Abstract: A disc drive having a recording disc rotatable about an axis, a slider supporting a transducing head for transducing data with the disc, and a dual-stage actuation assembly supporting the slider to position the transducing head adjacent a select radial track of the disc. The dual-stage actuation assembly includes a movable actuator arm, a suspension assembly supported by the actuator arm including the flexure, a slider bonding pad supporting the slider and a microactuator. The microactuator includes a rotor attached to the slider bonding pad and a stator attached to the flexure. A beam structure operatively connects the rotor to the stator so as to permit movement of the rotor with respect to the stator. The beam structure includes a first beam pair element and a second beam pair element.

Abstract: A process for finishing a disc drive slider in which a pressure generator applies multiple pressures to the back surface of one slider while the front surface of the one slider contacts a lapping surface to form a finished front surface of the slider. The slider is part of a substrate having multiple unfinished sliders formed in it. An etch process is used to etch trenches in the substrate aligned between the sliders and to form webs joining the sliders together. After the sliders are finished by lapping, the webs are removed to separate the sliders. The multiple sliders are conveniently held together during the finishing process and the etching process avoids damage to the sliders.

Abstract: A slider includes a longitudinal axis, a recessed region, a bearing surface, first and second elongated rails, and first and second elongated depressions. The first and second elongated rails extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and are disposed about the recessed region. Each of the first and second rails include a disc-facing surface that is recessed bearing suface. The first and second elongated depressions extend along the first and second rails, respectively. Each depression includes a depression floor that is recessed relative to the respective disc-facing surface.

Abstract: A rotary actuator system includes an actuator block, a head mounting block, and a linkage arm connecting the actuator block and the head mounting block. The system further includes an actuator motor operatively connected to the actuator block for rotating a link. The linkage arm includes a drive link which is rotated by the actuator motor and a guide link spaced apart from the drive link. The drive link has a first end and a second end; the drive link is pivotally connected to the actuator block at the first end and connected to the head mounting block at the second end. The guide link has a first end and a second end; the guide link is connected to the actuator block at the first end and connected to the head mounting block at the second end.

Abstract: A microactuator design and fabrication method for an improved magnetic microactuator incorporating mechanical stroke limiters and integrated connections between the flex on suspension and slider. The stroke limiters, also referred to as bumper system, and integrated connections enable low power, mechanically robust operation of the microactuator during high seek operations. In addition, improved head gimbal assembly yield results due to the integrated head connections formed on the microactuator.

Abstract: A read/write head microactuator includes first and second insulating deposits that are flat, spaced apart by an air gap, and laterally movable responsive to a microactuator electrical drive current. First and second flat, interdigitated drive electrode deposits are deposited on the first insulating deposit. A flat, digitated sense electrode deposit is deposited on the second insulating deposit. The sense electrode deposit provides a relative position output. The sense electrode deposit faces both the drive electrode deposits across the air gap.

Abstract: An integrated suspension assembly including interconnect is used to provide an electrical and mechanical connection between an actuation system and a slider. The suspension assembly includes a multi-layer laminate substrate having a base layer, an insulator layer and a conductor layer. The laminate substrate further includes an attachment region for attaching the suspension assembly to an actuator arm, a load beam region, a flexure region for supporting the slider, and an interconnect path. The interconnect path extends along the flexure region, the load beam region and the attachment region wherein the path terminates at the attachment region at a connection point to provide an electromechanical attachment to the actuator arm.

Abstract: An electrostatic actuator for adjusting a spacing. A first body has an electrically conducting surface, and a second body has a body surface separated by the spacing from the electrically conducting surface. A conductor layer and an actuator electrode are recessed in the second body, and an electrode face faces the electrically conducting surface across the spacing. The actuator electrode comprises a semi-insulating material with a combination of electrical resistivity and thickness which prevents shorting of the conductor layer to the electrical conducting surface through a dielectric breakdown in the spacing.

Abstract: A disc head slider is provided and includes a disc-facing surface. The disc-facing surface comprises an inside set of surface components that includes an inside cavity dam and an inside sub-ambient pressure cavity having an inside cavity floor. The disc-facing surface further comprises an outside set of surface components that includes an outside cavity dam and an outside sub-ambient pressure cavity having an outside cavity floor. The disc-facing surface also comprises a center set of surface components that is generally disposed between the inside and outside sets of surface components. The center set of surface components includes a center cavity dam and a center sub-ambient pressure cavity having a center cavity floor. The inside, outside and center sets of surface components are separate and disassociated from one another.

