. Further, particular features described herein can be used in combination with other described features in each of the various possible combinations and permutations. 
     Unless otherwise specifically defined herein, all terms are to be given their broadest possible interpretation including meanings implied from the specification as well as meanings understood by those skilled in the art and/or as defined in dictionaries, treatises, etc. 
     It must also be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless otherwise specified. 
     The following description discloses several preferred embodiments of magnetic storage systems, as well as operation and/or component parts thereof. 
     In one general embodiment, an apparatus includes a first module having a plurality of first write transducers, and a plurality of second modules each having a second write transducer. Planes of deposition of write gaps of the second write transducers are oriented at an angle of greater than 4 degrees relative to planes of deposition of write gaps of the first write transducers. 
     In another general embodiment, an apparatus includes a plurality of first modules each having a first write transducer, and a plurality of second modules each having a second write transducer. Planes of deposition of write gaps of the second write transducers are oriented at an angle of greater than 4 degrees relative to planes of deposition of write gaps of the first write transducers. 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates a simplified tape drive  100  of a tape-based data storage system, which may be employed in the context of the present invention. While one specific implementation of a tape drive is shown in  FIG. 1A , it should be noted that the embodiments described herein may be implemented in the context of any type of tape drive system. 
     As shown, a tape supply cartridge  120  and a take-up reel  121  are provided to support a tape  122 . One or more of the reels may form part of a removable cartridge and are not necessarily part of the system  100 . The tape drive, such as that illustrated in  FIG. 1A , may further include drive motor(s) to drive the tape supply cartridge  120  and the take-up reel  121  to move the tape  122  over a tape head  126  of any type. Such head may include an array of readers, writers, or both. 
     Guides  125  guide the tape  122  across the tape head  126 . Such tape head  126  is in turn coupled to a controller  128  via a cable  130 . The controller  128 , may be or include a processor and/or any logic for controlling any subsystem of the drive  100 . For example, the controller  128  typically controls head functions such as servo following, data writing, data reading, etc. The controller  128  may include at least one servo channel and at least one data channel, each of which include data flow processing logic configured to process and/or store information to be written to and/or read from the tape  122 . The controller  128  may operate under logic known in the art, as well as any logic disclosed herein, and thus may be considered as a processor for any of the descriptions of tape drives included herein, in various embodiments. The controller  128  may be coupled to a memory  136  of any known type, which may store instructions executable by the controller  128 . Moreover, the controller  128  may be configured and/or programmable to perform or control some or all of the methodology presented herein. Thus, the controller  128  may be considered to be configured to perform various operations by way of logic programmed into one or more chips, modules, and/or blocks; software, firmware, and/or other instructions being available to one or more processors; etc., and combinations thereof. 
     The cable  130  may include read/write circuits to transmit data to the head  126  to be recorded on the tape  122  and to receive data read by the head  126  from the tape  122 . An actuator  132  controls position of the head  126  relative to the tape  122 . 
     An interface  134  may also be provided for communication between the tape drive  100  and a host (internal or external) to send and receive the data and for controlling the operation of the tape drive  100  and communicating the status of the tape drive  100  to the host, all as will be understood by those of skill in the art. 
       FIG. 1B  illustrates an exemplary tape cartridge  150  according to one embodiment. Such tape cartridge  150  may be used with a system such as that shown in  FIG. 1A . As shown, the tape cartridge  150  includes a housing  152 , a tape  122  in the housing  152 , and a nonvolatile memory  156  coupled to the housing  152 . In some approaches, the nonvolatile memory  156  may be embedded inside the housing  152 , as shown in  FIG. 1B . In more approaches, the nonvolatile memory  156  may be attached to the inside or outside of the housing  152  without modification of the housing  152 . For example, the nonvolatile memory may be embedded in a self-adhesive label  154 . In one preferred embodiment, the nonvolatile memory  156  may be a Flash memory device, 
     ROM device, etc., embedded into or coupled to the inside or outside of the tape cartridge  150 . The nonvolatile memory is accessible by the tape drive and the tape operating software (the driver software), and/or other device. 
     By way of example,  FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of a flat-lapped, bi-directional, two-module magnetic tape head  200  which may be implemented in the context of the present invention. As shown, the head includes a pair of bases  202 , each equipped with a module  204 , and fixed at a small angle a with respect to each other. The bases may be “U-beams” that are adhesively coupled together. Each module  204  includes a substrate  204 A and a closure  204 B with a thin film portion, commonly referred to as a “gap” in which the readers and/or writers  206  are formed. In use, a tape  208  is moved over the modules  204  along a media (tape) bearing surface  209  in the manner shown for reading and writing data on the tape  208  using the readers and writers. The wrap angle θ of the tape  208  at edges going onto and exiting the flat media support surfaces  209  are usually between about 0.1 degree and about 3 degrees. 
     The substrates  204 A are typically constructed of a wear resistant material, such as a ceramic. The closures  204 B may be made of the same or similar ceramic as the substrates  204 A. 
     The readers and writers may be arranged in a piggyback or merged configuration. An illustrative piggybacked configuration comprises a (magnetically inductive) writer transducer on top of (or below) a (magnetically shielded) reader transducer (e.g., a magnetoresistive reader, etc.), wherein the poles of the writer and the shields of the reader are generally separated. An illustrative merged configuration comprises one reader shield in the same physical layer as one writer pole (hence, “merged”). The readers and writers may also be arranged in an interleaved configuration. Alternatively, each array of channels may be readers or writers only. Any of these arrays may contain one or more servo track readers for reading servo data on the medium. 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates the tape bearing surface  209  of one of the modules  204  taken from Line  2 A of  FIG. 2 . A representative tape  208  is shown in dashed lines. The module  204  is preferably long enough to be able to support the tape as the head steps between data bands. 
