Hutchinson Technology Corporation

Lance Nevala

Mark A Miller

Peter Francis Ladwig

Kurt C Swanson

Reed T Hentges

Alexander J Rice

Gregory J VanHecke

Greg Vanhecke

Alex Rice

An integrated lead head suspension flexure including a plurality of integrated leads each including at least one lead portion unbacked by the flexure spring metal layer and configured to be substantially inline with the general plane of the spring metal layer. The leads are disposed on a dielectric layer including an unbacked dielectric layer portion having a surface positioned between the major surfaces of the spring metal layer.

Method of manufacturing an integrated lead head suspension flexure

Multi-layer ground plane structures and methods of manufacture for integrated lead suspension flexures. A flexure in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes an insulating layer, a plurality of traces on the insulating layer and a stainless steel base layer on the side of the insulating layer opposite the traces. The stainless steel base layer includes one or more void portions with voids in the base layer opposite the insulating layer from the traces and one or more backed portions with the base layer backing the traces. A plurality of patterned and transversely-spaced first conductive ground planes are located opposite the insulating layer from the traces at the void portions and backed portions of the stainless steel base layer. A continuous gold second conductive ground plane is located opposite the insulating layer and the first ground planes from the side of the insulating layer adjacent to the traces at the void portions and backed portions of the stainless steel base layer. The gold ground plane can be used as an etch stop during formation of the voids in the base layer.

Method for manufacturing an integrated lead suspension

Multi-layer ground plane structures for integrated lead suspensions

Head suspension flexure with inline lead portions positioned at a level between levels of first and second surfaces of the spring metal layer

Growing community of inventors

Tainan, Taiwan

Lance Nevala