Method of manufacturing magnetic head suspension having circuit wiring pattern

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a magnetic head suspension having a circuit wiring pattern member such that a circuit wiring pattern is formed integral with a suspension via a flexible insulating base member, comprising the steps of: preparing a laminated plate composed of a flexible insulating base member (2), a conductive layer (6 or 3) formed on one surface thereof, and an elastic metal layer (5 or 1) formed on the other surface thereof; forming a desired circuit wiring pattern (3) in the conductive layer (6) of the laminated plate and an elastic suspension (1) in the elastic metal layer (5) thereof simultaneously, in accordance with photo-fabrication method including both-side simultaneous exposure method; forming a bonding metal layer (10) on the circuit wiring pattern (3) by plating; forming a cover coat layer (11) so as to cover the bonding metal layer; further forming a metal mask (13 or 13A) by forming a surface metal layer (12) on the cover coat layer and by etching the surface metal layer (12) or else by forming a mask (14) on the cover coat layer (11) by thin film forming method; removing the cover coat layer (11) and the flexible insulating base member (2) by etching using the metal mask (13 or 13A); removing the metal mask by etching; and bending the elastic metal layer to a desired shape to form the magnetic head suspension.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.