Features - Storage Innovations:

KOMAG ANNOUNCES NEW BENCHMARKS PMR

Komag Inc, an independent supplier of thin-film media for disk drives, announced that its proprietary Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (PMR) media have demonstrated the capability to support data densities in excess of 130 Gbits per square inch in combination with linear bit densities of one megabit per inch. This could translate into a single 3.5-inch desktop form factor disk holding over 170 GB.

This most recent accomplishment is further proof of Komag's continual progress in pushing areal densities; Komag's last benchmark of 111 Gbits per square inch was announced in November. Additionally, the team has made an improvement of 9.4 dB in signal-to-noise ratio during the past 18 months. To validate the Company's PMR media, Komag's granular, oxide-isolated PMR disks have been rigorously tested for key performance characteristics, such as data linear and areal densities, ease to write and retrieve data, disk signal-to-noise ratio, data error rate, robustness against side erasure and archival data retention capability. This testing was done in partnership with all of Komag's customers as well as leading recording head and channel suppliers.

For Komag, transition to full production mode of PMR disks should occur seamlessly. Komag's PMR disk designs and processes are compatible with existing production tools and processes so there should be no significant investments or upgrades to bring PMR disk production online. Especially noteworthy is Komag's ability to synthesize the Company's PMR disks on aluminum as well as glass-based substrates. While there is a difference in the production process -- a thick, magnetically soft underlayer between the data storage layer and the substrate -- Komag is already tooled to handle the process. Komag's current mix of Pass Through and Static sputter tools is ideally suited to make these soft underlayers without any effect on production throughput, capacity or utilization. Though adding the underlayer for PMR disks will add cost, in moving to this new technology Komag has planned its production processes and tools such that it should still have a cost advantage over competitors' PMR offerings.

Until now, all production magnetic hard disk drives used Longitudinal Magnetic Recording (LMR) media, including current drives that have 80 GB capacity disks. However, reliably increasing disk capacities is becoming much more difficult. Enabled by new heads and Komag disks that double the disk coercivity and strengthen disk signal amplitude, the PMR configuration will facilitate future disk capacity growth far beyond the current designs at 120 GB and 160 GB. In addition, the right combination of higher disk coercivity and disk signal strength will contribute to superior archival data retention.

"Several PMR materials, processes, and head and disk designs have been investigated by the industry during the past 20 years. Until Komag's breakthrough last year none of these alternatives demonstrated performance that rivaled the capability of the incumbent LMR system. Komag's current PMR disk accomplishments should enable us to continue our tradition of offering drive customers the best possible disk choices ahead of their needs," said T.H. Tan, Komag's chief executive officer.

"We are delighted with our team's progress in developing Komag's patented granular, oxide-isolated PMR disks. It rivals the most significant achievements in the history of the magnetic recording industry," said Dr. Chris Bajorek, Komag's executive vice president of advanced technology.