Bart Raeymaekers ASME / JSME Joint Conference on Micromechatronics for Information and Precision Equipment ( MIPE

Introduction Lateral tape motion (LTM) is the time-dependent displacement of magnetic tape perpendicular to the tape transport direction. Lateral tape motion may cause track misregistration between the read/write head and a previously written track, thereby limiting the recording density that can be achieved [1]. Currently, the track density of typical magnetic tape drives is approximately 40 tracks/mm (1000 tracks per inch (tpi)). In order to increase the track density further, the lateral displacement of tape must be decreased [2]. Two types of lateral tape motion are generally considered, namely, low frequency and high frequency lateral tape motion. High frequency lateral tape motion with frequencies above 1000Hz cannot be followed by the servo actuator in a tape drive, while low frequency lateral tape motion can be followed. Thus, high frequency lateral tape motion is the more critical component of the two types.