Seagate’s Breakthrough for Sustainable, High-Capacity Storage: Mozaic 3+

In a digital era where data reigns supreme, Seagate Technology is taking a leap forward with the launch of Mozaic 3+—a groundbreaking hard drive platform featuring Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) technology. This innovation propels areal densities to unprecedented levels, reaching 3TB+ per platter with plans for 4TB+ and 5TB+ in the near future.

Powering Seagate’s Exos product family, the Mozaic 3+ platform introduces industry-leading capacity points, including the release of Exos 30TB+ products—set to revolutionize hyperscale cloud storage. This advancement allows companies to store more data in the same footprint, effectively doubling capacity from conventional 16TB drives.

What sets Mozaic 3+ apart is its ability to enhance storage efficiency while addressing industry challenges. With a focus on sustainability, the platform delivers a 40% improvement in per terabyte power consumption and a 55% reduction in embodied carbon per terabyte compared to traditional drives.

Seagate’s CEO, Dave Mosley, emphasizes the significance of areal density in a data-driven world. He notes that as AI applications demand larger data sets, areal density becomes increasingly crucial. The Mozaic 3+ platform is not just about HAMR technology; it integrates industry-first innovations to scale areal density effectively.

Key Innovations:

1. Superlattice Platinum-Alloy Media: Mozaic 3+ employs a pioneering iron-platinum superlattice structure, enhancing magnetic stability for precise data writing and unprecedented bit stability.
2. Plasmonic Writer: A revolutionary writer, incorporating a nanophotonic laser, ensures reliable data writing on the media surface, contributing to the platform’s unique implementation of HAMR.
3. Gen 7 Spintronic Reader: Mozaic 3+ includes one of the world’s smallest and most sensitive magnetic field reading sensors, incorporating quantum technology for efficient data reading.
4. 12nm Integrated Controller: The platform features an in-house developed integrated controller, a system-on-a-chip, delivering up to 3 times the performance compared to prior solutions.

Industry experts, like John Rydning from IDC Global DataSphere, recognize the critical role of areal density improvements in expanding hard drive-based mass storage, especially in data centers. Seagate’s breakthrough is poised to deliver higher capacity hard drive products for years to come.

Beyond data centers, Mozaic 3+ storage technology is set to impact various markets, including enterprise, edge, NAS, and video and imaging applications (VIA). Seagate anticipates strong demand, with data center customers expected to complete the qualification of Mozaic 3+ and move into volume production by the end of the quarter.