FPGA implementation of nonlinear control on hard disk drive

Most servo control algorithm implementations have been realized using digital signal processors (DSPs) due to large amount of digital signal processing. Nowadays, parallel programmable logic devices, such as the field programmable gate array (FPGA), have become powerful hardware options, offering low cost, high execution speed, reconfigurability and parallelism. This work intends to exploit the current available resources in commercial FPGAs to implement servo control for hard disk drive system. Simulation and experimental results included in this paper show the viability of exploiting the parallelism and modularity of a low cost FPGA to implement a high sampling rate neural network-based controller. This FPGA-based servo control system platform will allow fast prototyping of new control concepts and evaluation of nonlinear control. The implementation results show that it is possible to develop much higher servo sampling rate controller and more sophisticated controller on FPGA to achieve the tracking density target for 10 Terabit/in² disk drive technology.