Abstract: A piezoelectric device comprises an integral body of piezoelectric material having a length and width greater than its thickness; wherein the device further includes, in contact with the body, respective pairs of electrodes, wherein the electrodes of each pair are opposed in the thickness direction, wherein the body deflects along said transverse direction when a voltage is applied to the electrode pair. The present invention further provisdes a disk drive suspension and a head gimbal assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microactuator comprising a movable structure having a symmetric axis about which the movable structure are divided into two parts which can produce the same movement but in opposite directions; two active arms built with piezoelectric material; two stationary structures to connect the two active arms at their two ends, respectively. The invention also relates to a disk drive suspension which is incorporated with the microactuator.

Abstract: A precise positioning actuator to be fixed to a head slider provided with at least one head element and to a support, for precisely positioning the at least one head element, includes a pair of movable arms formed by a metal plate. These movable arms are capable of displacing in response to a drive signal applied to the actuator along a direction crossing a plate plane of the movable arms, and catch the head slider in a space between them.

Abstract: A precise positioning actuator to be fixed with a head slider with at least one head element and with a support, for precisely positioning the at least one head element, includes a pair of movable arms capable of displacing in response to a drive signal applied to the actuator The head slider is caught in a space between the movable arms.

Abstract: A method of testing a performance of an HGA includes a step of obtaining a displacement performance of a precise positioning actuator by driving this actuator to displace and by executing a track profile measurement of at least one thin-film magnetic head element.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator is disclosed including an annular piezoelectric element and a base. There is a gap along the radial direction of the annular piezoelectric element. One of the two ends, i.e., the fixed end of the said annular element, is connected to the base, while the other end is free. The base is made of piezoelectric materials. Furthermore, the annular element is divided into two or more annular parts along the direction of its circumference by the electrode patterns applied on its two opposite surface and/or its polarization directions. When driving voltages are applied, the actuator can generate roughly a rotary motion around the center of the annular piezoelectric element. The annular rotary actuator could be either a single plate or with multilayer structure.