Head gimbal assembly including a trace suspension assembly backing layer with a conductive layer formed upon a gimbal having a lower oxidation rate
View Patent ↗A head gimbal assembly for a disk drive. The head gimbal assembly includes a trace suspension assembly backing layer including a gimbal. The trace suspension assembly backing layer is formed of a conductive material having a first oxidation rate. The head gimbal assembly further includes a gimbal conductive layer disposed upon the gimbal and formed of a conductive material having a second oxidation rate lower than the first oxidation rate. The head gimbal assembly further includes a slider supported by the gimbal. The head gimbal assembly further includes a conductive compound disposed between the gimbal conductive layer and the slider for electrically grounding the slider to the trace suspension assembly backing layer.
1. A head gimbal assembly for a disk drive, the head gimbal assembly comprising:
a trace suspension assembly backing layer including a gimbal, the trace suspension assembly backing layer being formed of a conductive material having a first oxidation rate;
a gimbal conductive layer disposed upon the gimbal and formed of a conductive material having a second oxidation rate lower than the first oxidation rate;
a slider supported by the gimbal; and
a conductive compound disposed between the gimbal conductive layer and the slider for electrically grounding the slider to the trace suspension assembly backing layer.
2. The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 wherein the trace suspension assembly backing layer is formed of stainless steel.
3. The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 wherein the gimbal conductive layer is formed of gold.
4. The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 wherein the gimbal conductive layer is formed of platinum.
5. The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 wherein the slider defines a slider perimeter, the gimbal conductive layer defines a gimbal conductive layer perimeter less than an area of the slider perimeter.
6. The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 wherein the gimbal defines a gimbal perimeter, the gimbal conductive layer defines a gimbal conductive layer perimeter less than an area of the gimbal perimeter.
7. The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 wherein the conductive compound is a conductive epoxy.
8. The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 further includes an adhesive compound disposed between the trace suspension assembly and the slider for attaching the slider to the trace suspension assembly backing layer.
9. The head gimbal assembly of claim 8 wherein the adhesive compound is disposed between the gimbal conductive layer and the slider.
10. The head gimbal assembly of claim 8 wherein the adhesive compound is a structural epoxy.
11. A head stack assembly for use with a disk drive, the head stack assembly comprising:
a flex cable assembly;
an actuator including an actuator arm;
a load beam coupled to the actuator arm, the load beam being formed of an electrically conductive material;
a trace suspension assembly backing layer being coupled to the load beam and including a gimbal, the trace suspension assembly backing layer being formed of a conductive material having a first oxidation rate;
a gimbal conductive layer disposed upon the gimbal and formed of a conductive material having a second oxidation rate lower than the first oxidation rate;
a slider supported by the gimbal; and
a conductive compound disposed between the gimbal conductive layer and the slider for electrically grounding the slider to the trace suspension assembly backing layer.
12. The head stack assembly of claim 11 wherein the trace suspension assembly backing layer is formed of stainless steel.
13. The head stack assembly of claim 11 wherein the gimbal conductive layer is formed of gold.
14. The head stack assembly of claim 11 wherein the gimbal conductive layer is formed of platinum.
15. The head stack assembly of claim 11 wherein the slider defines a slider perimeter, the gimbal conductive layer defines a gimbal conductive layer perimeter less than an area of the slider perimeter.
16. The head stack assembly of claim 11 wherein the gimbal defines a gimbal perimeter, the gimbal conductive layer defines a gimbal conductive layer perimeter less than an area of the gimbal perimeter.
17. The head gimbal assembly of claim 11 wherein the conductive compound is a conductive epoxy.
18. The head gimbal assembly of claim 17 further includes an adhesive compound disposed between the trace suspension assembly and the slider for attaching the slider to the trace suspension assembly backing layer.
19. The head gimbal assembly of claim 18 wherein the adhesive compound is disposed between the gimbal conductive layer and the slider.
20. The head gimbal assembly of claim 18 wherein the adhesive compound is a structural epoxy.
21. A disk drive comprising:
a disk drive base; and
a head stack assembly rotatably coupled to the disk drive base, the head stack assembly including:
a flex cable assembly;
an actuator including an actuator arm;
a load beam coupled to the actuator arm, the load beam being formed of an electrically conductive material;
a trace suspension assembly backing layer being coupled to the load beam and including a gimbal, the trace suspension assembly backing layer being formed of a conductive material having a first oxidation rate;
a gimbal conductive layer disposed upon the gimbal and formed of a conductive material having a second oxidation rate lower than the first oxidation rate;
a slider supported by the gimbal; and
a conductive compound disposed between the gimbal conductive layer and the slider for electrically grounding the slider to the trace suspension assembly backing layer.