Hutchinson Technology Corporation

Kyle T Tobias

Darrell C Sydlo

Lawrence E LaLonde

Peter Francis Ladwig

Paul Valentine Pesavento

Matthew S Lang

Kurt F Fischer

Matthew J Horner

Carl C Minton

David D Smahel

Christopher J Sperl

Ritesh K Tiwari

Maryam O Yusuf

Alexander W Haas

Methods for producing flexible circuits can include creating treating a surface of the flexible circuit with at least one of an atmospheric plasma and a beam of ions. The atmospheric plasma is formed by directing a flow of gas between an electrode and the surface of the flexible circuit and generating a voltage between the electrode and the flexible circuit to create a plasma from the gas. A mean ion energy of the ions in the ion beam ranges from about 500 electron volts to about 1,500 electron volts.

Plasma treatments for flexures of hard disk drives

A radiometer probe for matching a spectral sensitivity of a dry-film resist is provided. The radiometer probe includes a light probe and a filter-diffuser assembly connected to the light probe. The filter-diffuser assembly includes a filter housing configured to receive an optical diffuser positioned on a filter. The optical diffuser and the filter are separated by a spacer.

Photoresist spectral sensitivity matching radiometer for trace/space width variation improvement

Disk drive head suspension components having microstructured surfaces and a method for making the components. One embodiment of the method includes depositing a layer of photoimageable polymer having an associated set of process parameters including a minimum resolution and exposing the photoimageable polymer through a photomask having a microstructure-producing region with features below the minimum resolution for the photoimageable polymer. The exposed photoimageable polymer is developed to produce a layer of polymer having a thickness and a microstructured surface region with depressions that are less than the thickness of the polymer. In one embodiment the photomask has a microstructure-producing region with features sized and spaced between about 1 &#x3bc;m and 10 &#x3bc;m. Microstructured surfaces on structures such as flying leads, flying termination pads, cover coat layers and at insulating layer-trace interfaces and insulating layer-cover coat interfaces can be manufactured.

Microstructure patterned surfaces for integrated lead disk drive head suspensions

A method for making a disk drive head suspension component having a microstructured surface region includes depositing a layer of photoimageable polymer having an associated set of process parameters including a minimum resolution and exposing the photoimageable polymer through a photomask having a microstructure-producing region with features below the minimum resolution for the photoimageable polymer. The exposed photoimageable polymer is developed to produce a layer of polymer having a thickness and a microstructured surface region with depressions that are less than the thickness of the polymer.

Method for making a disk drive head suspension component having a microstructured surface region

Various embodiments concern an electrical interconnect of a head suspension. The electrical interconnect can comprise a spring metal layer and a dielectric layer having an aperture with a portion of the spring metal layer being exposed through the dielectric layer within the aperture. The electrical interconnect can further comprise a trace layer disposed on the dielectric layer and extending into the aperture to connect with the spring metal layer. Part of the spring metal layer within the aperture may not be covered by the trace layer. The exposure of the spring metal layer through the aperture can be due to the width of the trace layer being less than the width of the aperture and/or the exposure can be due to expected misregistration. A polymer covercoat can be applied over the aperture to protect the trace layer from corrosion.

Ground feature for disk drive head suspension flexures

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Hutchinson, MN, United States of America

Kyle T Tobias