Kawasaki, August 20, 2001 ---Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. today announced that it has developed magnetic recording technology that gives hard disk drives a recording density of 100Gbit/in2, the world's highest. Fujitsu plans to start selling hard drives incorporating the new technology in the second half of fiscal 2001.
Hard drives using the new technology will have approximately three times the recording density of the highest density models available today. For example, laptop computers with a 2.5-inch drive will have a storage capacity of approximately 110Gbyte, enough to record approximately 20 DVD-video quality movies.
Details of the new technology were announced today at The Magnetic Recording Conference in Minneapolis, MN, USA.
New Technology
The newly developed technology employs a recording media (SF Media *1) that allows increased recording density three times greater than what was thought to be possible due to thermal instability, a double specular GMR (Giant Magneto-Resistive) read head that achieves a higher playback output level than existing models by at least two times, and a high-precision write head that increases data recording ability by over 30%.
Using these new technologies, Fujitsu has achieved a recording density of more than 100Gbit/in2 -- considered until now the limit for longitudinal magnetic recording. The company is now developing technology necessary to achieve a density of 300Gbit/in2.
Features of New Media and GMR Heads
1) A New Type of Recording Medium
Using a new type of recording medium (SF Media*1) resistant to thermal instability, introduced in April of last year, a stable recording density of more than 100Gbit/in2 is achieved. With improved materials, signal decay is predicted to be less than 1% in five years.
2) Improved Data Read-Out
Fujitsu also developed a double specular GMR head with two ultra-thin oxide layers on the top and bottom of the multi-layer film for increased sensitivity. This enabled electrical conduction with minimal dispersion, thereby doubling the data read output. With this head, Fujitsu achieved sufficient signal output with a read core width of 0.12 micron.
3) Increased Data Recording Performance
Using process technology that allows precise manufacturing of recording heads with a core width of 0.2 micron or less and new materials designed to produce a powerful magnetic field, Fujitsu was able to increase data recording power by 30% over conventional methods. Thus, the company has succeeded in recording extremely narrow tracks onto a recording medium with a width of 0.16 micron.
The Fujitsu Laboratories research team is now working toward achieving recording densities around 300Gbit/in2 by improving these technologies.
Terminology
*1 Synthetic Ferrimagnetic Media: Media consisting of two or more magnetic layers that are antiferromagnetically coupled by a nonmagnetic spacer such as Rutenium. These media allow thermally stable recording with low Mr*t value (product of remanent magnetization & thickness) for high resolution.
About Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd.
Founded in 1968 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Laboratories Limited is one of the premier research centers in the world. With a global network of laboratories in Japan, China, the United States and Europe, the organization conducts a wide range of basic and applied research in the areas of Multimedia, Personal Systems, Networks, Peripherals, Advanced Materials and Electronic Devices.
About Fujitsu
Fujitsu is a leading provider of Internet-focused information technology solutions for the global marketplace. Its pace-setting technologies, best-in-class computing and telecommunications platforms, and worldwide corps of systems and services experts make it uniquely positioned to unleash the infinite possibilities of the Internet to help its customers succeed. Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 5.48 trillion yen for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2001.
Internet: http://www.fujitsu.com/
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Customer Contacts: |
Minoru Sekiguchi, Nancy Ikehara
Fujitsu Limited, Public Relations
Tel: +81-3-3215-5259 (Tokyo)
Fax: +81-3-3216-9365
E-mail: pr@fujitsu.com
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Atsushi Tanaka
Fujitsu Laboratories Limited
Advanced Magnetic Recording Research Div.
Tel: +81-46-250-8832 (Atsugi)
Fax: +81-46-250-8178
e-mail: atanaka@jp.fujitsu.com
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