     In this example, the tape  208  includes 4 to 32 data bands, e.g., with 16 data bands and 17 servo tracks  210 , as shown in  FIG. 2A  on a one-half inch wide tape  208 . The data bands are defined between servo tracks  210 . Each data band may include a number of data tracks, for example  1024  data tracks (not shown). During read/write operations, the readers and/or writers  206  are positioned to specific track positions within one of the data bands. Outer readers, sometimes called servo readers, read the servo tracks  210 . The servo signals are in turn used to keep the readers and/or writers  206  aligned with a particular set of tracks during the read/write operations. 
       FIG. 2B  depicts a plurality of readers and/or writers  206  formed in a gap  218  on the module  204  in Circle  2 B of  FIG. 2A . As shown, the array of readers and writers  206  includes, for example, 16 writers  214 ,  16  readers  216  and two servo readers  212 , though the number of elements may vary. Illustrative embodiments include 8, 16, 32, 40, and 64 active readers and/or writers  206  per array, and alternatively interleaved designs having odd numbers of reader or writers such as 17, 25, 33, etc. An illustrative embodiment includes 32 readers per array and/or 32 writers per array, where the actual number of transducer elements could be greater, e.g., 33, 34, etc. This allows the tape to travel more slowly, thereby reducing speed-induced tracking and mechanical difficulties and/or execute fewer “wraps” to fill or read the tape. While the readers and writers may be arranged in a piggyback configuration as shown in  FIG. 2B , the readers  216  and writers  214  may also be arranged in an interleaved configuration. Alternatively, each array of readers and/or writers  206  may be readers or writers only, and the arrays may contain one or more servo readers  212 . As noted by considering  FIGS. 2 and 2A -B together, each module  204  may include a complementary set of readers and/or writers  206  for such things as bi-directional reading and writing, read-while-write capability, backward compatibility, etc. 
       FIG. 2C  shows a partial tape bearing surface view of complementary modules of a magnetic tape head  200  according to one embodiment. In this embodiment, each module has a plurality of read/write (R/W) pairs in a piggyback configuration formed on a common substrate  204 A and an optional electrically insulative layer  236 . The writers, exemplified by the write transducer  214  and the readers, exemplified by the read transducer  216 , are aligned parallel to an intended direction of travel of a tape medium thereacross to form an R/W pair, exemplified by the R/W pair  222 . Note that the intended direction of tape travel is sometimes referred to herein as the direction of tape travel, and such terms may be used interchangeably. Such direction of tape travel may be inferred from the design of the system, e.g., by examining the guides; observing the actual direction of tape travel relative to the reference point; etc. Moreover, in a system operable for bi-direction reading and/or writing, the direction of tape travel in both directions is typically parallel and thus both directions may be considered equivalent to each other. 
     Several R/W pairs  222  may be present, such as 8, 16, 32 pairs, etc. The R/W pairs  222  as shown are linearly aligned in a direction generally perpendicular to a direction of tape travel thereacross. However, the pairs may also be aligned diagonally, etc. Servo readers  212  are positioned on the outside of the array of R/W pairs, the function of which is well known. 
     Generally, the magnetic tape medium moves in either a forward or reverse direction as indicated by arrow  220 . The magnetic tape medium and head assembly  200  operate in a transducing relationship in the manner well-known in the art. The piggybacked MR head assembly  200  includes two thin-film modules  224  and  226  of generally identical construction. 
     Modules  224  and  226  are joined together with a space present between closures  204 B thereof (partially shown) to form a single physical unit to provide read-while-write capability by activating the writer of the leading module and reader of the trailing module aligned with the writer of the leading module parallel to the direction of tape travel relative thereto. When a module  224 ,  226  of a piggyback head  200  is constructed, layers are formed in the gap  218  created above an electrically conductive substrate  204 A (partially shown), e.g., of AlTiC, in generally the following order for the R/W pairs  222 : an insulating layer  236 , a first shield  232  typically of an iron alloy such as NiFe (−), cobalt zirconium tantalum (CZT) or Al—Fe—Si (Sendust), a sensor  234  for sensing a data track on a magnetic medium, a second shield  238  typically of a nickel-iron alloy (e.g., ˜80/20 at % NiFe, also known as permalloy), first and second writer pole tips  228 ,  230 , and a coil (not shown). The sensor may be of any known type, including those based on MR, GMR, AMR, tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR), etc. 
     The first and second writer poles  228 ,  230  may be fabricated from high magnetic moment materials such as ˜45/55 NiFe. Note that these materials are provided by way of example only, and other materials may be used. Additional layers such as insulation between the shields and/or pole tips and an insulation layer surrounding the sensor may be present. Illustrative materials for the insulation include alumina and other oxides, insulative polymers, etc. 
     The configuration of the tape head  126  according to one embodiment includes multiple modules, preferably three or more. In a write-read-write (W-R-W) head, outer modules for writing flank one or more inner modules for reading. Referring to  FIG. 3 , depicting a W-R-W configuration, the outer modules  252 ,  256  each include one or more arrays of writers  260 . The inner module  254  of  FIG. 3  includes one or more arrays of readers  258  in a similar configuration. Variations of a multi-module head include a R-W-R head ( FIG. 4 ), a R-R-W head, a W-W-R head, etc. In yet other variations, one or more of the modules may have read/write pairs of transducers. Moreover, more than three modules may be present. In further approaches, two outer modules may flank two or more inner modules, e.g., in a W-R-R-W, a R-W-W-R arrangement, etc. For simplicity, a W-R-W head is used primarily herein to exemplify embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art apprised with the teachings herein will appreciate how permutations of the present invention would apply to configurations other than a W-R-W configuration. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a magnetic head  126  according to one embodiment of the present invention that includes first, second and third modules  302 ,  304 ,  306  each having a tape bearing surface  308 ,  310 ,  312  respectively, which may be flat, contoured, etc. Note that while the term “tape bearing surface” appears to imply that the surface facing the tape  315  is in physical contact with the tape bearing surface, this is not necessarily the case. Rather, only a portion of the tape may be in contact with the tape bearing surface, constantly or intermittently, with other portions of the tape riding (or “flying”) above the tape bearing surface on a layer of air, sometimes referred to as an “air bearing”. The first module  302  will be referred to as the “leading” module as it is the first module encountered by the tape in a three module design for tape moving in the indicated direction. The third module  306  will be referred to as the “trailing” module. The trailing module follows the middle module and is the last module seen by the tape in a three module design. The leading and trailing modules  302 ,  306  are referred to collectively as outer modules. Also note that the outer modules  302 ,  306  will alternate as leading modules, depending on the direction of travel of the tape  315 . 
