Mozaic technology innovation

Gen 8 spintronic reader

The industry's smallest, most sensitive magnetic field sensor

Using quantum‑level sensing to accurately read smaller, densely packed bits, our Gen 8 spintronic reader enables ultra‑high areal density with speed and precision.

Reading data at the quantum scale

Seagate’s Gen 8 Spintronic Reader harnesses tunneling magnetoresistance to achieve high‑resolution magnetic readback at ultra‑high areal densities. Geometric enhancements improve sensitivity and accuracy, allowing the reader to reliably detect smaller, closely packed bits. This quantum‑based precision is essential for fast, accurate data access as storage density continues to advance.

The read head includes a complex stack of magnetic and non-magnetic layers

It includes the free layer (FL) sensitive to external magnetic fields from recorded data, the reference layer (RL) with stable magnetic orientation, and the synthetic antiferromagnet to prevent the RL's magnetic orientation from influencing the FL.

These layers convert magnetic signals from recorded bits into electrical signals for data retrieval

The stack’s design enhances sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio

Using specialized magnetic sensors, the reader detects changes in the magnetic field as the read head passes over recorded bits. This ensures precise reading from the intended track while minimizing crosstalk from adjacent tracks, enabling precise readback from the superlattice platinum-alloy media.

The stack is constructed through multi-chamber deposition

This manufacturing process remains under continuous vacuum to avoid contamination, with precise control over each layer's thickness. Materials and layer thicknesses provide thermal stability. The magnesium oxide barrier layer in the tunnel junction undergoes controlled oxidation for optimal sensitivity.

Seagate's Gen 8 spintronic reader marks a significant advancement in reading data from the densely packed tracks enabled by Mozaic™

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