Fujifilm Recording Media U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary of Fujifilm Corporation announced that in conjunction with IBM, a new record in areal data density of 123 billion bits per square inch on linear magnetic particulate tape has been achieved. For the fourth time in less than 10 years, Fujifilm and IBM have accomplished record breaking storage capacities on tape, announcing the highest capacity storage media ever achieved, including HDD, BD or solid memory NAND flash technologies. This breakthrough in data density equates to a single tape cartridge capable of storing up to 220 terabytes of uncompressed data. 220 terabytes is more than 88 times the storage capacity of the current LTO Ultrium 6 tape. A tape of this size can provide enough storage to preserve the human genome of 220 people on a single cartridge.
“With high performance computing and cloud storage services on the rise, this data density achievement is significant,” said Peter Faulhaber, president, FUJIFILM Recording Media USA, Inc. “Fujifilm and IBM are leading the technological development of advanced tape innovation that meets the market’s growing data requirements and delivers tape as the medium of choice for archival storage.”
This record breaking demonstration was achieved using an advanced prototype tape incorporating NANOCUBIC technology developed by Fujifilm, with advanced tape-drive technologies developed by IBM.
Fujifilm Technology Enhancements
Fujifilm’s NANOCUBIC technology is enhanced to increase recording density by decreasing the magnetic particle size that is essential for high recording density. Fujifilm’s original BaFe synthesis method increases the uniformity of BaFe particle size and decreases 25% of the switching field distribution (SFD), which is an important magnetic parameter for high density recording. The lower SFD leads to a high quality signal output due to the uniform magnetic property of each recorded bit. To ensure the stability of the ultra-fine BaFe particles, Fujifilm improved the magnetic coercivity, yielding an archival life of over 30 years.
A highly controlled dispersion process and newly developed chemical compound allows the BaFe particles to separate and disperse more uniformly and increases the perpendicular oriented ratio. Perpendicular orientation technology with BaFe produces a high signal to noise ratio and better frequency response. Enhanced NANO coating technology with a very smooth non-magnetic layer controls the tape surface roughness, providing a smooth magnetic layer for higher signal output. Fujifilm’s advanced servo writing technology decreases high frequency vibration of the servo tracks and enables a higher track density due to more precisely placed servo tracks.
IBM Technology Enhancements
A set of advanced servo control technologies enable more accurate head positioning and increased track density. An enhanced write field head technology enables the use of much finer barium ferrite particles. Innovative signal-processing algorithms for the data channel enable reliable operation with an ultra-narrow 90nm wide giant magnetoresistive (GMR) reader. Fujifilm will continue to lead the development of large capacity data storage media with BaFe technology to provide a cost-effective archival solution to preserve digital data.
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