     In one embodiment, the tape bearing surfaces  308 ,  310 ,  312  of the first, second and third modules  302 ,  304 ,  306  lie on about parallel planes (which is meant to include parallel and nearly parallel planes, e.g., between parallel and tangential as in  FIG. 6 ), and the tape bearing surface  310  of the second module  304  is above the tape bearing surfaces  308 ,  312  of the first and third modules  302 ,  306 . As described below, this has the effect of creating the desired wrap angle α 2  of the tape relative to the tape bearing surface  310  of the second module  304 . 
     Where the tape bearing surfaces  308 ,  310 ,  312  lie along parallel or nearly parallel yet offset planes, intuitively, the tape should peel off of the tape bearing surface  308  of the leading module  302 . However, the vacuum created by the skiving edge  318  of the leading module  302  has been found by experimentation to be sufficient to keep the tape adhered to the tape bearing surface  308  of the leading module  302 . The trailing edge  320  of the leading module  302  (the end from which the tape leaves the leading module  302 ) is the approximate reference point which defines the wrap angle α 2  over the tape bearing surface  310  of the second module  304 . The tape stays in close proximity to the tape bearing surface until close to the trailing edge  320  of the leading module  302 . Accordingly, read and/or write elements  322  may be located near the trailing edges of the outer modules  302 ,  306 . These embodiments are particularly adapted for write-read-write applications. 
     A benefit of this and other embodiments described herein is that, because the outer modules  302 ,  306  are fixed at a determined offset from the second module  304 , the inner wrap angle α 2  is fixed when the modules  302 ,  304 ,  306  are coupled together or are otherwise fixed into a head. The inner wrap angle α 2  is approximately tan −1 (δ/W) where δ is the height difference between the planes of the tape bearing surfaces  308 ,  310  and W is the width between the opposing ends of the tape bearing surfaces  308 ,  310 . An illustrative inner wrap angle α 2  is in a range of about 0.3° to about 1.1°, though can be any angle required by the design. 
     Beneficially, the inner wrap angle α 2  on the side of the module  304  receiving the tape (leading edge) will be larger than the inner wrap angle α 3  on the trailing edge, as the tape  315  rides above the trailing module  306 . This difference is generally beneficial as a smaller α 3  tends to oppose what has heretofore been a steeper exiting effective wrap angle. 
     Note that the tape bearing surfaces  308 ,  312  of the outer modules  302 ,  306  are positioned to achieve a negative wrap angle at the trailing edge  320  of the leading module  302 . This is generally beneficial in helping to reduce friction due to contact with the trailing edge  320 , provided that proper consideration is given to the location of the crowbar region that forms in the tape where it peels off the head. This negative wrap angle also reduces flutter and scrubbing damage to the elements on the leading module  302 . Further, at the trailing module  306 , the tape  315  flies over the tape bearing surface  312  so there is virtually no wear on the elements when tape is moving in this direction. Particularly, the tape  315  entrains air and so will not significantly ride on the tape bearing surface  312  of the third module  306  (some contact may occur). This is permissible, because the leading module  302  is writing while the trailing module  306  is idle. 
     Writing and reading functions are performed by different modules at any given time. In one embodiment, the second module  304  includes a plurality of data and optional servo readers  331  and no writers. The first and third modules  302 ,  306  include a plurality of writers  322  and no data readers, with the exception that the outer modules  302 ,  306  may include optional servo readers. The servo readers may be used to position the head during reading and/or writing operations. The servo reader(s) on each module are typically located towards the end of the array of readers or writers. 
     By having only readers or side by side writers and servo readers in the gap between the substrate and closure, the gap length can be substantially reduced. Typical heads have piggybacked readers and writers, where the writer is formed above each reader. A typical gap is 20-35 microns. However, irregularities on the tape may tend to droop into the gap and create gap erosion. Thus, the smaller the gap is the better. The smaller gap enabled herein exhibits fewer wear related problems. 
     In some embodiments, the second module  304  has a closure, while the first and third modules  302 ,  306  do not have a closure. Where there is no closure, preferably a hard coating is added to the module. One preferred coating is diamond-like carbon (DLC). 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , the first, second, and third modules  302 ,  304 ,  306  each have a closure  332 ,  334 ,  336 , which extends the tape bearing surface of the associated module, thereby effectively positioning the read/write elements away from the edge of the tape bearing surface. The closure  332  on the second module  304  can be a ceramic closure of a type typically found on tape heads. The closures  334 ,  336  of the first and third modules  302 ,  306 , however, may be shorter than the closure  332  of the second module  304  as measured parallel to a direction of tape travel over the respective module. This enables positioning the modules closer together. One way to produce shorter closures  334 ,  336  is to lap the standard ceramic closures of the second module  304  an additional amount. Another way is to plate or deposit thin film closures above the elements during thin film processing. For example, a thin film closure of a hard material such as Sendust or nickel-iron alloy (e.g., 45/55) can be formed on the module. 
     With reduced-thickness ceramic or thin film closures  334 ,  336  or no closures on the outer modules  302 ,  306 , the write-to-read gap spacing can be reduced to less than about 1 mm, e.g., about 0.75 mm, or 50% less than commonly-used LTO tape head spacing. The open space between the modules  302 ,  304 ,  306  can still be set to approximately 0.5 to 0.6 mm, which in some embodiments is ideal for stabilizing tape motion over the second module  304 . 
