Patent ID: 7324303

Claim:
A magnetic head for a helical scan tape drive, the head comprising a plurality of magnetic reproducing head layers each having magnetic reproducing head elements fabricated by a thin film process and interposed between two magnetic shielding layers and a plurality of magnetic recording head layers each having magnetic recording head elements fabricated by a thin film process and interposed between two insulating films, laminated on a substrate made of a non-magnetic material, and all of said magnetic reproducing head elements being displaced from each other in a head width direction constituting an orthogonal direction relative to a direction of lamination thereof, wherein said magnetic reproducing head layers include a plurality of magnetic reproducing head elements formed at a predetermined pitch and providing a space to accommodate other magnetic reproducing head element groups therebetween; said magnetic recording head layers have a plurality of magnetic recording head elements formed at a same pitch as said plurality of magnetic reproducing head elements; and each magnetic reproducing head element and each magnetic recording head element are formed substantially at a similar position in the head width direction, forming a pair; wherein said magnetic reproducing head layers and said magnetic recording head layers are alternately laminated, and a magnetic reproducing head element and a magnetic recording head element forming a pair are adjacent in the direction of lamination and are separated via a magnetic shielding layer and an insulating layer.