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Company · San Jose · United States

Western Digital (United States)

In research, Western Digital (United States) stands highest in Physical Sciences (#3,201 of 10,670 worldwide) and Engineering (#2,947 of 5,901 worldwide), 2022-now. Relative to its size it is most specialised in Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Electrical and Electronic Engineering is 4.7× its share of world research).

westerndigital.comROR OpenAlex
World rank, 2022-now
#8,091
of 22,385 · #4,099 all time
Rank in United States
#1,096
of 3,332
Research works
1.3k
▲ 25% vs 2018-21
Citations
19k
14.2 per fractional work
Top-10% rate
6.4%
all institutions 10.0%
vs its own fields
0.92×
1.00× is exactly expected
Open access
24%
world 40%
International
32%
world 18%
Western Digital (United States)

What is Western Digital (United States) known for in research?

The fields where it stands highest, 2022-now, ranked among every institution above the floor in each field.

FieldWorld rankWhere that sitsTop-10% rateWorksAll time
Physical SciencesDomain #3,201 of 10,670 6.5%222 #1897
EngineeringField #2,947 of 5,901 5.1%123 #1609

Each strip is that field's whole ranked pool, with the notch where Western Digital (United States) sits in it, in the colour of the band that rank falls in. The track under the rate is the rate itself: it carries no average mark, because the average differs by field (from about 6% in Dentistry to 21% in Economics).

Which fields of science does Western Digital (United States) work in?

In 2022-now, 75% of research at Western Digital (United States) is in Physical Sciences, 12% in Social Sciences. Its largest fields are Engineering (40%), Computer Science (16%), Physics and Astronomy (8%). It does 1.9× the world's share of Physical Sciences.

