Abstract: In a hard disk drive, suspension termination pads meet the flex cable termination pads at an intersecting angle. The width of these pads is approximately the same width as the conductor widths. Alignment robustness is attained by choosing an intersection angle that coincides to the arc that the wireless suspension termination pad array normally traverses during alignment.

Abstract: A contact magnetic transfer (CMT) master template has a flexible plastic film with a planarized top or upper surface containing magnetic islands separated from one another by nonmagnetic regions. The flexible plastic film is secured at its perimeter to a silicon annulus that provides rigid support at the perimeter of the film. The plastic film is preferably polyimide that has recesses filled with the magnetic material that form the pattern of magnetic islands. The upper surfaces of the islands and the upper surfaces of the nonmagnetic regions form a continuous planar surface. The nonmagnetic regions are formed of chemical-mechanical-polishing (CMP) stop layer material that remains after a CMP process has planarized the upper surface of the plastic film.

Abstract: A contact magnetic transfer (CMT) master template is made by first adhering a plastic film to a first surface of a silicon wafer. A resist pattern is then formed on the polyimide film and the polyimide is reactive-ion-etched through the resist to form recesses. The resist is removed and a chemical-mechanical-polishing (CMP) stop layer is deposited over the non-recessed regions of the polyimide, and optionally into the bottoms of the recesses. A layer of magnetic material is then deposited over the polyimide film to fill the recesses. A CMP process is then performed to remove magnetic material above the recesses and above the non-recessed regions and continued until the CMP stop layer is reached. The resulting upper surface of the polyimide film is then a continuous planar film of magnetic islands and regions of CMP stop layer material that function as the nonmagnetic regions of the template.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electrically coupling a slider to a wireless suspension is disclosed. The wireless suspension includes a substrate material and at least one standoff coupled to the substrate material. The at least one standoff is configured to be coupled to a slider and is further configured to electrically couple the slider to the substrate material.

Abstract: A reference plane is added to the freestanding conductors of a wireless suspension to maintain a continuous reference plane therein. Post processing steps to the flexure are used after the underlying steel has been etched and prior to any forming or welding steps. Two screens are used to add an insulator layer and a conductor layer, such as copper, in the areas of the freestanding conductors. The insulator screen is sized to allow an insulator to overlap the original polyimide. The copper screen for the reference has a slightly longer screen pattern than the insulator screen. The conductor screen is sized such that the reference will overlap the insulator and make contact with the underlying steel at both ends of the freestanding conductors.

Abstract: A voice coil and actuator yoke assembly is fabricated by deforming the coil to exactly fit the inner perimeter and thickness of the yoke. The comb is placed in a tool that registers the comb with the yoke against the same flat surfaces that will squash the coil. The tooling is closed and placed in an appropriate loading device and the coils are squashed to the precise thickness of the yoke. This eliminates the in-plane tolerances of the current process for bonding a coil into the yoke. The coil perimeter expands as the coil is squashed to form an intimate press fit with the yoke. A low viscosity, high Tg adhesive is then applied to the coil. The low viscosity of the adhesive allows capillary action to fill the voids between the wires and bond the coil to the yoke.

Abstract: A suspension for use in a disk drive is disclosed. The suspension has a hinge and load beam which are separately formed and subsequently joined together. The load beam is formed from a material which has improved damping characteristics. The load beam additionally has ribs constructed in order to balance the mass of the suspension about the torsional rotation axis. The location of the torsional rotation axis can be designed to intersect the head gimbal pivot point.

Abstract: A suspension for use in a disk drive is disclosed. The suspension has a hinge and load beam which are separately formed and subsequently joined together. The load beam is formed from a material which has improved damping characteristics. The load beam additionally has ribs constructed in order to balance the mass of the suspension about the torsional rotation axis. The location of the torsional rotation axis can be designed to intersect the head gimbal pivot point.