A processing perspective for areal density projections for tape storage, disk drive storage, and flash memory

This paper approaches future areal density estimation for storage (tape, disk, and NAND flash) using processing and in particular minimum feature roadmaps. And discusses the process implications faced by recording storage for achieving these projections especially in the 2010 time period when disk areal densities are projected at 500 Gbit/in2, when disk drive minimum features converge with NAND flash features projected at 35 nm, and when a transition from continuous to patterned media may occur. The annual increases in IC memory density set the areal density increases that disk drives must achieve to maintain present day cost per bit ratios with solid state memory applications. Second, patterned media requires the formation of read and write sensors with dimensions that coincide with NAND flash dimensions. In sum, novel and cost effective minimum feature processing must be anticipated in order to sustain areal density growth for magnetic recording.