PZT microactuator for disk drive suspension having electrical via and wrap-around electrode

摘要

A PZT microactuator for a disk drive suspension has a first electrode on a majority of its top surface, a second electrode on a majority of its bottom surface, the first electrode extending to a small portion of the bottom surface through a via filled with a conductive material such as conductive epoxy. The microactuator may be cut near the via during manufacturing in order to separate it from the bulk PZT material. Alternatively, the microactuator may be cut through the via in which case the via becomes a conductive column at the side edge of the microactuator. The conductive column may be coated with an encapsulant in order to prevent particle shed from the cut material.

主权项

1. A piezoelectric microactuator for use in a disk drive suspension, the piezoelectric micro actuator comprising:
a piezoelectric element having a top side, a bottom side opposite the top side, and an end that extends between the top and bottom sides; a first conductive surface covering a first part of the bottom side, the first conductive surface defining a first electrode; a second conductive surface covering a second part of the bottom side, the second part having a smaller surface area than the first part; a third conductive surface covering at least a part of the top side; and a via extending through the piezoelectric element, the via containing a conductive material, the via being located close to the end of the piezoelectric element but not at the end such that the via is surrounded on all sides in two dimensions by piezoelectric material, the via providing a conductive path from the second conductive surface to the third conductive surface, the second and third conductive surface collectively defining a second electrode; whereby the microactuator has a first electrode on a first part of the bottom side and a second electrode that includes both a second part of the bottom side and at least part of the top side, such that the microactuator can be activated by applying a voltage across two different parts of the bottom side thereof.