Abstract: An enhanced microfabricated spring contact structure and associated method comprises improvements to spring structures above the substrate surface, and/or improvements to structures on or within the substrate. Improved spring structures and processes comprise embodiments having selectively formed and etched, coated and/or plated regions, which are preferably further processed through planarization and/or annealment. Improved substrate structures and processes typically comprise the establishment of a decoupling structure on at least one surface of the substrate, and electromechanical fulcrum connections between elastic core members, e.g. stress metal springs, through defined openings in the decoupling structure toward electrically conductive pathways in the support substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing an aligned coil for an inductive head structure using a patterned seed layer is disclosed. The present invention uses an aligned process where the base plate imprint is fabricated on an electrically insulating layer and the reversed image is fabricated and etched into the coil insulation material, e.g., hard bake photoresist to alleviate the problems associated with complete ion removal of the seed layer between high aspect ratio coils. The present invention would also not be prone to plating non-uniformities (voids), and would not be subject to seed layer undercutting in a wet etch step process.