Collaborative Research: Cross-Layer and Unified Signal Processing System Design for Ultra-High-Capacity Next-Generation Magnetic Storage

这项研究的目标是开发信号处理系统设计解决方案，以实现每平方英寸超过1TB的高性能和低成本混合固态/磁性硬盘驱动器。这项研究旨在结合开发强大的信号处理算法和低成本的VLSI架构解决方案，同时解决新兴的混合瓦片写入记录系统所面临的低信噪比和高系统容错实现成本。这一建议的学术价值在于从理论和实际实现两个角度开发统一的信号处理系统设计解决方案。新的基于栅格的不可控有限状态检测器及其高效的VLSI结构将被开发出来，以解决瓦片写入引起的信噪比损失问题。将进一步开发统一的读通道设计方法和数据管理感知的信号处理策略，以降低整个系统信号处理的实施成本。拟议研究的更广泛影响是，它将使低成本超大容量海量数据存储驱动器的开发成为可能，以适应爆炸性的全球数据量。它还极大地有助于维持历史上的磁记录面密度增长率，为这一对国家经济健康至关重要的具有战略重要性的高科技行业提供直接好处。将作出额外努力，在这一项目中招募妇女和其他任职人数不足的群体作为研究助理，让太平洋岛民少数民族的代表担任本科生研究人员，并作为外联工作的一部分接触高中生。

The objective of this research is to develop signal processing system design solutions to enable high-performance and low-cost hybrid solid-state/magnetic hard disk drives with beyond 1 Tbit per square inch areal density. The proposed research aims to cohesively develop powerful signal processing algorithms and low-cost VLSI architecture solutions that can simultaneously address the low signal-to-media-noise ratio and high system fault tolerance implementation cost faced by the emerging hybrid shingled written recording systems. The intellectual merit of this proposal lies in the theme of developing unified signal processing system design solutions from both theory and practical implementation perspectives. New non-controllable trellis-based finite-state detectors and their efficient VLSI architectures will be developed to address the loss of signal-to-media-noise ratio caused by shingled writing. A unified read channel design approach and a data-management-aware signal processing strategy will be further developed to reduce the overall system signal processing implementation cost. The broader impact of the proposed research is that it will enable the development of low-cost ultra-high capacity mass data storage drives to accommodate the exploding global data volume. It also contributes greatly to sustaining the historical magnetic recording areal density growth rate, providing a direct benefit to this strategically important high technology sector critical to the economic health of the nation. Extra effort will be made to recruit women and other under-represented groups as research assistants in this project, involve representatives of the Pacific Islander minority as undergraduate researchers, and reach out to high school students as part of outreach efforts.