Solid-state drives might have gotten cheaper, bringing your computer back to life faster. However, HDDs still rule the roost inside the mega facilities called data centers that are coming up in different corners of the world.

Instead of switching to new-age storage tech, companies like Seagate are looking to further improve storage capacities over the next decade or so by writing data on multiple levels.

3D Magnetic recording

External storage drives offered by companies like Seagate for personal usage typically have capacities of 8 GB. Regarding enterprise-level storage, the capacities offered are 24 GB or multiples thereof. Theoretically, this capacity can be extended ten times by adding more levels to data storage.

Currently, HDDs store data using perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR). This technique allows a storage density of 1.5 terabits per square inch. By switching to heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), one can achieve ten times as much storage to the scale of 10 Terabits per square inch by adding more dimensions to information storage.

The concept of HAMR has been around for a while. Still, it has yet to make a major headway because scientists have struggled to find a suitable material for this technique. The collaboration between Seagate and Japanese research institutes has solved this problem.

New approach, new avenues

The researchers created a new type of granular media consisting of two films made from iron platinum (FePt) layers separated by a Ru-C spacer layer with a cubic crystal structure.

Measuring the magnetization of these layers showed that the two layers have different Curie temperatures, i.e., the temperature at which the magnetic properties of the layer are altered.

By adjusting the laser power while writing the data, the researchers wrote separately each layer. By stacking the recording layers in three dimensions, the researchers believe they can store more information within the same HDD footprint. A 10-platter HDD made this way could deliver storage capacity above 120 TB.

So far, the team has only managed 3D magnetic recording at three levels, and it is suggested that a four-level recording may be possible. This itself could help deliver energy savings for data centers.

However, the team is also keen on reducing the size of the FePt grains, which will improve the orientation and magnetic anisotropy of the build and help stack more layers to make a high-density HDD.

While this is welcome news for companies and even those looking to build their own data storage infrastructure, it is important to note that the breakthrough has been achieved in a research setting and is likely many years away from being used.

The research findings were published in the journal Acta Materialia.