     Depending on tape tension and stiffness, it may be desirable to angle the tape bearing surfaces of the outer modules relative to the tape bearing surface of the second module.  FIG. 6  illustrates an embodiment where the modules  302 ,  304 ,  306  are in a tangent or nearly tangent (angled) configuration. Particularly, the tape bearing surfaces of the outer modules  302 ,  306  are about parallel to the tape at the desired wrap angle α 2  of the second module  304 . In other words, the planes of the tape bearing surfaces  308 ,  312  of the outer modules  302 ,  306  are oriented at about the desired wrap angle α 2  of the tape  315  relative to the second module  304 . The tape will also pop off of the trailing module  306  in this embodiment, thereby reducing wear on the elements in the trailing module  306 . These embodiments are particularly useful for write-read-write applications. Additional aspects of these embodiments are similar to those given above. 
     Typically, the tape wrap angles may be set about midway between the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment where the modules  302 ,  304 ,  306  are in an overwrap configuration. Particularly, the tape bearing surfaces  308 ,  312  of the outer modules  302 ,  306  are angled slightly more than the tape  315  when set at the desired wrap angle α 2  relative to the second module  304 . In this embodiment, the tape does not pop off of the trailing module, allowing it to be used for writing or reading. Accordingly, the leading and middle modules can both perform reading and/or writing functions while the trailing module can read any just-written data. Thus, these embodiments are preferred for write-read-write, read-write-read, and write-write-read applications. In the latter embodiments, closures should be wider than the tape canopies for ensuring read capability. The wider closures may require a wider gap-to-gap separation. Therefore, a preferred embodiment has a write-read-write configuration, which may use shortened closures that thus allow closer gap-to-gap separation. 
     Additional aspects of the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  are similar to those given above. 
     A 32 channel version of a multi-module head  126  may use cables  350  having leads on the same or smaller pitch as current 16 channel piggyback LTO modules, or alternatively the connections on the module may be organ-keyboarded for a 50% reduction in cable span. Over-under, writing pair unshielded cables may be used for the writers, which may have integrated servo readers. 
     The outer wrap angles α 1 may be set in the drive, such as by guides of any type known in the art, such as adjustable rollers, slides, etc. or alternatively by outriggers, which are integral to the head. For example, rollers having an offset axis may be used to set the wrap angles. The offset axis creates an orbital arc of rotation, allowing precise alignment of the wrap angle α 1 . 
     To assemble any of the embodiments described above, conventional u-beam assembly can be used. Accordingly, the mass of the resultant head may be maintained or even reduced relative to heads of previous generations. In other approaches, the modules may be constructed as a unitary body. Those skilled in the art, armed with the present teachings, will appreciate that other known methods of manufacturing such heads may be adapted for use in constructing such heads. Moreover, unless otherwise specified, processes and materials of types known in the art may be adapted for use in various embodiments in conformance with the teachings herein, as would become apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading the present disclosure. 
     Conventional magnetic heads for writing servo patterns may include planar thin film heads and/or planar surface thin film heads. Methods used to fabricate such heads may include methods that are sometimes used for manufacturing conventional vertical write heads. 
     For example, one conventional fabrication method may include depositing a blanket film of ferromagnetic material on top of a tape head, and then processing chevron patterns into the deposited film. 
     Another conventional fabrication technique may include developing a planar fashion wafer with pancake- or helical-type coils, e.g., where the plane of deposition may be substantially similar and/or substantially parallel to the plane of the tape bearing surface of the head. 
     It may be noted however, that additional processes not typically used for conventional vertical heads are required during these and/or other fabrication methods of conventional heads, e.g., such as to fabricate the angled gaps for writing timing-based servo patterns. Such additional processes make conventional servo writing magnetic heads more difficult to manufacture, as the additional processes may not be of common practice in the magnetic head industry. For example, planar thin film heads may implement chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) steps for achieving effective throat height; however maintaining this height over the entire wafer surface may be challenging. Furthermore, planar surface thin film heads may include processing write gaps on the tape bearing surface of conventional heads, which may also prove a challenge to create. 
     Embodiments described herein include segmented magnetic write heads with maintained design spacing, e.g., design write gap spacing, design throat heights, design write transducer spacing, etc. 
       FIGS. 8-9  depict apparatuses  800 ,  900  in accordance with various embodiments. As an option, the present apparatuses  800 ,  900  may be implemented in conjunction with features from any other embodiment listed herein, such as those described with reference to the other FIGS. Of course, however, such apparatuses  800 ,  900  and others presented herein may be used in various applications and/or in permutations which may or may not be specifically described in the illustrative embodiments listed herein. Further, the apparatuses  800 ,  900  presented herein may be used in any desired environment. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , apparatus  800  includes a first module  802  having a plurality of first write transducers  804 . 
     Apparatus  800  includes a plurality of second modules  806  each having a second write transducer  808 . The second modules  806  may be constructed, for example, by dicing a conventional module, e.g., a duplicate of module  802 , into the individual modules. In other approaches, the second modules  806  may be discretely formed modules. 
     The relative orientation of the plane of deposition of write gaps of the first write transducers relative to the orientation of the plane of deposition of the write gaps of the second write transducers may vary according to various approaches. For example, planes of deposition of write gaps of the second write transducers  808  may be oriented at an angle β 2  of greater than 4 degrees relative to planes of deposition of write gaps of the first write transducers  804 , preferably in a range of about 6 degrees to about 25 degrees. 
     The orientations of the planes of deposition of write gaps of the second write transducers  808  may be fixed relative to the planes of deposition of write gaps of the first write transducers  804  by setting the orientations of the modules  802 ,  806  with respect to one another. 
