Abstract: A method of making a magnetic head suspension assembly includes attaching a slider with a magnetic head to an intermediate flexible circuit. The attached combination is then inserted into a spin stand tester for the testing of electrical performance. If the attached combination fails the test, it is discarded, thereby avoiding the cost of discarding an entire head suspension assembly. On the other hand, if the attached combination passes the test, it is mounted to a load beam to form the head suspension assembly. Thereafter, a flex circuit can be attached to the load beam and intermediate flexible circuit to provide electrical connections to the magnetic head through the intermediate flexible circuit.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly includes a magneto-resistive read element integrated with a thermally assisted write element. The head gimbal assembly includes an optical waveguide positioned between two write poles to transmit a laser beam to a recording medium. The laser beam heats the medium sufficiently and lowers its coercivity in order to facilitate writing. A laser assembly is attached to a suspension for achieving direct coupling of the laser beam to an input end of the optical waveguide. The laser assembly is produced using cost effective wafer processing techniques. The use of silicon for the mounting block allows it to be used as a heat sink, for conducting heat away from the laser diode and into the suspension.

Abstract: A fixture for assembling and testing a read/write head comprised of a head gimbal assembly (HGA) that allows gimbaling along pitch and roll axes and that utilizes an inexpensive spherical gimbal ball pressed into an etched hole in the load beam for providing a highly accurate and measurable pivot location of a slider. The head gimbal assembly includes a suspension of the type supporting a slider, and comprising the suspension. A gimbal opening is formed in the load beam, and extends therethrough so that it receives the spherical gimbal ball for attachment to the load beam. A resilient flexure is secured to the load beam and supports the slider. The backside of the gimbal ball remains visible for the option of optical bonding of the slider to the suspension and for measurement of the slider position relative to the gimbal ball subsequent to the assembly of the HGA. The fixture is comprised of a top plate for holding the suspension assembly and a bottom plate for holding the slider.

Abstract: An optical focusing device for focusing an incident optical beam onto a focal plane, as a focal spot. The optical focusing device includes an incident central refractive facet upon which an optical beam impinges, and a high-index glass body through which the incident optical beam passes toward a bottom reflective surface. The bottom reflective surface reflects the optical beam through the body, toward a peripheral reflector. The peripheral reflector focuses the optical beam toward a focal plane on which the focal spot is formed. The focal plane is defined within a pedestal that forms part of the optical focusing device, and that extends from the bottom reflective surface. The central facet is conically shaped for refracting the incident optical beam away from the pedestal, onto the bottom reflective surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for assembling baseplates, which are joined to head suspensions, to actuator arms of an E-block for use in disk drives employ an assembly fixture for orienting and holding the head suspensions with reference to a pivot bearing formed in the E-block. An adhesive is interposed in a gap formed between each baseplate and corresponding actuator arm to maintain the suspensions in alignment relative to the pivot bearing. The assembly fixture includes clamps for maintaining the suspensions in a proper orientation. Each suspension has a locating surface that is planar with the gap for alignment of the suspensions.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly includes a suspension of the type supporting a slider and a flex circuit. The suspension is formed of a load beam that supports the flex circuit, and a resilient flexure which is secured to the load beam and which supports the slider. The load beam is comprised of a flexure portion that defines a rear motion limiter and that engages the flex circuit and limits the slider movement when the head gimbal assembly is exposed to a shock load. The rear motion limiter extends intermediate the flex circuit and the flexure. The flex circuit includes a flexure section which is separated from the rear motion limiter by a gap, such that under a shock load condition, the gap collapses for limiting the travel of the slider along a first direction. The front motion limiter can be formed of one or a plurality of tabs or wings that extend integrally from the load beam.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly (HGA) allows gimbaling along pitch and roll axes, and utilizes an inexpensive spherical gimbal ball pressed into an etched hole in the load beam to provide a highly accurate and measurable pivot location of a slider. The head gimbal assembly includes a suspension of the type supporting a slider, and comprising the suspension. A gimbal opening is formed in the load beam, and extends therethrough so that it receives the spherical gimbal ball for attachment to the load beam. A resilient flexure is secured to the load beam and supports the slider. The backside of the gimbal ball remains visible for the option of optical bonding of the slider to the suspension and for measurement of the slider position relative to the gimbal ball subsequent to the assembly of the HGA. The backside of the gimbal ball can optionally be used as the mechanical datum to accurately bond the suspension to the slider.

Abstract: A method of making a magnetic head suspension assembly includes attaching a slider with a magnetic head to an intermediate flexible circuit. The attached combination is then inserted into a spin stand tester for the testing of electrical performance. If the attached combination fails the test, it is discarded, thereby avoiding the cost of discarding an entire head suspension assembly. On the other hand, if the attached combination passes the test, it is mounted to a load beam to form the head suspension assembly. Thereafter, a flex circuit can be attached to the load beam and intermediate flexible circuit to provide electrical connections to the magnetic head through the intermediate flexible circuit.

