Imation Presents Tape Technology Breakthrough at INSIC Meeting |
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Imation Corp.
1 Imation Place
Oakdale, MN, 55128
USA
Press release date: January 10, 2008
Company's New 'Adjacent-Track Write and Read' Technology Demonstrates Potential Doubling of Conventional LTO-4 Cartridge Capacity
OAKDALE, Minn., Jan. 10 / -- Imation Corp. (NYSE:IMN), a worldwide leader in removable data storage, will preview tomorrow a new multi-channel "adjacent-track" write and read tape technology that dramatically increases the capacity of conventional data storage tape. The company will outline its new technology at the Information Storage Industry Consortium (INSIC) Tape Program Quarterly Technical Review this week in San Jose, Calif.
During the INSIC Technical Review, Imation scientist Denis Langlois will present results of the company's technology development program that enables as many as 10,000 tracks per inch (10 ktpi) on conventional magnetic particulate (MP) tapes, made using conventional, low-cost substrates (base films). Langlois' presentation highlights the new Imation technology that utilizes a combination of an amplitude-based "servo" pattern that puts the adjacent tracks on the tape, a unique thin-film head technology for recording, and an innovative multi-layer magnetoresistive (MR) array for playback. With nearly 25 years of experience of advanced storage development, Langlois holds six patents and has an additional seven applications pending. He is part of the Advanced Tape development group within the Systems Laboratory at Imation.
"Data storage tape systems have increased areal density 100,000 times over the past half century," said Dr. Subodh Kulkarni, vice president, Global Commercial Business, R&D and Manufacturing, Imation Corp. "Before 1990, the increase was primarily due to improved linear density. Since then, the application of track-following servo has enabled track density to make a more dramatic contribution. To maintain backward compatibility, designers have kept tape formats similar from generation to generation by using the same servo format and channel spans on the recording and playback heads. This design philosophy results in the need to simultaneously write and read sets of tracks that are spaced apart by significant intervals, which makes the dimensional stability of the substrate materials very critical as tracks become narrower. Without a breakthrough approach to how tracks are written on the tape, conventional, low-cost, substrates are rapidly reaching their limits. Our new adjacent-track write and read technology is an important breakthrough that has demonstrated a major advance in capacity and track- following capability."
Key elements of the new Imation technology include: -- Enabling as many as 10,000 tracks per inch (10 ktpi) on conventional, low cost substrates such as PET and PEN while practically eliminating dimensional stability concerns in the media -- An Imation proprietary "sandwich" reader, which uses layers of reading devices to minimize the cross-tape spacing between them -- An Imation proprietary mixed-frequency redundant amplitude-based servo system that enables a tracking precision of 40 to 50 nm -- Demonstrated multichannel write and read, with capability to store 1.6 TB in a conventional LTO4 cartridge with excellent tracking performance
The company intends to work with others in the INSIC tape organization to explore the potential to commercialize this technology, expanding the capacities of traditional tape formats.
About Imation Corp. Imation Corp. is the only company in the world solely focused on the development, manufacture and supply of removable data storage products spanning the four pillars of magnetic, optical, flash and removable hard disk storage. With more than 50 years of data storage leadership beginning with the development of the world's first computer tape, in 2006 Imation proudly marked its 10th anniversary as an independent company. In addition to the Imation brand, Imation Corp.'s global brand portfolio includes the Memorex brand, one of the most widely recognized names in the consumer electronics industry, famous for the slogan, "Is it live or is it Memorex?" Imation is also the exclusive licensee of the TDK Life on Record brand, one of the world's leading recording media brands. And as co-developer of Nickelodeon's Npower brand of consumer electronics, Imation helps empower kids of all ages to use the latest technology. Additional information about Imation and its brands is available at http://www.imation.com/ or by calling 1-888-466-3456.
Imation, the Imation logo, Odyssey, Memorex, 'Is it live or is it Memorex?' are trademarks of Imation Corp and its subsidiaries. The TDK Life on Record logo is a trademark of TDK Corporation. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
CONTACT: Mary Rawlings-Taylor of Imation Corp., +1-651-704-6796, mjrawlings-taylor@imation.com; or Jamie Ernst of Brodeur, +1-210-495-5757, jernst@brodeur.com, for Imation Corp.
Web site: http://www.imation.com/
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