     The first write transducers  804  may be aligned along a first straight line  816 , where the first straight line  816  is oriented at an angle β 1  of greater than 4 degrees from perpendicular to an intended direction of tape travel  810  thereacross. It may be noted that line  812  may be used as a reference line that is perpendicular to an intended direction of tape travel  810 . 
     According to one approach, the angle β 1  may be preferably about 6 degrees or larger. According to another approach, the angle β 1  may be between 4 and 20 degrees. According to yet another approach, the angle β 1  may be about 12 degrees. 
     The second write transducers  808  may be aligned along a second straight line  818 . The second straight line  818  may be parallel to the first straight line  816 . 
     It should be noted that angle β 2  is often two times the angle β 1 , but may have a different value, depending on the embodiment. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the angles β 2  may all be the same. In other approaches, however, some angles β 2  may be different than other angles β 2 , all angles β 2  may be different, etc. 
     Each first write transducer  804  may be aligned with an associated second write transducer  808  in the intended direction of tape travel  810 , e.g., see alignment illustrated by line  814 . 
     The distances between the aligned write gaps of the first write transducer  804  and the associated second write transducer  808  are preferably the same, as shown. However, the distances between the write gaps of associated transducer pairs may vary and/or be adjusted depending on the embodiment. See, e.g.,  FIGS. 13A-13B and 15 . 
     According to preferred embodiments, the spacing between the write gaps of each first write transducer  804  and the associated second write transducer  808  may be relatively large, such as greater than 0.5 mm, e.g., about 0.5 to 1.0 mm or greater. 
     The spacing between the write transducers, in each array and/or in each pair, may be selected to meet requirements of writing known timing-based servo patterns. For example, the spacing between write transducers may be selected to compensate for tilting of the head relative to the tape motion direction in use. 
     The second write transducers  808  (five second write transducers  808  shown in the present FIGS. for purposes of an example) together may be equivalent to a head image on a servo-writer wafer. The five second write transducers  808  may be configured to write five servo tracks that define four magnetic recording tape data bands therebetween. 
     Aligning corresponding write transducers  804 ,  808  in the intended direction of tape travel  810  may allow the transducers  804 ,  808  to write servo data to a magnetic recording tape, which will now be briefly described below. 
     It should briefly be noted that to write such servo marks, apparatus  800  may include a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic recording tape over the modules. Apparatus  800  may also include a controller electrically coupled to the modules  802 ,  806 . The controller may be configured to control a timing of writing by the write transducers  804 ,  808 . In one approach, the apparatus  800  may be configured to have at least some of the features of  FIG. 1A . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 8 , the write transducers  804 ,  808  may be configured to write elongated servo marks. The elongated servo marks may each have a longitudinal axis oriented parallel to the associated plane of deposition of the write gap of the respective write transducer writing the servo mark. The servo marks may be written into any type of servo pattern, such as conventional servo patterns. Servo marks oriented at an angle relative to one another can be considered to be oriented in a chevron pattern, e.g., /\, /|, |\, /|\, /|/, |/|, etc. Moreover, several servo marks may be arranged together in clusters, e.g., /////\\\\\, /////|||||\\\\\, /////|||||\\\\\, etc. by repeatedly firing the appropriate write transducer at the proper time to create the desired pattern. 
     When writing servo marks on the magnetic recording tape, each of the first write transducers  804  may be fired (perform a write) independently of and/or in sync with other ones of the first write transducers  804 . 
     Similarly, when writing servo marks on the magnetic recording tape, each of the second write transducers  808  may be fired independently of and/or in sync with other ones of the second write transducers  808 . 
     According to one embodiment, while writing servo marks to a particular servo track of the magnetic recording tape, the first write transducer  804  and the second write transducer  808  of an associated write transducer pair may fire in sync with one another during a write operation. For purposes of an example, in  FIG. 8 , the first write transducer  804  and the second write transducer  808  of an associated write transducer pair firing in sync may write a chevron pattern to the magnetic recording tape. 
     The chevron pattern may be written by the first write transducer  804  and the second write transducer  808  of an associated write transducer pair firing independently, with a time delay occurring between each transducer firing sequence. Firing the first write transducer  804  and the second write transducer  808  of an associated write transducer pair independently with a time delay may compress the bars in the chevron pattern of the written data, e.g., to maintain and enable condensed servo patterns. Thus, by independently controlling the timing of writing of the servo marks, the spacing between the pairs of write transducers  804 ,  808  may be wider, thereby making the apparatus easier to fabricate. 
     A time delay may also be implemented between writing of chevron patterns by respective transducer pairs, to compensate for the transducers  804 ,  808  being aligned along the first straight line  816  at the angle β 1  from perpendicular to the intended direction of tape travel  810  thereacross. Implementing such a time delay while servo writing may enable vertical alignment between the written chevron patterns written by each transducer pair. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 9 , apparatus  900  is shown to include a plurality of second modules  902  each having a second write transducer  904 . The second write transducers  904  of the second modules  902  may be located on an upper portion of the second modules  902 . Such a transducer orientation may enable alignment of the associated transducer pairs of apparatus  900  with shorter spacing between aligned transducer pairs, as the second modules  902  of apparatus  900  are longer than the second modules  806  of apparatus  800  of  FIG. 8 . 
     The second modules  902  may be constructed by dicing a conventional module, e.g., a duplicate of module  802 , into the individual modules. In other approaches, the second modules  902  may be discretely formed modules. The longer individual modules  902  allow positioning of the writer closer to one end, which in turn allows reduction in separation between the opposing modules  802 ,  902 , while providing a longer beam for securing the second modules  902 . 
     Configuration and operation of apparatus  900  of  FIG. 9  may be similar to that described for apparatus  800  of  FIG. 8 . 
     Various configurations of media bearing surfaces of illustrative transducer pairs will now be described. 
