Abstract: A method of bonding a metal ball for a magnetic head assembly is provided. The method comprises: preparing a capillary; disposing the capillary so as to face a bonding surface of the electrode pad of the slider and that of the electrode pad of the flexible printed circuit board; carrying the metal ball to the bonding surfaces by introducing the metal ball and the inactive gas stream into the carrying route of the capillary; positioning and retaining the metal ball on the bonding surfaces by the inactive gas stream passing through the carrying route and issued radially from the cutoff portions; and melting the metal ball by directly applying laser beams via the cutoff portions of the capillary, and bonding the electrode pad of the slider and the electrode pad of the flexible printed circuit board by the melted metal.

Abstract: A magnetic head assembly is provided. The magnetic head assembly includes a slider in which a head element is mounted. A flexure supports the slider. The flexure includes a pair of outriggers, a connection portion, and a tongue portion. A flexible wiring substrate is fixedly bonded to the surface of the flexure. An electrode pad of the slider and an electrode pad of the flexible wiring substrate are bonded to each other by solder. A plurality of solder bonded portions are arranged on the connection portion. A deformable portion is formed in the pair of outriggers and located on an extended line on which the solder bonded portions are arranged, so that the free end side of the flexure is deformable.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a method of reworking a magnetic head assembly in which an electrode pad of a magnetic head slider and an electrode pad of a suspension are soldered so as to be perpendicular to each other and in which a defective slider is replaced with a new slider when the magnetic head slider is the defective slider. The method includes planarizing a solder, which bonds the electrode pad of the defective slider and the electrode pad of the suspension, on the electrode pad of the suspension by a hot wind and reusing the planarized solder to bond the electrode pad of the new slider replaced for the defective slider and the electrode pad of the suspension to each other.

Abstract: A magnetic head assembly is provided. The magnetic head assembly includes a slider in which a head element is mounted. A flexure supports the slider. The flexure includes a pair of outriggers, a connection portion, and a tongue portion. A flexible wiring substrate is fixedly bonded to the surface of the flexure. An electrode pad of the slider and an electrode pad of the flexible wiring substrate are bonded to each other by solder. A plurality of solder bonded portions are arranged on the connection portion. A deformable portion is formed in the pair of outriggers and located on an extended line on which the solder bonded portions are arranged, so that the free end side of the flexure is deformable.

Abstract: A magnetic head assembly is provided. The magnetic head assembly has electrode pads of a slider that have a magnetoresistive element installed therein and electrode pads of a flexible printed circuit that connect the magnetoresistive element to an external circuit are bonded by solder. In one embodiment, an Au layer is formed on solder contact surfaces of the electrode pads of the slider and the flexible printed circuit, and an AuSn dispersion layer where Au atoms of the Au layer are dispersed is formed at least on the boundary between the solder contact surfaces of the electrode pads and the solder.

Abstract: A method of bonding a metal ball for a magnetic head assembly is provided. The method comprises: preparing a capillary; disposing the capillary so as to face a bonding surface of the electrode pad of the slider and that of the electrode pad of the flexible printed circuit board; carrying the metal ball to the bonding surfaces by introducing the metal ball and the inactive gas stream into the carrying route of the capillary; positioning and retaining the metal ball on the bonding surfaces by the inactive gas stream passing through the carrying route and issued radially from the cutoff portions; and melting the metal ball by directly applying laser beams via the cutoff portions of the capillary, and bonding the electrode pad of the slider and the electrode pad of the flexible printed circuit board by the melted metal.

Abstract: A slider includes electrode pads each of which is bonded to an electrode pad of a flexible printed circuit board through a solder ball. Surface cleaning is performed on the electrode pad of the slider in a vacuum atmosphere, and an Au surface protective film is formed on a new film surface of the same electrode pad. The entire surface of the same electrode pad is covered with the protective film. When the electrode pads of the slider and the flexible printed circuit board are bonded to each other by soldering, a solder ball is melted between the electrode pads, so that a solder fillet is formed in contact with the top surface of the electrode pad of the slider, side surfaces of the same electrode pad close to the flexible printed circuit board, and the top surface of the electrode pad of the flexible printed circuit board.

Abstract: A bonding pad and a copper bump are bonded to each other by soldering. When the amount of Au melting into a soldering junction is not more than 9 percent by weight, the amounts of the precipitation of compounds of Au in the solder or on the surface thereof can be reduced and the bonding strength of the soldering junction can be enhanced.