Seagate Shows 6.9TB Per Disk And Discusses Ferroelectric Recording

Advancements in Hard Disk Drive Technology: Seagate’s 6.9TB per Disk Demonstration

Recent reports have highlighted a significant breakthrough in hard disk drive (HDD) technology, with Seagate Technology demonstrating a 6.9TB per disk laboratory achievement. This development was first reported by guru3D and is based on a seminar abstract presented by Seagate in October. The seminar discussed a multi-level recording technique using a three-dimensional magnetic recording medium, which could potentially lead to higher storage capacities.

The demonstration is a result of collaborative research between Seagate Technology, NIMS, and Tohoku University, which began in March 2024. The team explored the use of multi-level recording to increase magnetic recording areal density beyond the current limits of heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). This technology has the potential to enable 3-4 multiple recording levels, significantly increasing storage capacity.

Increasing Areal Density and Storage Capacity

The article references an increase in magnetic recording areal density from 1.5Tbpsi to 4.0Tbpsi and beyond. To put this into perspective, current 32TB 10-disk HDDs require an areal density of approximately 1.5Tbpsi. A 4.0Tbpsi HDD could potentially provide a 10-disk 85TB capacity. The image below illustrates the comparison between conventional HAMR recording and two-layer recording.

Seagate’s May 2025 analyst event mentioned a laboratory demonstration achieving 6.5TB per disk, which translates to a 10-disk 65TB HDD. The recent announcement of 6.9TB per disk likely implies an areal density of around 3.2Tbpsi, potentially utilizing multi-layer recording. Although the details of the October announcement are unclear, it is evident that Seagate is pushing the boundaries of HDD technology.

Ferroelectric Recording: A Potential Successor to Magnetic Recording

The October paper abstract also mentioned ferroelectric recording as a potential successor to magnetic recording. Ferroelectric solid-state non-volatile memory devices have been around for decades, with applications in RFID readable fare cards. However, the materials used in older ferroelectric memory devices contained elements like lead, which are not suitable for modern semiconductor manufacturing processes.

Recent discoveries have found that hafnium oxide can exhibit a ferroelectric state, making it a potential material for solid-state memory. Hafnium oxide is commonly used as a higher dielectric constant insulator in modern solid-state electronics, making it a more acceptable material for modern semiconductor manufacturing facilities. A ferroelectric recording technology from Seagate could potentially extend conventional HDD technology, using ferroelectric recording approaches instead of conventional ferromagnetic recording.

A search revealed information on a ferroelectric recording drive from 2016, which demonstrated high-density read/write operations using a hard disk drive-type test system. The abstract mentioned achieving a recording density of 3.4 Tbit/in.2 and successfully demonstrating writing and reading operations at a density of 1 Tbit/in.2. Further research is needed to understand how this ferroelectric recording drive works, and we will share more information as it becomes available.

Conclusion

Seagate’s 6.9TB per disk demonstration is a significant achievement, likely made possible by multi-level recording. The mention of ferroelectric recording as a potential future technology is also noteworthy. As HDD technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see further innovations and increased storage capacities. With the potential for ferroelectric recording to succeed magnetic recording, the future of data storage looks promising.