Hitachi Ups Hard Drive Durability with Super-Vision Technology
Mon 15 May, 2006

IrMnCr Read-head Sensor Contributes to Best-of-Breed Reliability of New Hitachi Perpendicular Recording Hard Drive

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 15, 2006 – Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi) has achieved the most stable and reliable hard-drive read-sensor technology in the world, the benefits of which are evident in the hard drive's 2x-improvement in sensitivity and precision of the data-reading process*. Hitachi's read sensor – which acts like powerful, stable reading glasses – ultimately translates to greater hard-drive reliability due to its improved ability to read data even under mechanical and environmental stress factors, including extreme temperature variances, humidity and shock.

Hitachi's read-head achievement is the result of a new alloy combination – iridium-manganese-chromium (IrMnCr) – a dusting of the element ruthenium and a super hot, ultra-high magnetic field oven. The IrMnCr technology and its benefits are explained in an entertaining animation, entitled "License to Read" (http://www.hitachigst.com/license2read).

The IrMnCr read head also plays a strong role in the successful development of Hitachi's first perpendicular-recording hard drive, the Travelstar 5K160, which offers leadership reliability in a 2.5-inch mobile hard drive (separately announced today).

"Hitachi has worked closely with customers to implement the new IrMnCr read sensors, which have shown tremendous success both in laboratory tests and in the field," said Mohammed Krounbi, vice president, Head Engineering, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies.

The IrMnCr Factor

As hard drive areal density increases, the physical dimensions of the read sensor have had to be significantly reduced to accommodate the smaller data bits. The dramatic reduction of the read sensor – more than 10X in 10 years – has increased stress on the read head and created the potential for failure.

In order to realize stable, reliable operation of the read sensor, Hitachi began using the IrMnCr alloy combination, replacing the previous platinum-manganese alloy of prior read-head generations. Hitachi added chromium to the combination to bring additional corrosion-resistant properties to the read sensor.

In combination with IrMnCr, Hitachi used a thinner layer of the element ruthenium to stabilize the read sensor. The read sensors are then baked in an ultra-high magnetic field oven at elevated temperature – which Hitachi calls the "Super Oven" – to properly orient the magnetization and create a high "pinning field."

The high pinning field, which as the name suggests, pins the ruthenium to the rest of alloy layers that make up the read head to create a solid, stabilizing effect. This results in a read head that is highly resistant to mechanical and environmental stresses, which creates the most reliable and magnetically-stable read-head sensors in the world*.

^{* According to Hitachi extensive internal testing.}

About Hitachi Global Storage Technologies

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies is a storage technology leader, founded in 2003 through the combination of Hitachi's and IBM's hard disk drive businesses. Hitachi GST enables users to fully engage in the digital lifestyle by providing high-value hard drives in formats suitable for the office, on the road and in the home.

With its legacy in hard drive invention, Hitachi GST will lead the industry in celebrating the hard drive's golden anniversary in 2006. After five decades of innovation, the hard drive has had a profound effect on the computing and consumer electronics industries. That heritage lives on at Hitachi GST through products that define the standard for hard drive miniaturization, capacity, performance and reliability.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE: HIT / TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 356,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2005 (ended March 31, 2006 ) consolidated sales totaled 9,464 billion yen ($80.9 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.