Method and apparatus for the prevention of electrostatic discharge (ESD) by a hard drive magnetic head involving the utilization of anisotropic conductive paste (ACP) in the securement to a head-gimbal assembly (HGA)

[0001] The present invention relates to magnetic hard disk drives. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for securement of a hard drive magnetic head to a head-gimbal assembly (HGA) to prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD) by the magnetic head.

[0002] FIG. 1 provides an illustration of a typical drive arm configuration as used in the art. A magnetic head 108 is utilized to read from and write to a magnetic hard disk.106. Voice-coil motors (VCM) 102 are used for controlling a hard drive's arm 104 motion across the magnetic hard disk 106.

[0003] FIG. 2 provides an illustration of a head gimbal assembly (HGA) 204 and slider 202 as used in the art. Typically, a slider 202 (containing a read/write magnetic head; not shown) is utilized for maintaining a prescribed flying height above the disk surface 106 (See FIG. 1). During flight over the disk, electrostatic charge accumulates on a head's surface. If the charge is not removed, an electrostatic discharge (ESD) may occur, damaging the magnetoresistive (MR) element. Electrically-conductive adhesives are used in the art to bond head to suspension, allowing static charge to be discharged from the head 202 to the suspension (HGA) 204.

[0004] As the size of slider/head elements reduces to provide for increasing areal density, the energy necessary to cause damage by an ESD reduces, causing the likelihood for ESD to increase and rendering current methods of ESD prevention obsolete. For example, electrostatic current traveling from head to suspension through electrically-conductive adhesive may experience a resistance of greater than 1000 ohms at a one-volt potential, which is too large to meet giant magnetoresistive (GMR) heads' requirements for ESD prevention.

[0005] FIG. 3a-b illustrates a system for securing a head 302 to a suspension 304 (HGA) with an electrically conductive isotropic adhesive 307 as is used in the art. As seen in FIG. 3a, conductive isotropic adhesives 307, such as silver paste, contain conductive particles 311 (e.g., silver), which provide a pathway for electrostatic discharge from the head 302 to ground (suspension 304/HGA).

[0006] As shown in FIG. 3b, electrostatic (electrical) resistance is large for current passing through a typical isotropic adhesive 316 from head 312 to suspension 314 due to the distribution of conductive particles 320,322 within the head 312 and the isotropic adhesive 316. The head/slider 312 is typically made of Al₂O₃ 319 and TiC 320 (together known as ALTIC). TiC 320 is electrically conductive, but Al₂O₃ 319 is not. Silver epoxy, a typical isotropic conductive adhesive 316, is made of a binder resin 321 and silver powder 322. Silver powder 322 is electrically conductive, but binder resin is not. The internal distribution of these electrically conductive subparticles 320,322 causes the resistance problem. Although many TiC 320 particles may line up to provide an electrically conductive path toward the suspension 304, each TiC particle 320 terminating at the head 302/adhesive 306 interface has a low probability of being in physical contact with a particle of silver powder in the adhesive 306. Further, between each particle of silver 322 there is a this film of binder resin 321, which inhibits electrical current flow. Because of the small size of the silver particles 322, it can take several particles 322 to form an electrostatic discharge path, and thus, for each path there are several points in which the current must cross (highly resistive) binder resin 321, increasing the overall resistance across the isotropic adhesive.

[0007] It is therefore desirable to decrease head-to-suspension adhesive resistance to prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD) by the magnetic head as well as providing additional benefits.

[0008] FIG. 1 provides an illustration of a typical drive arm configuration as used in the art.

[0009] FIG. 2 provides an illustration of a head gimbal assembly (HGA) and slider as used in the art.

[0010] FIG. 3a-b illustrates a system for securing a head to a suspension with an electrically conductive isotropic adhesive as is used in the art.

[0011] FIG. 4a-b provides an illustration describing the attachment of a magnetic head to a suspension with electrically conductive anisotropic conductive paste (ACP) under principles of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 5a-b illustrates ACP attachment of magnetic head to suspension with and without a suspension barrier under principles of the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 6a-b illustrates the dual cure process for ACP under principles of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 4a-b provides an illustration describing the attachment of a magnetic head 402 to a suspension (HGA) 404 with electrically conductive anisotropic conductive paste (ACP) 401 under principles of the present invention. As is shown in FIG. 4a, in one embodiment a magnetic head 402 is secured to the suspension 404 by Ultraviolet ACP (ACP) 401. In an embodiment, a suspension barrier 409 is utilized to maintain proper directional orientation while the ACP is curing. The barrier 409 prevents the head 402 from tilting, etc. in relation to the suspension 404 while the adhesive 410 is still soft.

[0015] As is shown in FIG. 4b, in an embodiment the conductive particles 405 of the ACP 406 are much larger than the silver particles. In one embodiment, the conductive particles 405 are made of a polymer coated in gold. In an alternative embodiment, the particles 405 are made of a metal, such as nickel, etc., coated in gold. In one embodiment, the adhesive material in which the particles are suspended is Acrylate. In an alternative embodiment, the adhesive material is epoxy resin. The conductive particles 405 are large enough for each particle 405 to touch the head 402 and the suspension 404 simultaneously. Thus, the particles 405 must be at least as large in diameter as the depth of the tongue barrier 409. (See FIG. 4a). Because each conductive path through the ACP 406 is just through a single particle 405, resistance is greatly reduced.

[0016] FIG. 5a-b illustrates ACP attachment of magnetic head 502 to suspension 504 with and without a suspension barrier 504 under principles of the present invention. In an embodiment, ACP 501 with large conductive particles 503 is utilized with a suspension barrier 509. As stated, in an embodiment the conductive particles 503 are larger than the suspension barrier 509 in depth (to enable particle 503 contact with head 502 and suspension 504 simultaneously).

[0017] As seen in FIG. 5b, in an alternative embodiment a suspension barrier 509 is not utilized. Because a suspension barrier is 15 to 25 micrometers (um) in depth, without a suspension barrier, the conductive particles 513 can be smaller than this when a barrier is not utilized (reduced bondline gap).

[0018] FIG. 6a-b illustrates the dual cure process for ACP 608 under principles of the present invention. As seen in FIG. 6a, in one embodiment, ultraviolet (UV) light 609 is directed upon the ACP 608 to cure the exposed surface of the ACP material 608. This is done to provide a preliminary cure, affixing the head 602 to the suspension 604, to maintain directional orientation of the head 602. In an alternate embodiment, a (non-conductive) UV adhesive (not shown), such as UV acrylate or UV epoxy, is utilized additionally for pre-tacking (to shorten the fixture time). As seen in FIG. 6b, in an embodiment the UV process is followed by a thermal cure (via a heater 611). In this, the ACP is fully cured, bringing its bond to full strength.

[0019] Although several embodiments are specifically illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated that modifications and variations of the present invention are covered by the above teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention.