Just when we think that magnetic disks have reached their per-platter density limits, TDK proves us wrong.
The firm has, through tweaking of both the header and platter structure, managed to achieve densities of 1.5Tb per square inch. Placing this into perspective, it means we could see single platter drives holding 2TB in a 3.5in form-factor or, perhaps more importantly as it opens-up options for low-height drives, 1TB in a 2.5in form-factor.
Thermal Assist Head
The disk head utilises a thermal assist recording technique and uses near-field light to detect features typically invisible to standard optics. TDK is hoping to take the technology into mass production some time in 2014; we wonder, however, exactly how much ground Solid State Drives will have taken by then?
