Disk Drive Flexure Tail Crosstalk Reduction via Bridge Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Crosstalk occurs in flexure tails of disk drive suspensions due to leakage current when pulse signals are passed between write and read conductors, adversely affecting the electrical characteristics of hard disk drives.
Innovation Solution
A flexure tail design with a tail pad portion featuring a frame structure, a tail terminal group, and a conductive bridge member that electrically connects adjacent frames, reducing crosstalk by positioning the bridge member between tail terminals and using the same material as the tail terminals, thus preventing electrical shorts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If tail terminals are arranged closely in the tail pad portion to reduce space, then device complexity is reduced, but crosstalk occurs due to leakage current between adjacent conductors
Solution Approach 1:
A bridge structure is introduced as an intermediary element between adjacent tail terminals. This bridge acts as a mediator that provides a controlled electrical connection path, preventing unwanted leakage current (crosstalk) between neighboring terminals while maintaining their close proximity arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The tail pad structure is segmented into multiple isolated terminal regions by introducing bridge structures. These bridges create electrical segmentation between adjacent terminals, allowing each terminal to be electrically independent while maintaining physical closeness for space efficiency.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If tail terminals are spaced apart to prevent crosstalk, then crosstalk is reduced, but the area of the tail pad portion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves from a two-dimensional spacing problem to a three-dimensional structure by adding vertical bridge elements. This allows terminals to remain close in the horizontal plane while electrical isolation is achieved through the vertical dimension, effectively using another dimension to resolve the contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
Bridge structures serve as intermediary elements that enable close terminal spacing while preventing crosstalk. These bridges provide controlled electrical pathways that replace the need for large horizontal spacing, allowing compact layout without sacrificing electrical isolation.
3Reliability
If conductive material is added to reduce crosstalk, then electrical characteristics improve, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge structures are merged with the existing metal base and terminal fabrication processes. By integrating the bridges into the same manufacturing flow as the terminals and metal base, the solution avoids adding separate complex manufacturing steps, thus improving reliability without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridges are made from the same conductive material as the metal base and terminals, ensuring material homogeneity. This allows all components to be fabricated using the same material deposition and processing techniques, simplifying manufacturing while ensuring consistent electrical properties and reducing crosstalk.
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
The solution effectively reduces crosstalk to a negligible level, improving the electrical characteristics of disk drives and enhancing their performance by increasing the frequency band, allowing for higher data transmission rates.
Implementation Method 1
The bridge portion comprises at least one bridge member. The at least one bridge member is arranged between the tail terminals which are adjacent to each other between the first and second frames, and electrically connects the first and second frames to each other.
Data Source
AI summary
A tail pad portion is provided in a flexure tail including a metal base and a conductive circuit portion. Tail terminals are arranged in the tail pad portion. The metal base is made of stainless steel, and includes a frame structure having a first frame and a second frame. An opening is formed between the first and second frames. The tail terminals are arranged parallel to each other between the first and second frames. A bridge portion is provided between the first and second frames. The bridge portion is constituted of at least one conductive bridge member, and arranged at a position which does not overlap the tail terminals. One end of the bridge member is connected to the first frame, and the other end of the bridge member is connected to the second frame.