Physical Sciences: 243 fractional works · 75.0% of its workEngineering: 131 fractional works · 40.3% of its workElectrical and Electronic Engineering: 54 fractional works · 16.7% of its workMechanical Engineering: 14 fractional works · 4.5% of its workBiomedical Engineering: 11 fractional works · 3.4% of its workMechanics of Materials: 10 fractional works · 3.2% of its workIndustrial and Manufacturing Engineering: 10 fractional works · 3.1% of its workControl and Systems Engineering: 7 fractional works · 2.0% of its workComputational Mechanics: 6 fractional works · 1.8% of its workOcean Engineering: 4 fractional works · 1.1% of its workBuilding and Construction: 3 fractional works · 1.0% of its workAerospace Engineering: 3 fractional works · 0.9% of its workAutomotive Engineering: 3 fractional works · 0.9% of its workCivil and Structural Engineering: 3 fractional works · 0.9% of its workMedia Technology: 1 fractional works · 0.4% of its workSafety, Risk, Reliability and Quality: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workComputer Science: 52 fractional works · 16.0% of its workArtificial Intelligence: 16 fractional works · 4.8% of its workComputer Networks and Communications: 11 fractional works · 3.5% of its workComputer Vision and Pattern Recognition: 9 fractional works · 2.9% of its workInformation Systems: 6 fractional works · 1.8% of its workHardware and Architecture: 4 fractional works · 1.2% of its workComputational Theory and Mathematics: 3 fractional works · 0.8% of its workSignal Processing: 1 fractional works · 0.4% of its workHuman-Computer Interaction: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workSmaller subfields together: 1 fractional works · 0.4% of its workPhysics and Astronomy: 24 fractional works · 7.5% of its workAtomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics: 19 fractional works · 5.9% of its workCondensed Matter Physics: 3 fractional works · 1.0% of its workRadiation: 2 fractional works · 0.5% of its workSmaller subfields together: 0 fractional works · 0.2% of its workMaterials Science: 23 fractional works · 7.0% of its workMaterials Chemistry: 12 fractional works · 3.8% of its workElectronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials: 6 fractional works · 1.9% of its workSurfaces, Coatings and Films: 2 fractional works · 0.6% of its workPolymers and Plastics: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workCeramics and Composites: 1 fractional works · 0.2% of its workSmaller subfields together: 1 fractional works · 0.2% of its workEnvironmental Science: 6 fractional works · 1.7% of its workEnvironmental Engineering: 1 fractional works · 0.4% of its workIndustrial and Manufacturing Engineering: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workHealth, Toxicology and Mutagenesis: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workPollution: 1 fractional works · 0.2% of its workSmaller subfields together: 2 fractional works · 0.6% of its workEarth and Planetary Sciences: 2 fractional works · 0.8% of its workGeophysics: 1 fractional works · 0.4% of its workOceanography: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workSmaller subfields together: 0 fractional works · 0.1% of its workChemistry: 2 fractional works · 0.7% of its workAnalytical Chemistry: 1 fractional works · 0.2% of its workSmaller subfields together: 2 fractional works · 0.5% of its workEnergy: 1 fractional works · 0.5% of its workRenewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workSmaller subfields together: 0 fractional works · 0.2% of its workChemical Engineering: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workCatalysis: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workSmaller subfields together: 0 fractional works · 0.0% of its workMathematics: 1 fractional works · 0.2% of its workSocial Sciences: 40 fractional works · 12.3% of its workSocial Sciences: 13 fractional works · 4.1% of its workEducation: 3 fractional works · 0.8% of its workSociology and Political Science: 2 fractional works · 0.7% of its workPolitical Science and International Relations: 2 fractional works · 0.6% of its workDemography: 2 fractional works · 0.5% of its workCommunication: 1 fractional works · 0.4% of its workSafety Research: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workSmaller subfields together: 2 fractional works · 0.8% of its workPsychology: 10 fractional works · 3.2% of its workClinical Psychology: 7 fractional works · 2.3% of its workSocial Psychology: 2 fractional works · 0.5% of its workExperimental and Cognitive Psychology: 1 fractional works · 0.2% of its workSmaller subfields together: 1 fractional works · 0.2% of its workBusiness, Management and Accounting: 7 fractional works · 2.2% of its workStrategy and Management: 2 fractional works · 0.7% of its workManagement Information Systems: 2 fractional works · 0.5% of its workManagement of Technology and Innovation: 2 fractional works · 0.5% of its workAccounting: 1 fractional works · 0.2% of its workSmaller subfields together: 1 fractional works · 0.2% of its workEconomics, Econometrics and Finance: 3 fractional works · 1.1% of its workEconomics and Econometrics: 3 fractional works · 0.9% of its workSmaller subfields together: 0 fractional works · 0.2% of its workArts and Humanities: 3 fractional works · 1.0% of its workPhilosophy: 2 fractional works · 0.5% of its workSmaller subfields together: 2 fractional works · 0.5% of its workDecision Sciences: 2 fractional works · 0.8% of its workManagement Science and Operations Research: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workStatistics, Probability and Uncertainty: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workInformation Systems and Management: 1 fractional works · 0.2% of its workHealth Sciences: 26 fractional works · 7.9% of its workMedicine: 19 fractional works · 6.0% of its workPsychiatry and Mental health: 3 fractional works · 0.8% of its workRadiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging: 2 fractional works · 0.7% of its workPublic Health, Environmental and Occupational Health: 2 fractional works · 0.5% of its workPulmonary and Respiratory Medicine: 2 fractional works · 0.5% of its workSurgery: 2 fractional works · 0.5% of its workPhysiology: 2 fractional works · 0.5% of its workPediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health: 2 fractional works · 0.5% of its workRheumatology: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workNeurology: 1 fractional works · 0.2% of its workSmaller subfields together: 5 fractional works · 1.5% of its workHealth Professions: 5 fractional works · 1.6% of its workPharmacy: 2 fractional works · 0.7% of its workGeneral Health Professions: 1 fractional works · 0.5% of its workOccupational Therapy: 1 fractional works · 0.2% of its workSmaller subfields together: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workNursing: 1 fractional works · 0.2% of its workDentistry: 0 fractional works · 0.1% of its workLife Sciences: 16 fractional works · 4.8% of its workBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology: 9 fractional works · 2.7% of its workMolecular Biology: 4 fractional works · 1.2% of its workCancer Research: 3 fractional works · 0.8% of its workGenetics: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workSmaller subfields together: 1 fractional works · 0.4% of its workNeuroscience: 5 fractional works · 1.6% of its workCognitive Neuroscience: 2 fractional works · 0.7% of its workCellular and Molecular Neuroscience: 1 fractional works · 0.4% of its workNeurology: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workSmaller subfields together: 1 fractional works · 0.2% of its workAgricultural and Biological Sciences: 1 fractional works · 0.3% of its workImmunology and Microbiology: 1 fractional works · 0.2% of its workPharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics: 0 fractional works · 0.1% of its workALL ITS WORKWestern Digital(United States)324fractional works, 2022-now
Life Sciences5%Physical Sciences75%Health Sciences8%Social Sciences12%

Each ring splits the one inside it: the four domains of science, their fields, their subfields. Size is fractional works in 2022-now. Every slice is a page; the interactive view zooms down to single topics and colours each by how much more of it this institution does than the world.

