Structure and fabrication process for integrated moving-coil magnetic micro-actuator

• US 6,661,617 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2000
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Wissman, Barry Dean, Bonin, Wayne Allen, Boutaghou, Zine-Eddine, Walter, Lee, Hipwell, Roger Lee Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Letscher, George J.
• Application Number:
  US09/657,884
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 360/294.4, 360/291.9, 360/292, 310/311, 310/328, 310/330
• US Class Current: 360/294.4
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/4826 Mounting, aligning or attachment of the transducer head relative to the arm assembly, e.g. slider holding members, gimbals, adhesive G11B5/484 takes precedence; details of head housings or structures G11B5/10, G11B5/127; adjustment relative to the record carrier G11B5/56
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/5552 using fine positioning means for track acquisition separate from the coarse (e.g. track changing) positioning means

Abstract

A moving-coil magnetic microactuator is formed by using a dual silicon wafer structure and thin film technologies such as deep trench reactive ion etching, reactive ion etching, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and metallo-organinc chemical vapor deposition. Several bottom structures are formed from a bottom wafer, each bottom structure having a coil and wires embedded in the surface of the bottom structure. Several top structures are formed from a top wafer, each top structure having a magnet and mechanical stand-offs. The top structures are bonded to the bottom structures so that the magnet is above the embedded coil, separated by an air gap created by the mechanical stand-offs.

Claims

1. A microactuator for finely positioning a transducing head adjacent a select radial track of a disc, the microactuator comprising:

a bottom structure for supporting a slider, the bottom structure comprising a rotor and a stator, wherein the rotor comprises a coil embedded into a surface of the rotor; and

a top structure carrying a magnet and bonded to the bottom structure.

2. The microactuator of claim 1 wherein the top structure further comprises mechanical stand-offs and the top structure is bonded to the bottom structure so that an air gap is formed between the magnet carried by the top structure and the embedded coil in the bottom structure by the mechanical stand-offs.

3. The microactuator of claim 1 wherein the top structure is formed of a ferromagnetic keeper material.

4. The microactuator of claim 1 wherein the top structure further comprises a top keeper.

5. The microactuator of claim 1 wherein the bottom structure further comprises a wire embedded into a surface of the bottom structure connecting the embedded coil on the rotor to a bond pad on the stator.

6. The microactuator of claim 5 wherein the bottom structure further comprises flexible beam springs and the embedded wire is located on the flexible beam spring.

7. The microactuator of claim 1 wherein the bottom structure further comprises a bottom keeper located between the embedded coil and the surface of the disc.

8. The microactuator of claim 1 wherein the embedded coil further comprises a jumper embedded into the surface of the rotor.

9. The microactuator of claim 1 and further comprising a via and via bond pads.

10. A dual structure microactuator for positioning a transducing head relative to a select track of a disc, the dual structure microactuator comprising:

a first structure having a stator and a rotor, wherein the rotor comprises a coil embedded into a surface of the rotor; and

a second structure carrying a magnet and comprising mechanical stand-offs;

wherein the first structure is attached to the second structure.

11. The dual structure microactuator of claim 10 wherein the mechanical stand-offs on the second structure are configured to form an air gap between the magnet carried on the second structure and the embedded coil on the first structure when the first structure is attached to the second structure.

12. The dual structure microactuator of claim 10 wherein the second structure is formed of a ferromagnetic keeper material.

13. The dual structure microactuator of claim 10 wherein the first structure further comprises a wire embedded into the surface of the rotor connecting the embedded coil on the rotor to a bond pad on the stator.

14. The dual structure microactuator of claim 13 wherein the first structure further comprises a flexible beam spring and the embedded wire is located on the flexible beam spring.

15. The dual structure microactuator of claim 10 wherein the first structure further comprises a keeper located between the embedded coil and a surface of the disc.

16. The dual structure microactuator of claim 10 wherein the embedded coil further comprises a jumper embedded into the surface of the rotor.

17. A dual structure microactuator having a stator and a rotor for finely positioning a slider above a surface of a disc, the dual structure microactuator comprising:

a first structure comprising a coil embedded in a surface of the first structure so that the surface remains essentially planar; and

a second structure comprising a magnet;

wherein the second structure is attached to the first structure so that a gap is formed between the magnet of the second structure and the embedded coil of the first structure.

18. The dual structure microactuator of claim 17 wherein the second structure further comprises mechanical stand-offs to form the gap between the magnet of the second structure and the embedded coil of the first structure.

19. The dual structure microactuator of claim 17 wherein the first structure comprises the stator and rotor, and wherein the embedded coil is located on the rotor and further comprising embedded wires on the stator.

20. The dual structure microactuator of claim 17 and further comprising keepers located on the first and second structures.