What Material Are Hard Drive Plates Made From?

Hard drives are used to store computer data on plates that feature magnetic surfaces. Hard drives are used in all personal computers as the primary means of data storage. Each plate is composed of special materials.

Function

Hard drive plates use magnetic forces to manipulate materials directionally, which then represent either the 1 or 0 of binary language and can be translated into data on the computer.

Significance

Hard drive technology allows desktop-sized computers to exist, along with devices such as iPods, cell phones and digital video recorders.

Materials

The plates themselves are constructed with a combination of metal, glass and ceramics. They are also covered in an extra layer of thin carbon for protection, followed by a layer of magnetic material which is what is manipulated to signify data.

History

Hard drives were initially introduced in the 1950s and did not enjoy widespread use until the 1990s.

Potential

Hard drive plate technology has steadily increased in sophistication, and there is potential for consumer drives nearing 2 terabytes of storage space.