Abstract: Examples of a suspension are provided. The suspension includes a mount plate attached to a load beam at a suspension assembly attachment point. The suspension may include a first actuator and a second actuator located at the mount plate. The first actuator is shaped as a non-right angle parallelogram spanning across a first opening in the mount plate. The second actuator is shaped as a non-right angle parallelogram spanning across a second opening in the mount plate. The first and second actuators are configured to deflect the distal end of the mount plate, which causes the load beam to rotate with a rotation center located along the load beam.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing an oscillator, including: arranging an electrode on a piezoelectric ceramics free from being subjected to polarization treatment, to thereby provide a piezoelectric element; bonding the piezoelectric element and a diaphragm to each other at a temperature T1; bonding the piezoelectric element and a power supply member to each other at a temperature T2; and subjecting the piezoelectric ceramics to polarization treatment at a temperature T3, in which the temperature T1, the temperature T2, and the temperature T3 satisfy a relationship T1>T3 and a relationship T2>T3.

Abstract: A stainless steel suspension component such as a mount plate is chemically activated by exposure to an activating solution. Gold is then spot plated onto the mount plate in the activated area using an elastomeric mask that is clamped over the mount plate. A component may then be bonded to the gold bond pads. The component may include a PZT microactuator bonded to the gold bond pads using a conductive adhesive such as silver epoxy. The gold acts as an interface metal that provides to a low resistance and environmentally robust ground path for the microactuator.

Abstract: A stainless steel suspension component such as a mount plate is chemically activated by exposure to an activating solution. Gold is then spot plated onto the mount plate in the activated area using an elastomeric mask that is clamped over the mount plate. A component may then be bonded to the gold bond pads. The component may include a PZT microactuator bonded to the gold bond pads using a conductive adhesive such as silver epoxy. The gold acts as an interface metal that provides to a low resistance and environmentally robust ground path for the microactuator.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a microactuator. The method includes providing a sheet of a piezoelectric material having an electrically conductive layer on at least one side of the sheet. The method includes cutting the sheet to form a plurality of piezoelectric elements. Each of the piezoelectric elements includes a first element side with an electrically conductive layer. Each first element side includes a peripheral portion and an exposed portion interior to the peripheral portion. The method includes forming an encapsulation layer over the peripheral portion and not over the exposed portion of at least one of the sides. The encapsulation layer comprises a material of lesser electrical conductivity than the electrically conductive layer. An apparatus for manufacturing the microactuators may also be provided that includes a first fixture and first and second alignment combs.

Abstract: A head rotator assembly (22) for positioning a head (20) of a tape drive (10) relative to a storage tape includes a head supporter (230) and a supporter mover assembly (232). The head supporter (230) is coupled to and supports the head (20). The supporter mover assembly (232) rotates a portion of the head supporter (230) about an axis (241) to move the head (20) in an azimuth direction relative to the storage tape as the storage tape moves over the head (20). The head rotator assembly (22) includes a controller (16) that controls movement of the supporter mover assembly (232) based on a positioning signal. The supporter mover assembly (232) can include a first actuator (234A) that moves a first lever (236A) to rotate the head supporter (230) to move the head (20) in the azimuth direction. The first actuator (234A) biases the first lever (236A) to rotate part of the head supporter (230) to move the head in the azimuth direction.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric body; a first and a second electrode for applying an electric field to the piezoelectric body in order to polarize the piezoelectric body in a first direction at an elevated temperature, at least one of the first and the second electrode including a material whose resistivity decreases with elevation of the temperature; and a third and a fourth electrode for applying an electric field to the piezoelectric body in a second direction across the first direction of the polarization of the piezoelectric body in order to actuate the piezoelectric body.

Abstract: A micro-actuator used in HGA of the disk drive unit is provided. The micro-actuator comprises a metal frame which includes a base piece and two opposite arms extending from the base piece, in which at least two pieces of thin film PZT are attached to the side surface(s) of each one of said two opposite arms respectively in such a manner that the displacement of each arm is increased due to the superposition effect when each arm displaces together with the thin film PZT attached thereon in response to drive signal(s) applied to the thin film PZT. Since at least two pieces of thin film PZT are attached on the side surface(s) of each arm, an increased displacement of the arms can be achieved due to the superposition effect.

Abstract: Determining an error in position of at least two heads coupled to a piezoelectric material, and changing a potential applied to a piezoelectric material to reduce the error in position of the at least two heads.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly (HGA) including a slider, a micro-actuator and a suspension to load the slider and the micro-actuator. The micro-actuator includes a support base and a piezoelectric unit used for both position displacement adjustment and flying height adjustment. The support base includes a base, a moving plate, and a leading beam to connect with the base and the moving plate. The invention also discloses a method of manufacturing such micro-actuator and HGA, and a structure of a disk drive having the micro-actuator and HGA.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a magnetic head unit which keeps good contact between a magnetic head element and a magnetic tape to effectively suppress wear of the magnetic head element and damage to the magnetic tape, and which helps obtain a high output. The projection of an edge portion of the magnetic head element from an outer peripheral plane of the magnetic head unit is variable, such as by a piezoelectric ceramic.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a fly height of a read/write head in a disc drive is actively controlled as the read/write head is positioned over a rotating disc with a patterned media. The patterned media includes ridges and grooves in servo wedges in the patterned media. According to another embodiment of the present invention, an estimated fly height of the read/write head is compared with a desired fly height to generate a control signal. The control signal is used to apply a voltage difference across a piezoelectric layer joining the read/write head to a slider to move the read/write head relative to the slider and adjust the fly height of the read/write head. According to another embodiment of the present invention, a map of ridges and grooves in the patterned media is generated and the fly height of the read/write head is actively controlled based on information in the map.