Abstract: The method of making and self-aligning a magneto-optical head at a wafer level is as follows: A flat optical substrate is molded or heat pressed in batches as a wafer level to form the desired lens shapes. Coil cavities or depressions are simultaneously formed with the lens to accommodate the coil assembly. Conductive plugs are formed in proximity to the cutting lines, for wire bonding attachment to the coil. The plugs are filled with a conductive material such as copper. The plugs do not extend through the entire depth of the optical wafer, thus further facilitating the mass production of the integrated heads. The slider body wafer is formed from silicon or other appropriate material. The slider body wafer and the lens/coil wafer are bonded. Coils and pedestals are formed on the lens / coil plate using thin-film processing techniques. Reflective surfaces are deposited on the bottom surface of the substrate, opposite the lens. The mirror material around the pedestal areas and plugs is masked and removed.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly includes a suspension of the type supporting a slider and a flex circuit. The suspension is formed of a load beam that supports the flex circuit, and a resilient flexure which is secured to the load beam and which supports the slider. The flex circuit is comprised of conductive traces formed on a compliant, dielectric substrate. The substrate includes a body portion and a head portion for supporting the conductive traces. The substrate head portion is patterned such that selected portions of the head portion are removed to leave bare conductive trace sections, and to achieve reduced pitch and roll stiffness of the flex circuit. The flex circuit can optionally include a thin seed layer formed on the underside of the substrate to reduce static charge buildup.

Abstract: An optical or magneto-optical (MO) head comprises a head formed of two main parts: a housing and a body. The housing supports optical and magnetic components to be secured to the slider, and the body provides an air bearing surface and further supports the housing. The housing includes a pattern of channels and grooves that retain the optical and magnetic components, and that can be produced with extreme accuracy, so that the cumulative tolerance of the head varies within a very tight range. The components are interlocked within, or secured to the slider in a self-aligned disposition, and do not become detached, even under extremely harsh operating conditions. In addition, the self-alignment feature significantly reduces, if not entirely eliminates the need to align certain components after they have been mounted onto the slider. The slider design enables the head to be mass produced and assembled.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for "blending" air bearing rails of a magnetic air bearing slider used to carry a recording mechanism over a magnetic recording medium. In accordance with the present invention, a slider is held at a fixed angle with respect to a at least one essentially flat, abrasive blending surface, preferably configured as an elongated bar having a blending surface. The relative angle of the slider with respect to the plane of the blending surface causes an edge of a slider rail to make contact with the blending surface. A relative motion of the blending surface with respect to the slider in two generally orthogonal directions abrades the edge of the slider rail, generating a contoured edge, or "blend" on the slider rail which allows the slider to fly at approximately the same height over a disk medium over a broad range of skew angles and radial distances.

Abstract: A flexure for supporting a slider/electromagnetic read/write head assembly for a rotary actuator-type disk drive. The flexure is designed to improve yaw stiffness while simultaneously improving pitch and roll compliance compared to prior art designs. The flexure has a support structure having a pair of forked outriggers. Attached at the end of each outrigger arm is a spaced-apart flexure tongue structure. The width of the flexure at the connection between the tongue and outriggers is less than the width of the flexure at the connection between the support structure and outriggers. A gimbaling dimple is provided on the tongue structure that is positioned such that when a slider is mounted on the flexure, the dimple is positioned at approximately the center of pressure of the slider.

Abstract: A computer disk head assembly load beam having improved vibrational characteristics. The inventive load beam has reduced mass and increased resonant frequencies for at least the first and second resonant modes in comparison to the prior art, while maintaining a spring rate approximately equivalent to the spring rate of prior art load beams. In addition, the invention exhibits a high degree of torsional stiffness. These characteristics are accomplished by providing a load beam having a delta-shaped forebody, an elongated arm portion, and short, relatively thick spring attachment beams connecting the base of the load beam to the insert-attachment portion of the load beam. The spring attachment beams of the load beam structure provide a spring rate approximately equivalent to the spring rate of prior art load beams. The invention also permits a reduction in the height of the load beam strengthening flanges, permitting decreased disk spacing.

Abstract: A flexure for supporting a slider/electromagnetic read/write head assembly for a rotary actuator-type disk drive. The flexure is designed to improve yaw stiffness while simultaneously improving pitch and roll compliance compared to prior art designs. The flexure has a forked outrigger structure. Attached at the end of each outrigger arm is a spaced-apart flexure tongue structure. A gimbaling dimple is provided on the tongue structure that is positioned such that when a slider is mounted on the flexure, the dimple is positioned at approximately the center of pressure of the slider. As a result of the inventive design, the position of the gimbaling dimple can be moved substantially forward along the flexure, thereby permitting the use of a notched slider assembly, resulting in an overall decrease in the height of the flexure/slider combination, thereby permitting decreased disk spacing.

Abstract: An improved load beam/flexure assembly for mini Winchester disk drives is disclosed. The load beam is substantially straight where it is attached to the arm as opposed to the prior art 2.degree. 20' bend. Furthermore, the side flange edges of the load beam are tapered towards the slider end of the load beam and the side flanges have wire tube guiding tabs, allowing for the elimination of the split finger so that the slider arm end is substantially flat. The flexure is also designed to have the surface that is attached to the slider to be substantially parallel to the elongated load beam, instead of the prior art 2.degree. 20' angle of the prior art. Also, the load beam arm end is secured to the arm by ball staking with the arm end of the load beam positioned between the insert and the arm with the insert having a boss passing through the load beam. The result of these combinations is a reduction of the disk to disk spacing of approximately 50%, from 300 mils to about 160 mils.