Patent ID: 8437103

Claim:
Magnetic tape media comprising: a plurality of timing-based servo tracks formatted using a timing-based surface thin film magnetic recording head comprising: two or more independently controllable and magnetically isolated channels, each channel including a pair of highly magnetically permeable sub-poles separated by a substantially magnetically impermeable barrier forming a sub-gap therebetween; a surface film over each channel, the surface film of each channel spanning from one sub-pole to another over the sub-gap and comprising at least one timing-based magnetic gap; and a separate, independently controlled coil for each of the channels; wherein the plurality of servo tracks are recorded via the independently controllable and magnetically isolated channels using intervals of electrical current comprising different timing from one channel to another, such different timing among the plurality of magnetically isolated channels providing the magnetic tape media with timing-based magnetic transitions that are uniquely written in each of the plurality of servo tracks.