Showa Denko Starts Shipments of 1.89-Inch 120GB Disk Media

Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) has started commercial shipments of 1.89-inch hard disk (HD) media with storage capacity of 120 gigabytes per disk, using the fourth-generation perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) technology. To the best of our knowledge, our new 1.89-inch HD media have the world’s highest storage capacity for this size available on the market today. The new product has been developed by improving the magnetic layer for 1.89-inch 80 gigabyte HD media commercialized in August 2007.

In July 2008, we started commercial production of 2.5-inch 200 gigabyte HD media as a ‘bridge’ between the third- and fourth-generation products. Thus, we are making steady progress in the commercialization of our fourth-generation PMR media.

SDK is the world’s only one commercial producer of 1.89-inch HD media. As the new 1.89-inch 120 gigabyte HD media will contribute to the production of smaller hard disk drives (HDDs) with larger storage capacity, they will be used in such applications as mobile music players, high-definition camcorders, and small notebook PCs.

In June 2005, SDK became the world’s first company to use the PMR technology for commercial production of HD media, enabling a dramatic increase in recording density. SDK is already offering 1.3-, 2.5-, and 3.5-inch HD media based on the PMR technology, all having the world’s highest storage capacity for each category as of today.

SDK has been making aggressive investments in the HD media business, developing world-leading technologies. As the world’s largest independent HD media supplier, SDK will continue meeting customer requirements both in terms of quality and quantity.

SDK’s HD media based on the PMR technology are classified as shown in the table below according to respective storage capacities:
(Unit: gigabytes per disk)
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Generation      1.89-inch          2.5-inch     3.5-inch
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1                             40                80            160
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2                             60               120            250
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3                             80               160            334
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4                           120              (250)          (500)
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As for the products in parentheses, preparations are under way to start their commercial production.