Its 4 domains and 25 fields, with their numbers
    1. Engineering13140.3%
    2. Computer Science5216.0%
    3. Physics and Astronomy247.5%
    4. Materials Science237.0%
    5. Environmental Science61.7%
    6. Earth and Planetary Sciences20.8%
    7. Chemistry20.7%
    8. Energy10.5%
    9. Chemical Engineering10.3%
    10. Mathematics10.2%
    1. Social Sciences134.1%
    2. Psychology103.2%
    3. Business, Management and Accounting72.2%
    4. Economics, Econometrics and Finance31.1%
    5. Arts and Humanities31.0%
    6. Decision Sciences20.8%
    1. Medicine196.0%
    2. Health Professions51.6%
    3. Nursing10.2%
    4. Dentistry00.1%
    1. Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology92.7%
    2. Neuroscience51.6%
    3. Agricultural and Biological Sciences10.3%
    4. Immunology and Microbiology10.2%
    5. Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics00.1%
All of science, and how each field's share has moved since 1950: the Science domain explorer

What does Western Digital (United States) specialise in?

Where its research is concentrated relative to its size: Electrical and Electronic Engineering takes 4.7× the share of its output that it takes of world research.

  1. Electrical and Electronic EngineeringSubfield · 54.2 works4.7×
← less than its size predicts1×more →

Location quotient, a volume reading rather than an impact one. It surfaces small, lopsided specialities.

Field profile

Location quotient across every field it publishes in: outside the ring is more than an institution of this size would be expected to publish, inside it is less.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences: 0.06× its world share, 1 worksAgricultural and Bio…Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology: 0.50× its world share, 9 worksBiochemistry, Geneti…Immunology and Microbiology: 0.17× its world share, 1 worksImmunology and Micro…Neuroscience: 0.98× its world share, 5 worksNeurosciencePharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics: 0.27× its world share, 0 worksPharmacology, Toxico…Chemical Engineering: 0.81× its world share, 1 worksChemical EngineeringChemistry: 0.46× its world share, 2 worksChemistryComputer Science: 2.05× its world share, 52 worksComputer ScienceEarth and Planetary Sciences: 0.48× its world share, 2 worksEarth and Planetary …Energy: 0.50× its world share, 2 worksEnergyEngineering: 2.69× its world share, 131 worksEngineeringEnvironmental Science: 0.35× its world share, 6 worksEnvironmental ScienceMaterials Science: 2.01× its world share, 23 worksMaterials ScienceMathematics: 0.15× its world share, 1 worksMathematicsPhysics and Astronomy: 3.38× its world share, 24 worksPhysics and AstronomyDentistry: 0.30× its world share, 0 worksDentistryHealth Professions: 0.61× its world share, 5 worksHealth ProfessionsMedicine: 0.31× its world share, 19 worksMedicineNursing: 0.32× its world share, 0 worksNursingArts and Humanities: 0.35× its world share, 3 worksArts and HumanitiesBusiness, Management and Accounting: 0.67× its world share, 7 worksBusiness, Management…Decision Sciences: 0.79× its world share, 2 worksDecision SciencesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance: 0.50× its world share, 4 worksEconomics, Econometr…Psychology: 1.06× its world share, 10 worksPsychologySocial Sciences: 0.32× its world share, 13 worksSocial Sciences1×world share
more than its size predictsabout as predictedless

Rings at 0.5×, 1× and 2×. Widest outward: Physics and Astronomy, 3.4×. Every wedge is a field page.

All 25 fields, with their numbers
  1. Physics and Astronomy3.38×24 works
  2. Engineering2.69×131 works
  3. Computer Science2.05×52 works
  4. Materials Science2.01×23 works
  5. Psychology1.06×10 works
  6. Neuroscience0.98×5 works
  7. Chemical Engineering0.81×1 works
  8. Decision Sciences0.79×2 works
  9. Business, Management and Accounting0.67×7 works
  10. Health Professions0.61×5 works
  11. Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology0.50×9 works
  12. Energy0.50×2 works
  13. Economics, Econometrics and Finance0.50×4 works
  14. Earth and Planetary Sciences0.48×2 works
  15. Chemistry0.46×2 works
  16. Environmental Science0.35×6 works
  17. Arts and Humanities0.35×3 works
  18. Nursing0.32×0 works
  19. Social Sciences0.32×13 works
  20. Medicine0.31×19 works
  21. Dentistry0.30×0 works
  22. Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics0.27×0 works
  23. Immunology and Microbiology0.17×1 works
  24. Mathematics0.15×1 works
  25. Agricultural and Biological Sciences0.06×1 works

Who are the top researchers at Western Digital (United States)?

