Abstract: This invention relates to laminates in which a layer of polyimide precursors and a layer of photosensitive resins are formed one on top of another on an electric conductor such as a stainless steel foil and also to laminates consisting of a stainless steel foil and successive layers of polyimide precursors and photosensitive resins useful for the manufacture of HDD suspensions. In particular, the use of resins containing a repeating unit derivable from specific aromatic diamines and aromatic carboxylic acid dianhydrides as polyimide precursors makes it possible to fabricate an insulator of high fabrication accuracy and reliability on an electric conductor and, in addition, the laminates are useful as materials for the manufacture of HDD suspensions of an integrated circuit/wiring structure with high accuracy.

Abstract: This invention relates to laminates for use in HDD suspensions which are composed of a stainless steel base material and successive layers formed thereon of polyimides and an electrical conductor and in which the linear expansion coefficient of the polyimide layer is controlled in the range of 1×10−5/° C. to 3×10−5/° C. and the adhesive strength between stainless steel and polyimide and that between polyimide and electrical conductor are controlled at 0.5 kg/cm or more. This invention also relates to a process for preparing laminates for use in HDD suspensions comprising applying a solution of polyimide precursors or polyimides to a stainless steel base material with a thickness of 10 to 70 &mgr;m in one layer or more, drying, performing heat treatment at 250° C. or more to form a layer of polyimides with a thickness of 3 to 20 &mgr;m and a linear expansion coefficient of 1×10−5/° C. to 3×10−5/° C.