Mystery second hard drive maker gears up to start producing laser-powered HAMR HDDs — either WD or Toshiba preps to release new recording tech

Intevac, a maker of thin-film processing systems, has disclosed that it had landed orders from another customer for a machine that processes magnetic films for HAMR media. Intevac hasn't disclosed which company will field the drives, but logic dictates that either Toshiba or Western Digital is gearing up to begin producing hard drives based on the heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) technology. 

Having landed orders for its HAMR-capable upgrade for its Lean 200 platform from the second major customer, Intevac now expects its HDD division to generate around $200 million in revenue over the next three years, fueled by the industry-wide adoption of HAMR technology. The company expects demand for high-capacity HDDs from data centers and the AI industry. 

Seagate's Mozaic 3+ HAMR-based HDDs use glass platters coated with a magnetic film, such as an iron-platinum alloy (FePt). Data is recorded by heating the magnetic film with a laser to its Curie temperature — the point at which its magnetic properties change — and reducing its magnetic coercivity. Since the magnetic coating of HAMR media is different from the magnetic coating of perpendicular magnetic recording media, Intervac's Lean 200 tool, used to process thin films, must be upgraded. 

Apparently, either Toshiba or Western Digital has ordered such upgrades, and initial upgrade installations have been successfully completed. Both companies have HAMR hard drives in their roadmaps.  

For now, Toshiba uses FC-MAMR (flux-controlled – microwave-assisted magnetic recording) technology for its MG-series HDDs that offer capacities of up to 24TB. The company intends to adopt MAS-MAMR (microwave-assisted switching – microwave-assisted magnetic recording) for its next-generation HDDs with 26TB – 30TB capacities. After that, the company plans to adopt HAMR, which will happen with 35TB hard drives. However, it is not completely clear when this will happen as the company is behind its HDD roadmap published in 2022. 

As for Western Digital, it did announce in mid-2023 that its HAMR-based HDDs would enter mass production in 1.5 years. This year, the company started sampling its 32TB shingled magnetic recording (SMR) HDDs, which will ramp up in calendar 2025. It is possible that the company's next-generation HDDs that Western Digital will sample next year will indeed be HAMR-based, so it is about time for the company to start prepping its equipment for making HAMR HDDs.