Methods for forming head suspension assemblies
View Patent ↗Embodiments include a method for forming a head suspension assembly. A spacer layer is formed in or on a silicon wafer. A transfer film including an opening defining the shape of a slider support membrane is provided, and the opening is filled with a resin material. The transfer film with the resin material therein is positioned over the silicon wafer so that at least a portion of the resin material is positioned adjacent to the spacer layer. The resin material is baked to form a glassy carbon material. The spacer layer is etched to form a trench in the silicon wafer adjacent to the glassy carbon material, and a slider is positioned on the glassy carbon material over the trench.
1. A method for forming a head suspension assembly, comprising:
forming a trench extending into a substrate;
forming a first layer comprising a sacrificial layer in the trench;
forming a second layer comprising a resin across the trench;
forming a third layer comprising a photoresist layer on the second layer and patterning the photoresist layer on top of the second layer;
transferring an image of the patterned photoresist layer through the second layer;
removing the patterned photoresist layer;
removing the sacrificial layer to form a cavity extending a distance into the substrate; and
positioning a slider on the second layer after the removing the sacrificial layer.
2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the second layer includes silicon.
3. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the transferring the image of the patterned photoresist layer through the second layer is done using reactive ion etching.
4. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises silicon and the sacrificial layer is formed by etching the trench in the substrate and filling the trench with a metal.
5. The method as in claim 4 , wherein removing the sacrificial layer comprises etching the metal from the trench after the removing the patterned photoresist layer.
6. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises silicon and the resin comprises polysilsesquioxone.
7. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the cavity extends a width that is no greater than that of the substrate and the cavity extends a depth that is less than a depth of the substrate.
8. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising forming a fourth layer comprising an adhesion layer between the substrate and the second layer.
9. The method as in claim 1 , wherein, prior to the patterning the photoresist layer, the film is at least one of cured, cross-linked, and oxidized.
10. A method for forming a head suspension assembly, comprising:
forming a sacrificial layer in or on a portion of a substrate;
forming a polysilsesquioxone layer on the substrate and on at least part of the sacrificial layer;
forming a photoresist layer on the polysilsesquioxone layer;
patterning the photoresist layer;
etching the polysilsesquioxone layer using the patterned photoresist layer as a mask;
removing the patterned photoresist layer to expose remaining polysilsesquioxone layer;
removing the sacrificial layer to form a cavity extending a distance into the substrate; and
positioning a slider on the remaining polysilsesquioxone layer.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising curing the polysilsesquioxone layer.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the curing is carried out prior to the positioning a slider on the remaining polysilsesquioxone layer.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the curing is controlled so that cross-linking of the polysilsesquioxone layer occurs.
14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising cross-linking the polysilsesquioxone layer.
15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising oxidizing the polysilsesquioxone layer.
16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising positioning the slider to be on a part of the remaining polysilsesquioxone layer that is positioned over the cavity.
17. A method for forming a head suspension assembly, comprising:
forming a sacrificial layer extending a distance into a substrate;
forming a resin layer on the substrate and on at least part of the sacrificial layer;
forming a photoresist layer on the resin layer;
patterning the photoresist layer;
etching the resin layer using the patterned photoresist layer as a mask;
removing the patterned photoresist layer to expose remaining resin layer;
removing the sacrificial layer to form a cavity between at least part of the remaining resin layer and the substrate; and
positioning a slider on the remaining resin layer.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising heating the resin layer prior to the forming a photoresist layer on the resin layer.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein resin layer comprises polysilaesquioxone.
20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising cross-linking at least part of the resin layer prior to the forming the photoresist layer on the resin layer.