Integrated lead suspension for use in a disk drive using a tri-metal laminate and method for fabrication

A laminate material comprising:

• a support layer;
• an etch stop layer disposed on the support layer;
• a first electrically conducting layer disposed on the etch stop layer;
• a dielectric material disposed on the first electrically conducting layer;
• and
• a second electrically conducting layer disposed on the dielectric layer, the dielectric layer being positioned between the first electrically conducting layer and the second electrically conducting layer;
• wherein the etch stop layer comprises a material that is resistant to an etchant that etches the first and second electrically conducing layers and the support layer, and wherein the material is also resistant to an etchant that etches the dielectric material.

A structure adapted to support a transducer in a disk drive system, comprising:

• a support layer;
• an etch stop layer on the support layer;
• a first electrically conductive layer on the etch stop layer;
• a dielectric layer on the first electrically conductive layer;
• a second electrically conductive layer on the dielectric layer;
• wherein the etch stop layer is formed from a material having a lower electrical conductivity than that of the first and second electrically conductive layers.

A method for forming a laminate material, comprising:

• providing a support layer;
• forming an etch stop layer on a surface of the support layer using a vacuum deposition process;
• forming a first electrically conducting layer on a surface of the etch stop layer;
• and
• providing a second electrically conducting layer and a dielectric layer and coupling the second electrically conducting layer and the dielectric layer to the first electrically conducting layer so that the dielectric layer is positioned between the first electrically conducting layer and the second electrically conducting layer.

A method for forming a laminate material, comprising:

• providing a support layer;
• forming an etch stop layer on a surface of the support layer,
• forming a first electrically conducting layer on a surface of the etch stop layer;
• and
• providing a second electrically conducting layer and a dielectric layer and coupling the second electrically conducting layer and the dielectric layer to the first electrically conducting layer so that the dielectric layer is positioned between the first electrically conducting layer and the second electrically conducting layer;
• wherein the etch stop layer is formed to be resistant to an etchant that etches the first and second electrically conducting layers, and the etch stop layer is formed to be resistant to an etchant that etches the dielectric layer.

A method for forming a multi-layer structure adapted to support a transducer in a disk drive system, comprising:

• providing a support layer;
• forming an etch stop layer comprising a refractory metal on the support layer;
• forming an first electrically conducting layer comprising copper on the etch stop layer;
• providing a dielectric layer on the first electrically conducting layer;
• providing a second electrically conducting layer comprising copper on the dielectric layer;
• wherein the dielectric layer is positioned between the first electrically conducting layer and the second electrically conducting layer;
• and
• etching at least the second electrically conducting layer to form a plurality of separate electrically conducting lines.

A disk drive comprising:

• at least one disk;
• a rotatable hub for mounting the disk;
• a read/write head adapted to read from and write to the disk;
• and
• a suspension adapted to support the head, the suspension including a laminated structure comprising:
• a support layer;
• an etch stop layer on the support layer;
• a first electrically conducting layer on the etch stop layer;
• a dielectric material disposed on the first electrically conducting layer;
• and
• a second electrically conducting layer on the dielectric layer;
• wherein the etch stop layer is disposed between the support layer and the first electrically conducting layer,
• wherein the dielectric layer is disposed between the first electrically conducting layer and the second electrically conducting layer;
• wherein the etch stop layer is resistant to an etchant that etches the first and second electrically conducing layers,
• and wherein the etch stop layer is resistant to an etchant that etches the dielectric material.