Apparatus, system, and method for detecting the formation of a short between a magnetoresistive head and a head substrate

A system for detecting the formation of a short between a magnetoresistive (“MR”) head and a head substrate, the system comprising:

• a magnetic tape cassette configured to store data on a magnetic tape;
• a magnetic tape drive configured to:
• generate a baseline electric potential level between a head substrate of the MR head and ground, the MR head comprising the head substrate and one or more of writer head elements, reader head elements, and servo head elements;
• monitor the level of the electric potential between the head substrate and ground;
• and
• detect the formation of a short circuit between one or more of the writer head elements, reader head elements, and servo head elements and the head substrate by detecting a change in the electric potential level monitored by the monitoring module from the baseline level to a predetermined threshold level;
• and
• a head cleaning device configured to clean the MR head and head substrate on the magnetic tape drive.

A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform an operation for detecting the formation of a short between a magnetoresistive (“MR”) head and a head substrate, the operation comprising:

• generating a baseline electric potential level between a head substrate of the MR head and ground, the MR head comprising the head substrate and one or more of writer head elements, reader head elements, and servo head elements;
• monitoring the level of the electric potential between the head substrate and ground;
• and
• detecting the formation of a short circuit between one or more of the writer head elements, reader head elements, and servo head elements and the head substrate by detecting a change in the electric potential level monitored by the monitoring module from the baseline level to a predetermined threshold level.

A method for detecting the formation of a short between a magnetoresistive (“MR”) head and a head substrate, the method comprising:

• generating a baseline electric potential level between a head substrate of the MR head and ground, the MR head comprising the head substrate and one or more of writer head elements, reader head elements, and servo head elements;
• monitoring the level of the electric potential between the head substrate and ground;
• and
• detecting the formation of a short circuit between one or more of the writer head elements, reader head elements, and servo head elements and the head substrate by detecting a change in the electric potential level monitored by the monitoring module from the baseline level to a predetermined threshold level.