Abstract: Apparatus for forming a thin film of a coating material on a selected surface of a substrate and having a rotatable head fixture for supporting the substrate which includes a platen housing having a hollowed-out central area and an opening extending from an upper surface thereof into the hollowed-out central area, a substrate support means formed in the platen housing for supporting a substrate above the opening in the platen housing; means defining a chamber which encloses the substrate supporting means, the opening and part of the platen housing surface and wherein the chamber defining means is positioned relative to the periphery of the substrate to form a controlled gap which communicates with the opening and hollowed-out area; rotating means for rotating the platen housing and substrate at a predetermined rate of rotation and means for applying a vacuum through the hollowed-out area and opening to the controlled gap to draw and remove excess accumulation of coating material from the edge of the substrate

Abstract: A method of making a thin film magnetic head assembly having a substrate, superstrate and thin film magnetic transducer mounted therebetween wherein the thin film magnetic transducer includes conductive leads located interior to and extending between the substrate and superstrate comprising the steps of mounting a thin film transducer on the substrate with the transducing portion thereof located adjacent one edge of the substrate, positioning a preformed planar conductive connecting member formed of an elongated support section and a plurality of spaced, aligned connecting elements having a relatively thin coating of diffusable conductive metal coating located on one side positioned in intimate contact with the conductive leads with the connecting elements and the elongated support section extending passed the substrate, placing a superstrate in alignment with the substrate, thin film magnetic transducer and planar conductive connecting member with the surface thereof in intimate engagement with the connectin