Aligned coverlay and metal layer windows for integrated lead suspensions

A flexure for attachment to a load beam of the type having a beam region, a mounting region and a hinge region between the beam and mounting regions, the flexure including a spring metal layer, a dielectric insulating layer on a side of the spring metal layer, a conductor layer on the side of the insulating layer opposite the spring metal layer, a coverlay on the side of the conductor layer opposite the insulating layer, a base region, a gimbal region extending from the base region, and a tail region extending from the base region opposite the gimbal region, comprising:

• terminal pads in the conductor layer at the tail region;
• head bond pads in the conductor layer at the gimbal region;
• traces in the conductor layer extending between the terminal pads and the head bond pads across the tail region, base region and gimbal region;
• one or more spring metal windows in the spring metal layer at the tail region, the tail region spring metal windows adjacent to at least about 50% of the length of the traces at the tail region;
• and
• one or more coverlay windows in the coverlay at the tail region, the tail region coverlay windows having generally the same size and location as the tail region spring metal windows.