Partial Etched Polyimide For Non-Conductive Adhesive Containment

A suspension comprising:

• a flexure including a support layer, an insulation layer disposed on the metal support layer, and a conductive layer disposed on the insulation layer;
• a gimbaled portion on which a transducer head is mounted;
• a microactuator adhered to the support layer by adhesive including a first mass of adhesive adhering a first end of the microactuator to the support layer, the microactuator configured to effect fine movements of the transducer head disposed on the gimbaled portion;
• a first insulating wall including the insulating material at least partially containing the first mass of adhesive, the first insulating wall configured to rise up from the metal support layer toward the microactuator;
• a second insulating wall formed at least in part from the insulating material, the second insulating wall configured to rise up from the metal support layer, the first insulating wall and second insulating wall configured to form a gap such that the gap defines a channel between the first insulating wall and second insulating wall, the channel including an insulating material floor formed from the insulating material.

A suspension comprising:

• a flexure including a metal support layer and an insulation layer formed of an insulating material, the insulation layer disposed on the metal support layer;
• a microactuator;
• and
• an adhesive configured to adhere the microactuator to the suspension, the adhesive at least partly contained by a first wall of the insulating material formed underneath the microactuator, the insulating material including a second wall and configured to define a channel between the first wall and the second wall, the adhesive disposed at least in part within the channel and a portion of the adhesive formed underneath the microactuator.