Disk Drive Head Suspension Interconnect Corrosion Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical interconnects for disk drive head suspensions face corrosion issues, particularly around terminal pads, due to surface-etching processes that create gaps and trap debris, leading to potential failure points for corrosion.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves plating a conductor with nickel and gold shells before applying a covercoat, eliminating the need for surface-etching and ensuring a flush surface, thus preventing gaps and contamination, and using a method that includes protective-metal-plating and contact-metal-plating in a single plating bath to enhance corrosion resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surface-etching is performed on the conductor before applying covercoat, then adhesion of covercoat is improved, but gaps are created that trap debris and lead to corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The conductor is plated with nickel and gold shells before applying the covercoat, creating a flush surface in advance that eliminates the need for subsequent surface-etching. This preliminary plating action prevents gap formation and debris trapping while maintaining adhesion readiness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the surface parameters of the conductor by adding nickel and gold plating layers, transforming the surface from non-flush to flush, thereby eliminating corrosion pathways while maintaining electrical and mechanical properties.
2Reliability
If multiple plating operations are performed separately for protective metal and contact metal, then coating quality is improved, but process complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the protective-metal-plating and contact-metal-plating operations into a single integrated plating bath process. The conductor is plated with both nickel (protective) and gold (contact) shells simultaneously, reducing manufacturing steps while maintaining dual-function coating quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The plating bath is designed to perform multiple functions: it applies both protective nickel coating and contact gold coating in one operation, making the plating process universal for both corrosion protection and electrical contact requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces corrosion risks by maintaining a flush surface under the covercoat, preventing debris trapping and material loss, thereby enhancing the reliability and longevity of disk drive head suspensions in harsh environments.
Implementation Method 1
protective-metal-plating and contact-metal-plating in a single plating bath
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical interconnect and a method of making an electrical interconnect in which a conductor has been substantially plated with a first protective metal shell, such as nickel, and a second outer metal shell, such as gold, before a covercoat has been applied. Such an electrical interconnect can be characterized as having an even-thickness outer shell on both its terminal pads and underneath the covercoat adjacent to the terminal pads, without overhangs or gaps near the bottom of the covercoat caused by surface etching during production.