STM Completes Portfolio of IP for Mobile Hard-Disk-Drive Manufacturers

The latest IP is the T90LP Read-Channel macro, which enables production of System-on-Chip (SoC) ICs using ST’s 90nm process technology, optimized for notebook and consumer HDD applications that demand very low power consumption. The new 90nm T90LP design is based on ST’s successful
desktop and high-end ‘Tintoretto’ read-write channel architecture, which enables high data rates to be achieved while maintaining very low power dissipation. The new T90LP read-channel is designed to operate at data rates between 80 and 550MHz and its power is optimized for use in 0.85- to 1.8-inch form-factor drives. In addition, compatibility with the T90 family of read-channel macros ensures maximum firmware compatibility for the customer, reducing time-to-market and increasing the value of their investment.

Other critical HDD IP are the Head Pre-amplifier and the Motor Controller, both of which are also available standalone ICs as part of ST’s complete IC kit intended for power-sensitive mobile application HDDs. ST is the only silicon supplier able to offer manufacturers a complete solution – including
all of the ASICs, discretes, and memories – that are needed within a low-power drive, giving manufacturers a single reliable source of supply for all the parts.

ST’s Near Zero Power (NZP) series of HDD pre-amplifiers are an open-market evolution of the company’s ULP (Ultra Low Power) family, featuring unprecedented low power coupled with a data rate capability five times higher than the previous generation drives. These amplifiers are specifically intended for drives with platters smaller than 2.5-inch diameter. Total Write-mode power consumption of the L6440/L6420, the first integrated circuit in the NZP family, is just 170mW at 450-Mbits/sec data
rate, enabling manufacturers to offer longer battery lifetime between charges, or more compact products, using a smaller battery, with the same battery life.

The recently announced L7208 and the L7207 HDD Motor Controllers integrateall of the IP and circuits needed to control and drive the HDD spindle motorand voice coil actuator – including all the necessary power FETs (Field Effect Transistors). While the L7207 is intended for 2.5-inch drives, the
L7208 is specifically designed for 1.8-inch and sub-1.8-inch drives. Based on a flexible digital architecture which needs few external components, both the devices include ST’s Smooth Drive® pseudo-sinusoidal digital-drive technique to minimize the acoustic noise from the spindle motor. Both
devices have been designed to extend battery life; in addition to a highly efficient sleep mode, power consumption is extremely low in all operating modes.