Ranked on the quality score, Barry C. Stipe, Oleksandr Mosendz and Lei Wan lead among researchers whose main affiliation is Western Digital (United States).

  1. 1 Barry C. Stipe United States · #352,684 worldwide 6.4k citations · 70 works
  2. 2 Oleksandr Mosendz United States · #677,637 worldwide 3k citations · 47 works
  3. 3 Lei Wan United States · #786,387 worldwide 2.7k citations · 60 works
  4. 4 M. Grobis United States · #834,831 worldwide 2.6k citations · 79 works
  5. 5 Tiffany Santos United States · #918,263 worldwide 3.2k citations · 109 works
  6. 6 Wing T. Tang United States · #1,160,603 worldwide 738 citations · 17 works
  7. 7 Savas Gider United States · #1,237,690 worldwide 1.6k citations · 38 works
  8. 8 Robert L. Smith United States · #1,308,732 worldwide 5.8k citations · 173 works
  9. 9 Zhitao Diao United States · #1,361,534 worldwide 1.3k citations · 23 works
  10. 10 Daniel Bedau United States · #1,576,098 worldwide 1.6k citations · 82 works
All ranked researchers at Western Digital (United States)

What are the most cited papers from Western Digital (United States)?

The most cited paper from Western Digital (United States) is ""The very best of the millennium": Longitudinal research and the demand-control-(support) model." (Annet de Lange, Toon W. Taris, Michiel A. J. Kompier et al., 2003), with 1,068 citations. Next come "Genome-wide association analyses of risk tolerance and risky behaviors in over 1 million individuals identify hundreds of loci and shared genetic influences" (857) and "Are psychosocial factors, risk factors for symptoms and signs of the shoulder, elbow, or hand/wrist?: A review of the epidemiological literature" (680).

Most cited papers
#PaperReleasedCitations
1 "The very best of the millennium": Longitudinal research and the demand-control-(support) model. Annet de Lange, Toon W. Taris, Michiel A. J. Kompier et al. · Journal of Occupational Health Psychology 2003 1,068
2 Genome-wide association analyses of risk tolerance and risky behaviors in over 1 million individuals identify hundreds of loci and shared genetic influences Richard Karlsson Linnér et al. · Nature Genetics Open access 9 Jan 2019 857
3 Are psychosocial factors, risk factors for symptoms and signs of the shoulder, elbow, or hand/wrist?: A review of the epidemiological literature Paulien M. Bongers, Anja M. Kremer, Jolanda ter Laak · American Journal of Industrial Medicine 11 Apr 2002 680
4 Magnetic tunnel junctions Jian‐Gang Zhu, Chando Park · Materials Today Open access 19 Oct 2006 665
5 Sitting comfort and discomfort and the relationships with objective measures Michiel P. de Looze, Lottie F. M. Kuijt-Evers, Jaap H. van Dieën · Ergonomics Open access Aug 2003 640
All 60 most cited papers, with filters and sorting

Which keywords describe research at Western Digital (United States)?

By fractional works in 2022-now, weighted toward what it does more of than the world: Nanoparticles, Spintronics, Deep Learning, Room Temperature, Magnetic Tunnel Junctions, Skyrmions, Nanoelectronics and Neuromorphic Computing.

▲ more of its work than of the world's◆ about the world's share▼ less than the world's

Size is fractional works in 2022-now in the topics tagged with each word; colour is the word's share of this institution's work against its share of the world's. The 40 words are chosen for being large and distinctive. Each links to the topic it comes from most.