Abstract: An air bearing slider including a recessed cavity surface to provide an adaptable bearing surface to compensate for thermal expansion or pole tip protrusion. The recessed cavity surface forms a leading edge cavity step to a raised bearing surface proximate to a trailing edge of the slider. The leading edge cavity step forms a rampless air bearing surface proximate to the trailing edge of the slider which is adaptable to form a ramp to pressurize a protruding surface of a transducer portion of the head.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly (HGA) for use in a forward flow disc drive includes a load beam having a longitudinal axis, a gimbal, a slider, and an air deflector. The gimbal is mounted to a distal end of the load beam. The slider includes a transducing head and is mounted to a disc side of the gimbal and is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the load beam. The air deflector includes a first deflecting member that is positioned upstream of the slider relative to a forward airflow. The air deflector extends from a disc side of either the distal end of the load beam or the gimbal and across the longitudinal axis. The air deflector deflects a portion of the forward airflow away from the slider to thereby reduce windage induced off-track motion of the transducing head.

Abstract: An actuator arm design having a close cross section which greatly improves the performance of the disc drive. The actuator arm is formed of a top skin, a bottom skin, and a core. The core may be formed of a corrugated metal, or a foam metal, or a combination of the two. As a result of this structure of the arm, the arm is highly stiff, yet low mass which yields an arm having a high resonant frequency.

Abstract: A manufacturing process of a disc drive slider has one or more bars with dull ends as a protection feature to prevent contact between peripheral edges of an air bearing surface and a disc surface when the slider is misaligned with the disc surface. The dull ends can be formed by a process of undercutting a resist layer during etching.

Abstract: A disc drive system includes a recording disc rotatable about an axis, a slider supporting a transducing head for transducing data with the disc, and a dual-stage actuation assembly supporting the slider to position the transducing head adjacent a selected radial track of the disc. The dual-stage actuation assembly includes a support structure supporting the slider in proximity to a surface of the disc, a microactuator and a capacitive position sensor. The support structure is coarsely positionable by a main actuator. The microactuator includes a stator attached to the support structure and a movable rotor operatively attached to the slider, the rotor being connected to the stator by at least one flexible beam. The capacitive position sensor connects the stator to the rotor, and provides a relative position signal representing a state of displacement of the microactuator.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention pertains to a slider that includes a substrate, a transducer tip disposed on the substrate, and a hydrodynamic surface including a responsive aeroelastic deposit. The substrate has a first coefficient of expansion responsive to a stimulus. The transducer tip has having a second coefficient of expansion responsive to the stimulus that is greater than the first coefficient of expansion. The aeroelastic deposit has a third coefficient of expansion responsive to the stimulus that is greater than the first coefficient of expansion. The responsive aeroelastic deposit allows the slider to alter its flight characteristics responsively and elastically to changing operating conditions.

Abstract: A slider for carrying and finely adjusting both a radial position and a flying height of a transducing head with respect to a track of a rotatable disc includes a stator portion carried by a support structure such as a flexure of a disc drive system. A plurality of springs extend from the stator portion and are flexible in a lateral direction (for radial positioning) and in a vertical direction (for flying height control). A rotor portion is connected to the stator portion by the plurality of springs. The rotor portion carries the transducing head. The stator portion includes a plurality of stator electrodes, and the rotor portion includes a plurality of rotor electrodes suspended between the stator electrodes. Selected voltages are applied to the stator electrodes and the rotor electrodes to create a selected force in the lateral and vertical directions for moving the rotor portion with respect to the stator portion to finely adjust the radial position and flying height of the transducing head.

Abstract: A method is used for moving a transducing head between tracks of a disc in a dual-stage actuation assembly. The dual-stage actuation assembly has a main actuator for coarse positioning of the transducing head and a microactuator for fine positioning of the transducing head. The method comprises accelerating the main actuator during coarse positioning of the transducing head and applying control pulses to the microactuator during coarse positioning by the main actuator to eliminate oscillation of the microactuator during and after coarse positioning.

Abstract: A slider for use in a disc drive system that is comprised of a trailing edge, a connection for applying a voltage to the slider, an actuation surface for providing electrostatic control, and a recessed area between the trailing edge and the actuation surface. Applying voltage to the slider provides a method for controlling fly height between the trailing edge of the slider and the disc.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention pertains to a slider that includes an aerodynamic surface which includes a first bearing surface, a cavity floor, and a first recessed pressurization surface. The first bearing surface is disposed on the aerodynamic surface, defining a bearing height. The cavity floor is disposed on the aerodynamic surface at a cavity depth below the bearing height. The first recessed pressurization surface is adapted to provide above-ambient fluid pressure when the slider is in nominal flight, which is greater than fluid pressure provided elsewhere on a trailing half of the aerodynamic surface at a substantial displacement from a longitudinal centerline of the aerodynamic surface. The first recessed pressurization surface is disposed on the aerodynamic surface at a recessed depth which is between the bearing height and the cavity depth.

Abstract: A method and data storage device are provided that reduce off-track motion due to resonant modes in the storage device. The off-track motion is reduced by sensing movement with a sensor located on a suspension assembly of the storage device. Based on this sensed movement, the sensor generates a signal that is used to drive a control system to minimize the off-track motion.