Conductor trace array having passive stub conductors

An E-block assembly for a disk drive, the disk drive including a drive circuitry, a load beam and a head, the E-block assembly comprising:

• an E-block that supports the load beam;
• and
• a trace film segment having a trace film characteristic impedance, the trace film segment including (i) a support substrate that extends along the E-block from the drive circuitry to the load beam, (ii) a signal conductor trace array including a first pair of signal conductor traces, the signal conductor trace array being secured to the support substrate and extending along the E-block, and (iii) a passive conductor trace array including a first pair of passive conductor traces, the passive conductor trace array being secured to the support substrate and extending along the E-block, wherein the first pair of signal conductor traces is positioned between the first pair of passive conductor traces.

A method of electrically connecting a head to a drive circuitry of a disk drive, the disk drive including an E-block and a load beam that secures the head to the E-block, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning a first pair of passive conductor traces along the E-block, the passive conductor traces extending between the load beam and the drive circuitry;
• and
• positioning a first pair of signal conductor traces between the passive conductor traces along the E-block, the signal conductor traces extending between the head and the drive circuitry.