Future hard disk drive systems

This paper briefly reviews the evolution of today's hard disk drive with the additional intention of orienting the reader to the overall mechanical and electrical architecture. The modern hard disk drive is a miracle of storage capacity and function together with remarkable economy of design. This paper presents a personal view of future customer requirements and the anticipated design evolution of the components. There are critical decisions and great challenges ahead for the key technologies of heads, media, head-disk interface, mechanics, and electronics.     

Stepped side shield writer for perpendicular recording

To increase the track density in hard disk drive (HDD), the write head fringing field should be controlled. The side shield is one of the candidates to reduce the fringing stray field. Although the wrap-around type [K. Nakamoto, et al., IEEE Trans. Magn. 41(10) (2005) 2914] and many other side shield structures [Y. Kanai, et al., IEEE Trans. Magn. 39(4) (2003) 1955; D.T. Wilton, D.J. Mapps, IEEE Trans. Magn. 29 (1993) 4182] were proposed, these side shield structures have a trade-off between the track edge field sharpness and the maximum write field strength on the center track. In this paper, we propose the new side shield writer called the stepped side shield (3S) head. The 3S head satisfies both the on-track write field strength and reduction of the adjacent track stray field. The track edge field sharpness is much improved especially in the high skew angle recording. We studied the 3S head effect by the statistic field simulation.     

Review of perpendicular magnetic recording research at Fujitsu

Perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) research and development (R&D) was carried out at Fujitsu for 32 years from 1978 to 2009, separated into three stages. We developed PMR for use in hard disk drives (HDDs). We sputtered Co-Cr alloy thin film onto a disk substrate and evaluated it using thin-film heads. Some interesting results were obtained at each stage. On the way we fabricated 1.8″ HDDs in 1992 and finally shipped the mass-produced PMR HDDs in 2006. Unfortunately, the HDD business at Fujitsu closed down. I would like to review the exceptional PMR research undertaken at Fujitsu.     

CPP-GMR technology for magnetic read heads of future high-density recording systems

This paper introduces CPP-GMR technology, its features, routes to output enhancement, problems to be solved and possibilities as a recording head. For instance, use of high spin-dependent bulk scattering, high resistivity, or half-metallic magnetic materials for free and reference magnetic layers were shown as ways to improve the output of CPP-GMR. A current state of CPP-GMR head development was also mentioned in view points of sensor downsizing, magnetic head noise and high-density recording demonstration. CPP-GMR still has some points to be improved, however it is believed that the CPP-GMR will actualize a next high-performance magnetic read head in no distant future.