Tri-stage design for actuator attachment on flexure

1. A tri-stage assembly formed on a flexure comprising:

a first microactuator located at a distal end of the flexure, the first microactuator including a proximal end and a distal end;

a first electrode attached to a top surface of the first microactuator and a second electrode attached to a base surface of the first microactuator;

a first electrically conductive adhesive configured to contact at least a portion of the first electrode at the proximal end to connect the first electrode to a trace gimbal; and

a second electrically conductive adhesive configured to contact at least a portion of the second electrode to connect the second electrode to the trace gimbal,

the trace gimbal includes a fold feature to enable an electrical connection between the first electrode, the first microactuator, and the first electrically conductive adhesive.

2. The tri-stage assembly of claim 1 , further including a first non-conductive adhesive configured to contact at least a portion of the second electrode and the first microactuator at the proximal end.

3. The tri-stage assembly of claim 1 , further including a second non-conductive adhesive configured to contact at least a portion of the second electrode at the distal end.

4. The tri-stage assembly of claim 3 , further including a shelf feature on the trace gimbal configured to connect to the second non-conductive adhesive.

5. The tri-stage assembly of claim 4 , wherein the second electrically conductive adhesive is located between the proximal end and the distal end to connect the second electrode to the trace gimbal.

6. The tri-stage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second electrically conductive adhesive is located at the distal end to connect the second electrode to the trace gimbal.

7. The tri-stage assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second microactuator located at a proximal end of the flexure, opposite of the first microactuator.

8. The tri-stage assembly of claim 7 , wherein the second microactuator is located at a head portion of the trace gimbal.

9. The tri-stage assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first microactuator is located opposite the head portion of the trace gimbal.

10. A method of manufacturing the tri-stage assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

attaching the first microactuator and the second microactuator to the trace gimbal to the flexure during a PZT on flexure process (POF), the first microactuator is located at a distal end of the flexure and the second microactuator located at a proximal end of the flexure; and

welding the trace gimbal to a baseplate, and a load beam to secure the trace gimbal including the first microactuator and the second microactuator.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the baseplate is made up of stainless steel.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first microactuator and the second microactuator are attached to the flexure in a transverse, shear or bending mode.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second microactuator is located at a gimbal head of the trace gimbal.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first microactuator is located opposite the gimbal head of the trace gimbal at a load beam area.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising welding a shelf with the fold feature to the trace gimbal before attaching the first microactuator and the second microactuator to the trace gimbal.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the fold feature is positioned at an angle between 60 degrees and 85 degrees with respect to the load beam.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the fold feature is positioned at 80 degrees with respect to the load beam.

18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising attaching damping material to provide passive damping.