Laser adjustment of head suspension or head gimbal assembly static attitude

Abstract

A non-contact method for adjusting static attitude in suspension for use in a rigid disk drive is disclosed. The method includes the use of one or more lasers as a heat source directed at a well-defined region on either or both sides of the gimbal outrigger. Irradiation by the laser causes thermal gradient across the thickness of the outrigger and simultaneously changes its residual stress distribution, which alters the static attitude change in suspension or head gimbal assemblies. In this present invention, initial pitch and roll static attitude is measured by the measurement apparatus, this result is then used to calculates the laser parameter required for irradiation on either or both side of the outrigger to achieve the desired static attitude condition. An adjustment is accomplished with irradiation on either or both sides of the outrigger with one or more lasers while suspension or head gimbal assemblies are in free-state.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.