日本廠商?hào)|芝(Toshiba)將在日本設(shè)置兩個(gè)新的硬盤研發(fā)據(jù)點(diǎn)，在并購(gòu)風(fēng)潮正烈的硬盤市場(chǎng)，東芝此舉頗有向那些規(guī)模較大的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手宣戰(zhàn)之意味。 今年3月，兩家硬盤大廠Western Digital (WD)與日立環(huán)球儲(chǔ)存科技(Hitachi GST，HGST)宣布合并，成為全球最大的硬盤制造商；緊接著在4月，希捷(Seagate)又宣布以14億美元總價(jià)，收購(gòu)三星(Samsung)的硬盤業(yè)務(wù)，企圖保住第一大硬盤供貨商寶座。 至于東芝則是在最近表示，該公司旗下的硬盤先進(jìn)技術(shù)研發(fā)中心(HDD Advanced Technology Center)將于7月中旬開(kāi)始運(yùn)作，以加速更高單位面積儲(chǔ)存密度(aerial density)──意指能在硬盤每平方英吋面積內(nèi)儲(chǔ)存更多位──的硬盤產(chǎn)品。 同時(shí)東芝也將開(kāi)設(shè)一個(gè)硬盤制造技術(shù)研發(fā)中心(HDD Manufacturing Technology Center)，提升自我磁盤生產(chǎn)技術(shù)能力。 東芝的新研發(fā)中心，將與包括磁頭(magnetic head)制造商TDK、磁盤制造商Showa Denko K.K.進(jìn)行合作；不同于競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手希捷與WD的垂直整合策略，東芝是與硬盤關(guān)鍵零組件的第三方合作伙伴連成陣線。 在2004年，東芝成為全球首家采用垂直磁紀(jì)錄(perpendicular magnetic recording)技術(shù)生產(chǎn)硬盤的廠商；該種技術(shù)目前已經(jīng)幾乎獲得所有硬盤所采用，可望達(dá)到每平方英吋1Tbit的容量密度。 目前也有多家硬盤制造商(包括希捷與WD)正在合作開(kāi)發(fā)下一代的硬盤技術(shù)，包括熱輔助磁紀(jì)錄(heat-assisted magnetic recording)、規(guī)則媒介(patterned media)，或是以上這兩種技術(shù)的組合方案。東芝表示，與TDK、Showa Denko的合作，也將涵蓋以上兩種技術(shù)。 編譯：Judith Cheng 本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 參考英文原文： Toshiba opens two hard drive R&D centers，by Rick Merritt

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{pagination} Toshiba opens two hard drive R&D centers Rick Merritt SAN JOSE, Calif. – Toshiba Corp. will open in Japan two new R&D facilities for its hard disk drive business. The move amounts to a shot across the bow of Toshiba's larger competitors in the consolidating hard drive business. In March, Western Digital said it would acquire Hitachi GST to become the world's largest hard drive maker. In April, Seagate countered by bidding $1.4 billion to buy Samsung's hard drive business in an effort to hold on to its position as the top HDD vendor. Toshiba said it will open on July 16 its HDD Advanced Technology Center to accelerate development of products with higher aerial density, a term referring to the ability to pack more bits on a square inch of a drive. The company will open the same day its HDD Manufacturing Technology Center to develop enhanced drive-making capabilities. TDK Corp, which manufactures magnetic heads, and Showa Denko K.K., which makes disks, will collaborate with Toshiba in the new centers. Unlike competitors Seagate and Western Digital that are vertically integrated, Toshiba works with third parties for its key components. In 2004, Toshiba became one of the first drive makers to ship products using perpendicular magnetic recording technology, a technique now used in virtually all drives to achieve densities expected to hit 1Tbit per square inch. A number of drive makers—including Segate and WD--are now collaborating on the next big leap which could involve moving to heat-assisted magnetic recording, patterned media or a combination of the two techniques. Toshiba said it will work with TDK and Showa Denko on both technologies.