Patent ID: 7274536

Claim:
A tape head read/write module having a composite air bearing surface, the module comprising: a substrate having an air bearing surface, a front, a back, and a chip receiving slot, wherein the chip receiving slot has a front at the front of the substrate, a back at the back of the substrate, a first side, a second side, and a bonding surface, and wherein the air bearing surface of the substrate has a first portion adjoining the first side of the chip receiving slot, and a second portion adjoining the second side of the chip receiving slot; and a chip that has an air bearing surface, a bottom surface, a front, a back, and active elements, wherein the active elements are located proximate to the front of the chip, and wherein the chip is inserted in the chip receiving slot in the substrate with the air bearing surface of the chip substantially aligned with the air bearing surface of the substrate; wherein the chip has a tail surface that is substantially parallel to the air bearing surface of the chip, wherein the tail surface of the chip is located between the air bearing surface of the chip and the back of the chip, and wherein the tail surface of the chip is located in a plane positioned between the air bearing surface of the chip and the bottom surface of the chip; and wherein the substrate has a tail surface that is substantially coplanar with the tail surface of the chip, wherein the tail surface of the substrate is located between the air bearing surface of the substrate and the back of the substrate, and wherein the tail surface of the substrate has a first portion adjoining a rear portion of the first side of the chip receiving slot, and wherein the tail surface of the substrate has a second portion adjoining a rear portion of the second side of the chip receiving slot.