A disk device according to one embodiment includes a recording medium, a magnetic head, a wiring member, and a flexible printed circuit board. The magnetic head is configured to read/write information from/to the recording medium. The wiring member includes a plurality of first terminals, and a plurality of first wires that electrically connect the magnetic head to the first terminals. The flexible printed circuit board includes a surface, a plurality of second terminals located on the surface to be connected to the first terminals by means of a conductive adhesive, and a ground plane spaced apart from the second terminals in a direction along the surface.

Methods are described for forming a mounting surface on a slider body. In one method, an adhesion layer can be deposited on a top surface of a slider body. A first photolithography cycle deposits a first metal layer having a first thickness of at least 8 μm. A second photolithography cycle deposits a second metal layer having a second thickness of at least 8 μm over the first metal layer. The first and second layer form a mounting support on the top surface. In another method, the top surface is etched to form a mounting support.

according to one embodiment, a disk device includes a magnetic disk, a magnetic head, a first FPC, and a second FPC. The first FPC includes first terminals. The magnetic head is mounted on the first FPC and electrically connected to at least one of the first terminals. The second FPC includes a surface, second terminals on the surface, and a first ground plane. The second terminals are individually bonded to the corresponding first terminals with a conductive bonding material. The first ground plane covers at least one of the second terminals in a direction orthogonal to the surface. The second terminals include a first read terminal through which an electric signal representing information read from the magnetic disk by the magnetic head passes. The first ground plane is located apart from at least a part of the first read terminal in a direction along the surface.

A head stack assembly (HSA) includes: a preamp having first contacts disposed on a first side and second contacts disposed on a second side which is opposite to the first side; a main actuator circuit disposed proximate the first side of the preamp and having Contacts configured to be electrically connected to the first contacts of the preamp; and a flexure/suspension circuit disposed proximate the second side of the preamp and having flexure/suspension circuit contacts configured to be directly electrically connected to the second contacts of the preamp.

An apparatus includes a slider of a heat-assisted magnetic recording head. The slider comprises an air bearing surface, a substrate, and a plurality of electrical bond pads coupled to bias sources. A writer is positioned proximate the substrate. The writer comprises write coils coupled between first and second bond pads. At least one heater is coupled between the first and second bond pads. The at least one heater is disposed within the writer and is configured to thermally actuate the air bearing surface of the writer. A reader is disposed on the slider such that the writer is between the substrate and the reader. Write induced protrusion of the air bearing surface of the writer is moderated by stiffness of the substrate proximate the writer.

According to an embodiment, a bonding strength test device measures bonding strength between a flexure of a suspension of a hard disk drive and microactuators mounted on a gimbal of the flexure. The bonding strength test device includes a clamp, dummy, and device body. The clamp fixes the flexure. The dummy is adhered to the microactuators. The probe is engaged in the dummy. The device body measures a tensile load applied to the probe while the probe is pulled toward a direction to be apart from the flexure.

A suspension assembly includes a support plate, a wiring member, and a driving element. The wiring member includes a metal plate, an insulating layer, and a conductive layer. The metal plate includes a base end plate, a support portion on a projection portion formed on the support plate, and a pair of link portions which connect the base endplate to the support portion. The insulating layer includes a first end portion on the support portion, and a pair of bridge portions which are respectively provided in parallel with the link portions and extend from a second end portion that is on the base end plate to the first end portion. The driving element deforms in response to a voltage applied thereto to move the support portion. Each link portion includes a bent portion at a location of a straight line passing through a central region of the driving element.

A hard disk drive head slider housing a read-write transducer includes a plurality of electrical connection pads, where each electrical pad includes an interconnection portion configured for electrically connecting to an interconnected component, such as a lead suspension, a probe contact portion configured for electrical testing the head slider, and at least one slit positioned between the interconnection portion and the probe contact portion, thereby physically distinguishing and separating the two portions of a multiple-portion pad to inhibit undesirable solder flow to the wider probe contact portion on the slider side of each pad. A more controlled solder joint is provided, while the probe contact portion can remain relatively wide for probe contact and the interconnection portion can remain relatively narrow to reduce solder bridges among the pads.

A slider of a magnetic recording head includes a plurality of electrical bond pads and a plurality of readers comprising at least a first reader and a second reader. Each of the readers is coupled to a different pair of electrical bond pads. A temporary contact sensor is provided on the slider and coupled between a bond pad of the first reader and a bond pad of the second reader. The temporary contact sensor is configured for operation during a certification process of the apparatus and to become inoperable after completion of the certification process.

A slider of a magnetic recording head comprises a plurality of electrical bond pads coupled to bias sources and a ground pad. Each of a plurality of electrical components of the slider is coupled one or more of the electrical bond pads, wherein at least one of the electrical bond pads is a shared electrical bond pad coupled to at least a first electrical component and a second electrical component. A switching transistor is coupled to the first and second components and the ground pad. The switching transistor is arranged to control powering of the second component in response to biasing of the first component.