       FIGS. 10A-12B  depict illustrative transducer pairs  1000 ,  1100 ,  1200  in accordance with multiple embodiments. As an option, the present transducer pairs  1000 ,  1100 ,  1200  may be implemented in conjunction with features from any other embodiment listed herein, such as those described with reference to the other FIGS. Of course, however, such transducer pairs  1000 ,  1100 ,  1200  and others presented herein may be used in various applications and/or in permutations which may or may not be specifically described in the illustrative embodiments listed herein. Further, the transducer pairs  1000 ,  1100 ,  1200  presented herein may be used in any desired environment. 
       FIG. 10A , illustrates a top down (media facing surface) view of the transducer pair  1000 .  FIG. 10B  is a cross-sectional side view taken along a line  10 B of  FIG. 10A . 
     The transducer pair  1000  includes a first module  1002  which may have one or more first write transducers  1010 . The transducer pair  1000  includes a second module  1004  which may have one or more second write transducers  1008 . It should be noted that although  FIGS. 10A-12B  show modules having only a single write transducer, e.g., the first module  1002  shown having the write transducer  1010 , as shown elsewhere herein one or both of the modules of  FIGS. 10A-12B  may include a plurality of write transducers, e.g., see  FIGS. 8-9, 13-17 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 10B , the media bearing surfaces  1018 ,  1016  of the modules  1002 ,  1004  may be primarily planar. In embodiments where the media bearing surfaces  1018 ,  1016  of the modules  1002 ,  1004  are primarily planar, the planar portions of the media bearing surfaces  1018 ,  1016  may lie along a common plane. 
     To align the planar media bearing surfaces  1018 ,  1016  of the modules  1002 ,  1004  the media bearing surfaces  1018 ,  1016  may be placed onto an optical flat or mechanical alignment apparatus having equivalent function, such as using autocollimators and/or laser focusing. Thereafter, each of the modules  1002 ,  1004  may be adjusted in one or more alignment directions, designated by arrows  1012 ,  1022 ,  1024 . For example, the media bearing surfaces  1018 ,  1016  may be angled slightly relative to one other to create a skiving leading edge on the trailing module  1004 . 
     According to one embodiment, once aligned in a desired position, components of the transducer pair  1000  may be permanently secured in position relative to one another, e.g., with glue, with a clamp, with a screw, etc. For example, the modules  1002 ,  1004  may be adhered to a common substrate, thereby forming a write head, which in turn may be installed in a drive. 
     According to another embodiment, components of the transducer pair  1000  may be translatable in operation, e.g., to facilitate an additional alignment strategy. For example, adjustments may be made to the orientations modules  1002 ,  1004  as the magnetic recording tape  1014  is passed over the media bearing surfaces  1018 ,  1016 , where the timings of the signals in each module  1002 ,  1004  may be adjusted to achieve the desired pattern on the magnetic recording tape  1014 . 
     Alignments may be set using precision translation stages. According to one embodiment alignment adjustments may be made using a precision optical encoder stage. According to another embodiment, alignment adjustments may be made using a piezo actuator, e.g., for very finite adjustments during track following. 
     The finiteness of precision translation stages may vary according to the embodiment. According to one approach, the precision translation stages may have at least a 10 nm resolution. According to another approach, the precision translation stages may have at least an 8 nm resolution. 
     Such adjustments may be performed as a magnetic recording tape  1014  is passed over the media bearing surfaces  1018 ,  1016 , where the timings of the signals in each module  1002 ,  1004  may be adjusted to achieve the desired pattern on the magnetic recording tape  1014 . 
     A head that includes the transducer pair  1000  may be rotated in use, e.g., to compensate for tape skew. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10A and 10B , at least one of the modules  1002 ,  1004  may include a well  1006  extending into a respective media bearing surface  1016 ,  1018  thereof. The well  1006  may be configured to create a vacuum, i.e., a region of sub-ambient air pressure, therein when a magnetic recording tape  1014  is passed thereacross, e.g., in the intended direction of tape travel  810 . The vacuum may be created very quickly after the magnetic recording tape is advanced over the well  1006 , e.g., such as in a fraction of a second. 
     The magnetic recording tape  1014  is shown in  FIG. 10B  dipping into the well  1006  during magnetic recording tape travel. Again, although the second module  1004  is shown to include the well  1006 , according to further embodiments, modules other than the second module  1004  may alternatively or additionally include a well, e.g., such as the first module  1002 . 
     The well  1006  may have a depth  1020  of up to 10 microns or more, e.g., in a direction that extends into the media bearing surface  1016 . The depth  1020  of the well  1006  may vary according to various embodiments. 
     Tacking the magnetic recording tape  1014  downward toward the media bearing surfaces  1018 ,  1016  during magnetic recording tape  1014  travel promotes close head-to-magnetic recording tape  1014  spacing, thereby minimizing spacing loss and promoting formation of sharp magnetic transitions on the tape. 
     According to one embodiment, wrap angles of the magnetic recording tape may be adjusted, e.g., to a low or high wrap angle, in response to the vacuum tacking the magnetic recording tape downward. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 11A , a top down view of a transducer pair  1100  is illustrated according to one embodiment.  FIG. 11B , illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the transducer pair  1100 , taken along a line  11 B of  FIG. 11A . Various features of transducer pair  1100  may be similar to those of transducer pair  1000  of  FIGS. 10A-10B , and therefore have common numbering therewith. 
     While the media bearing surfaces of the modules in  FIGS. 10A-10B  are primarily planar, the media bearing surface, e.g., a first media bearing surface  1104  of the module  1002  of  FIG. 11B  has a beveled trailing end  1108 . The first media bearing surface  1104  of the module  1002  of  FIG. 11B  is preferably primarily planar. 