All 40 words, with their numbers
  1. Deep Learning27▲ 2.4×51 topics
  2. Nanoparticles22▲ 5.5×17 topics
  3. Spintronics15▲ 37×4 topics
  4. Neural Networks14▲ 2.7×23 topics
  5. Machine Learning13▲ 1.22×37 topics
  6. Room Temperature12▲ 26×3 topics
  7. Magnetic Tunnel Junctions12▲ 137×1 topic
  8. Skyrmions12▲ 137×1 topic
  9. Nanoelectronics9▲ 34×2 topics
  10. Neuromorphic Computing8▲ 23×2 topics
  11. Parallel Computing8▲ 20×3 topics
  12. Atomic Layer Deposition8▲ 37×1 topic
  13. High-k Dielectrics8▲ 37×1 topic
  14. Non-Volatile Memory7▲ 24×2 topics
  15. Machine Vision7▲ 11×5 topics
  16. Thermal Management7▲ 6.7×7 topics
  17. Distributed Storage6▲ 72×1 topic
  18. Network Coding6▲ 43×1 topic
  19. Friction6▲ 33×2 topics
  20. Nanotubes6▲ 24×3 topics
  21. Surface Roughness6▲ 14×2 topics
  22. Adhesion6▲ 77×1 topic
  23. Electromigration6▲ 63×2 topics
  24. Gecko6▲ 77×1 topic
  25. Metal Oxides6▲ 15×2 topics
  26. Synaptic Plasticity6▲ 8.3×5 topics
  27. High-Temperature Electronics6▲ 29×2 topics
  28. Thin Films6▲ 9.1×8 topics
  29. Memristor6▲ 21×1 topic
  30. Resistive Switching6▲ 21×1 topic
  31. Rare Earth Elements5▲ 11×2 topics
  32. Interfacial Reactions5▲ 86×1 topic
  33. Lead-free Solders5▲ 86×1 topic
  34. Integrated Circuits5▲ 11×2 topics
  35. Doping5▲ 16×2 topics
  36. Failure Analysis4▲ 14×4 topics
  37. Fabric Defect Detection4▲ 18×1 topic
  38. Semiconductor Manufacturing4▲ 18×1 topic
  39. Interconnect4▲ 74×1 topic
  40. Through-Silicon Via4▲ 74×1 topic

Which research topics does Western Digital (United States) publish most on?

By volume in 2022-now: Magnetic properties of thin films, Semiconductor materials and devices, Advanced Data Storage Technologies and Adhesion, Friction, and Surface Interactions.

Magnetic properties of t…12Magnetic properties of thin films: 12 fractional worksSemiconductor materials and devices: 8 fractional worksAdvanced Data Storage Te…6Advanced Data Storage Technologies: 6 fractional worksAdhesion, Friction, and …6Adhesion, Friction, and Surface Interactions: 6 fractional worksAdvanced Memory and Neural Computing: 6 fractional worksElectronic Packaging and Soldering Technologies: 5 fractional worksIndustrial Vision System…4Industrial Vision Systems and Defect Detection: 4 fractional works3D IC and TSV technologies: 4 fractional worksEating Disorders and Behaviors: 4 fractional worksIntegrated Circuits and Semiconductor Failure Analysis: 4 fractional works
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and OpticsElectrical and Electronic EngineeringComputer Networks and CommunicationsMechanics of Materials2 others

Area is fractional works; colour is the subfield each topic belongs to.

  1. 1 Magnetic properties of thin films Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics 12 works
  2. 2 Semiconductor materials and devices Electrical and Electronic Engineering 8 works
  3. 3 Advanced Data Storage Technologies Computer Networks and Communications 6 works
  4. 4 Adhesion, Friction, and Surface Interactions Mechanics of Materials 6 works
  5. 5 Advanced Memory and Neural Computing Electrical and Electronic Engineering 6 works
  6. 6 Electronic Packaging and Soldering Technologies Electrical and Electronic Engineering 5 works
  7. 7 Industrial Vision Systems and Defect Detection Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering 4 works
  8. 8 3D IC and TSV technologies Electrical and Electronic Engineering 4 works
  9. 9 Eating Disorders and Behaviors Clinical Psychology 4 works
  10. 10 Integrated Circuits and Semiconductor Failure Analysis Electrical and Electronic Engineering 4 works

How open and international is its research?

Against the world's own shares: the tick on each track. Both are shares of its output, so they sit on one scale and can be read against each other as well as against the world.

openly available24.3%not open75.7%

World: 40% of research is openly available.

with international co-authors31.9%domestic only68.1%

World: 18% is written across borders.

How has Western Digital (United States)'s research output changed?

Output in 2022-2025 was 25% higher than in 2018-2021.

still counting1990200020102020
grewheldshrank

The same series as a ribbon: one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.

Its share of all research

Growing output can still be a shrinking share: all of science grows. This is Western Digital (United States) as a percentage of every work published that year, 0.0016% in 2024.

still counting0.0010%0.0020%0.0030%Western Digital (United States)0.0016% in 202519801990200020102020

Fractional works of Western Digital (United States) over all fractional works that year. How the balance of science has shifted.

How much of it reaches the world top 10%

Year by year, against all institutions in the same year.

still counting10%20%all institutions10.0% in 2025Western Digital (United States)8.6% in 202520102020

Of each year's output, the share that reached the world's 10% most cited for its field and year. Peak 15.3% in 2002.

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Western Digital (United States) on Science Explorer

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