Abstract: A shingled magnetic recording (SMR) hard disk drive (HDD) essentially eliminates the effect of far track erasure (FTE) in the boundary regions of annular data bands caused by writing in the boundary regions of adjacent annular data bands. The extent of the FTE effect is determined for each track within a range of tracks of the track being written. Based on the relative FTE effect for all the tracks in the range, a count increment (CI) table or a cumulative count increment (CCI) table is maintained for all the tracks in the range. For every writing to a track in a boundary region, a count for each track in an adjacent boundary region, or a cumulative count for the adjacent boundary region, is increased. When the count reaches a predetermined threshold the data is read from that band and rewritten to the same band.

Abstract: A shingled magnetic recording (SMR) hard disk drive (HDD) essentially eliminates the effect of far track erasure (FTE) in the boundary regions of annular data bands caused by writing in the boundary regions of adjacent annular data bands. The extent of the FTE effect is determined for each track within a range of tracks of the track being written. Based on the relative FTE effect for all the tracks in the range, a count increment (CI) table or a cumulative count increment (CCI) table is maintained for all the tracks in the range. For every writing to a track in a boundary region, a count for each track in an adjacent boundary region, or a cumulative count for the adjacent boundary region, is increased. When the count reaches a predetermined threshold the data is read from that band and rewritten to the same band.

Abstract: A method and a storage system are provided for implementing a sustained large block random write performance mechanism for shingled magnetic recording (SMR) drives in a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID). A Solid State Drive (SSD) is provided with the SMR drives in the RAID. The SSD is used in a hot spare mode, which is activated when a large block random-write event is identified for a SMR drive in the RAID. In the hot spare mode, the SSD temporarily receives new incoming writes for the identified SMR drive. Then the identified SMR drive is updated from the SSD to restore the state of the identified SMR drive, and operations continue with normal writing only using the SMR drives in the RAID.

Abstract: A method is described for allowing disk drives, such as shingle-written magnetic recording (SMR) drives, to be shipped for customer use with portions of the magnetic media being left untested. The testing is then completed by the drive self-testing in the field. The drive is made functional at the factory by fully testing at least one operational set of regions including an I-region, an E-region and a write cache region. The operational set of regions works as a separate self-contained virtual disk drive and can be used immediately. The remaining untested areas on the media can be tested in the field by a background task and/or when the first write command is received that requires a new track or operational set of regions (on-the fly testing).

Abstract: An apparatus including an original stage that holds an original, a substrate stage that holds a substrate, and a projection optical system that projects a pattern of the original onto the substrate, and being configured to scan and expose the substrate during a period in which the speeds of the original stage and the substrate stage change, comprises a controller configured to correct, a distortion generated in an image transferred onto the substrate due to at least one of deformation of the original stage in response to a change in speed of the original stage and deformation of the substrate stage in response to a change in speed of the substrate stage, based on a correction value determined by an acceleration of the substrate stage.

Abstract: A scanning exposure apparatus exposes a plurality of shot regions on a substrate to light while scanning an original and the substrate. The apparatus includes: a stage which holds the substrate and moves; and a controller which controls movement of the stage based on a driving profile that defines the movement of the stage. A portion in the driving profile, which defines the movement of the stage during exposure of at least one shot region, is formed by a sine wave having a frequency lower than a resonance frequency in a stage controller.

Abstract: An apparatus including an original stage that holds an original, a substrate stage that holds a substrate, and a projection optical system that projects a pattern of the original onto the substrate, and being configured to scan and expose the substrate during a period in which the speeds of the original stage and the substrate stage change, comprises a controller configured to correct, a distortion generated in an image transferred onto the substrate due to at least one of deformation of the original stage in response to a change in speed of the original stage and deformation of the substrate stage in response to a change in speed of the substrate stage, based on a correction value determined by an acceleration of the substrate stage.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus which includes a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of a reticle onto a substrate and exposes the substrate to light via the reticle and the projection optical system with a gap between the projection optical system and the substrate filled with liquid, comprises a liquid immersion system configured to supply the liquid to the gap and to recover the liquid from the gap; and a generator configured to generate at least one of an electric field and magnetic field in a path of the liquid of the liquid immersion system.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a control unit configured to control an exposure unit and a driving unit such that exposure of a first region of a substrate starts and ends while a substrate stage is accelerated in a first direction parallel to a scanning direction, an absolute value of maximum acceleration of the substrate stage during a deceleration period is greater than an absolute value during a first approach run period, and a distance by which the substrate stage moves during the first approach run period is approximately equal to a distance by which the substrate stage moves during the deceleration period.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus which includes a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of a reticle onto a substrate and exposes the substrate to light via the reticle and the projection optical system with a gap between the projection optical system and the substrate filled with liquid, comprises a liquid immersion system configured to supply the liquid to the gap and to recover the liquid from the gap; and a generator configured to generate at least one of an electric field and magnetic field in a path of the liquid of the liquid immersion system.