     In such embodiments, the primarily planar portions of the media bearing surfaces  1104 ,  1106  of the modules  1002 ,  1004  may lie along a common plane. In addition, at least one of the modules  1002 ,  1004 , e.g. preferably the leading module(s), has a beveled trailing end  1108  that is preferably configured to cause a magnetic recording tape  1014  passing over the beveled trailing end  1108  to approach the trailing module  1004  at a wrap angle sufficient to cause skiving of air therefrom. 
     According to one approach, the wrap angle sufficient to cause skiving of air may be at least 0.1 degrees. According to another approach, the wrap angle sufficient to cause skiving of air may be at least 0.3 degrees. According to yet another approach, the wrap angle sufficient to cause skiving of air may be at least 0.5 degrees. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 12A , a top down view of a transducer pair  1200  is illustrated in accordance with one embodiment.  FIG. 12B , illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the transducer pair  1200 , taken along a line  12 B of  FIG. 12A . 
     Media bearing surfaces, e.g., a first media bearing surface  1204  and a second media bearing surface  1206 , of the modules  1002 ,  1004  may be primarily planar. The media bearing surfaces  1204 ,  1206  of the modules  1002 ,  1004  may lie primarily along offset parallel planes. 
     The depth of the offset  1202  separating the offset parallel planes may vary depending on the embodiment. According to one approach, the offset  1202  may measure at least 0.25 μm. According to another approach, the offset  1202  may measure at least 1 μm to promote skiving of air therefrom, e.g., as the tape  1014  travels left to right in  FIG. 12B . According to yet another approach, the offset  1202  may measure at least 1.75 μm. An illustrative offset  1202  is between about 0.5 and about 2 μm. The amount of offset will generally be related to the distance between module edges and the desired wrap angle. 
       FIGS. 13A-17  depict apparatuses  1300 - 1700  in accordance with various embodiments. As an option, the present apparatuses  1300 - 1700  may be implemented in conjunction with features from any other embodiment listed herein, such as those described with reference to the other FIGS. Of course, however, such apparatuses  1300 - 1700  and others presented herein may be used in various applications and/or in permutations which may or may not be specifically described in the illustrative embodiments listed herein. Further, the apparatuses  1300 - 1700  presented herein may be used in any desired environment. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 13A , apparatus  1300  includes a first module  802  having a plurality of first write transducers  804 . Apparatus  1300  also includes a plurality of second modules  806  each having a second write transducer  808 . 
     The first write transducers  804  may be aligned along a first straight line  816 . The second write transducers  808  may be aligned along a second straight line  818 . The second straight line  818  is non-parallel to the first straight line  816 . The second straight line  818  may be oriented perpendicular to the intended direction of tape travel  810  thereacross as shown, or at some other angle. 
     In this and/or any other embodiment herein, at least one of the modules  802 ,  806  of apparatus  1300  may include a read transducer  1302  configured to detect a magnetic transition along an edge of one of the written magnetic bars written by a leading one of the modules (the leading module may depend on the direction the magnetic tape is traveling). 
     According to various embodiments, a read transducer may be positioned adjacent the write transducers  804 ,  808 . According to one approach, as shown in  FIG. 13A , the read transducers  1302  may be positioned between write transducers  804 ,  808  that are aligned in an intended direction of tape travel thereacross. 
     As previously described elsewhere above, a controller, which may be electrically coupled to the modules  802 ,  806 , may be configured to control a timing of writing by the write transducers  804 ,  808 . According to one embodiment, the controlling of timing of writing by the write transducers  804 ,  808  may be based, e.g., at least in part, on detection of the magnetic transition or a sequence of transitions by at least one of the read transducers  1302 . 
     According to one approach, in response to detecting one or more magnetic transitions, the controller may instruct one or more of the write transducers  804 ,  808  to perform one or more write operations. The one or more write operations may be performed by one or more of the write transducers  804 ,  808  at the time of detection, or after some predefined time delay. 
     According to another approach, the controlling may be based on a specific predefined series of magnetic transitions. For example, assume the reader transducers  1302  are on the left module  802 , and the tape is traveling right to left. The writer transducers  808  of the modules  806  simultaneously write a series of magnetic transitions. The controller may wait to instruct a trailing write transducer  804  to perform a write sequence until three synchronous magnetic transitions are detected. In this example, instructing a write sequence to be performed once three synchronous magnetic transitions are detected may at least in part enable longitudinal alignment between the written servo mark clusters of each associated transducer pair, e.g., the detection is used to correct for the varying spacing between the writer pairs, e.g., as in  FIG. 13A . 
     In one approach, the second write transducers  808  and the read transducers  1302  may be configured as piggyback writer-reader pairs. In such embodiments, a primary goal may be to orient the read transducers  1302  upstream of the downstream write transducers, relative to the direction of magnetic recording tape travel. 
     According to one approach, this goal may be met by rotating the head 180 degrees from its normal positioning. According to another approach, this goal may be met by building the read transducers  1302  above the write transducers  804 ,  808  in a wafer, and then triggering the firing of the associated bar after the companion reader transducer  1302  detects the most previously written leading bar. In yet another embodiment, the readers may be incorporated in separate modules, which are then attached to the writer modules. 
     The various apparatus layouts described above may reduce or eliminate disturbances that result from magnetic recording tape velocity variation in the time interval between bars, and thereby enable a very precise and/or flexible bar positioning. 
     The read transducer detecting the leading bar may trigger the firing of the trailing bar after a time delay, e.g., thereby completing a patterned servo mark. According to one approach, the time delay may be based on a predefined algorithm. According to another approach, the time delay may be built into an apparatus as a precision spacing between a read transducer and a write transducer, as achieved in thin film processing. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 13B , for purposes of an example, the first module  802  and the second modules  806  of apparatus  1300  are shown to not include read transducers. 
     According to one embodiment, in response to the spacing between write transducers in an associated pair being of varying lengths, a controller may control a timing of writing by the write transducers  804 ,  808  using delays, e.g., to offset the writing sequence variance. According to one approach, the time delay writing sequences may be determined at least in part based on the known distance between write transducer pairs and the tape speed. In further embodiments, readers may be implemented to detect servo marks written by the leading transducers, etc. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 14 , apparatus  1400  includes a first module  802  having a plurality of first write transducers  804 . Apparatus  1400  may also include a plurality of second modules  902  each having a second write transducer  904 . 
     The first write transducers  804  may be aligned along a first straight line  816 , where the first straight line  816  may be oriented about perpendicular to an intended direction of tape travel  810  thereacross. 
     The second write transducers  904  may be aligned along a second straight line  818 . The second straight line  818  may be parallel to the first straight line  816 . However, the planes of deposition of the write transducers  804 ,  904  in an aligned pair are non-parallel to enable writing of a chevron pattern. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 15 , apparatus  1500  includes a first module  1502  having a plurality of first write transducers  1504 , and a second module  1506  having a plurality of second write transducers  1508 . 
     Embodiments which include more than one first module and more than one second module will now be described below, e.g., see  FIGS. 16-17 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 16 , apparatus  1600  includes a plurality of first modules  1602  each having a first write transducer  1604 . Apparatus  1600  also includes a plurality of second modules  1606  each having a second write transducer  1608 . 
     The first write transducers  1604  may be aligned along a first straight line  1612 . The second write transducers  1608  may be aligned along a second straight line  1614 . According to one embodiment, the second straight line  1614  may be parallel to the first straight line  1612 . In another embodiment, the first and straight lines  1612 ,  1614  are non-parallel. 
     Planes of deposition of the write gaps of the second write transducers  1608  may be oriented at an angle β 4  of greater than 4 degrees relative to planes of deposition of the write gaps of the first write transducers  1604 , e.g., where each of the planes of deposition of the write gaps may be relative to an axis  1610 . Similarly, the planes of deposition of the write gaps of the first write transducers  1604  may be oriented at an angle β 3  of greater than 4 degrees relative to planes of deposition of the write gaps of the second write transducers  1608 . Accordingly, the sum of the angle β 3  and angle β 4  may equal at least 8 degrees according to the present embodiment. 
     According to one embodiment, angles β 3  and β 4  may be the same, as depicted in  FIG. 16 . According to another embodiment, angles β 3  and β 4  may be different. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 17 , apparatus  1700  includes several features that are similar to those of apparatus  1600 , and therefore, some features of apparatus  1700  have common numbering with apparatus  1600  of  FIG. 16 . 
     Apparatus  1700  includes a plurality first modules  1602  and a plurality of second modules  1606 . Apparatus  1700  may include a third module  1702 . The third module  1702  may have a plurality of third write transducers  1704 . The plurality of third write transducers  1704  may be aligned along a third straight line  1706 . 
     The third straight line  1706  may be parallel to the first and/or second straight lines  1612 ,  1614 . 
     Referring now to fabrication techniques of apparatuses described herein, the apparatuses may be built on a conventional thin film wafer substrate and/or other modified wafer substrates. According to one exemplary approach, the head image of each module on the wafer may span the width of a magnetic recording tape, e.g., as in module  802  of  FIG. 8A  for example. The head image may span less than the width of the magnetic recording tape, e.g., as in modules  806  of  FIG. 8A . 
     Fabrication techniques may be modified to include identification characteristics such as reflective write pole tips, fiducial marks, a combination of reflective write pole tips and fiducial marks (reflective material) built into the wafer, etc. Such identification characteristics may be used, e.g., for detecting the tips with fabrication tools for dicing, alignment, etc. 
     According to various embodiments, the modules of the apparatuses may be fabricated using conventional head fabrication methods, both for wafer and post wafer manufacturing. 
     According to one approach, during assembly/fabrication, components of the apparatus may be manipulated by a hardware actuation process for independent positioning, e.g., relative to another component of the apparatus. As previously described elsewhere herein, the orientations of these modules may be set once desired spacing(s), orientation(s) and/or write gap angular orientations are met. 
     According to one approach, an optical recognition system may survey the apparatus as a whole, e.g., prior to one or more of the components being positioned but non-fixedly mounted to the apparatus, to determine if one or more of the components are in a prescribed positioned, e.g., relative to a template. 
     As described elsewhere herein, once aligned in a desired position, one or more of the components of the apparatus may be permanently secured. 
     In other approaches, at least some of the modules may be translatable during servo writing for alignment purposes. 
     The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention. 
     The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire. 
     Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device. 
     Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention. 
     Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions. 
     These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. 
     Moreover, a system according to various embodiments may include a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being configured to perform one or more of the process steps recited herein. By integrated with, what is meant is that the processor has logic embedded therewith as hardware logic, such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. By executable by the processor, what is meant is that the logic is hardware logic; software logic such as firmware, part of an operating system, part of an application program; etc., or some combination of hardware and software logic that is accessible by the processor and configured to cause the processor to perform some functionality upon execution by the processor. Software logic may be stored on local and/or remote memory of any memory type, as known in the art. Any processor known in the art may be used, such as a software processor module and/or a hardware processor such as an ASIC, a FPGA, a central processing unit (CPU), an integrated circuit (IC), etc. 
     It will be clear that the various features of the foregoing systems and/or methodologies may be combined in any way, creating a plurality of combinations from the descriptions presented above. 
     It will be further appreciated that embodiments of the present invention may be provided in the form of a service deployed on behalf of a customer. 
     The inventive concepts disclosed herein have been presented by way of example to illustrate the myriad features thereof in a plurality of illustrative scenarios, embodiments, and/or implementations. It should be appreciated that the concepts generally disclosed are to be considered as modular, and may be implemented in any combination, permutation, or synthesis thereof. In addition, any modification, alteration, or equivalent of the presently disclosed features, functions, and concepts that would be appreciated by a person having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the instant descriptions should also be considered within the scope of this disclosure. 
     While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of an embodiment of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.