Disk drive head gimbal assembly having a flexure tail with dual conductive layers and features to facilitate bonding

A head gimbal assembly (HGA) for a disk drive, the HGA comprising:

• a read head;
• and
• a suspension assembly that comprises
• a load beam, and
• a laminate flexure that comprises a structural layer, first and second conductive layers, a first dielectric layer between the first and second conductive layers, and a second dielectric layer between the structural layer and the second conductive layer, the second conductive layer including a plurality of electrical traces, the laminate flexure including a tongue portion that connects to the read head and a flexure tail that extends away from the tongue portion;
• wherein the flexure tail includes a plurality of flexure bond pads, each of the plurality of flexure bond pads including
• a widened region of a corresponding one of the plurality of electrical traces in the second conductive layer,
• a corresponding one of a plurality of discontinuous islands in the structural layer, and
• a corresponding one of a plurality of discontinuous islands in the first conductive layer that is electrically connected to the widened region of the corresponding one of the plurality of electrical traces in the second conductive layer through one of a first plurality of conductive vias through the first dielectric layer.

A head gimbal assembly (HGA) for a disk drive, the HGA comprising:

• a read head;
• and
• a suspension assembly that comprises
• a load beam, and
• a laminate flexure that comprises a structural layer, first and second conductive layers, a first dielectric layer between the first and second conductive layers, and a second dielectric layer between the structural layer and the second conductive layer, the second conductive layer including a plurality of electrical traces, the laminate flexure including a tongue portion that connects to the read head and a flexure tail that extends away from the tongue portion;
• wherein the flexure tail includes a plurality of flexure bond pads, each of the plurality of flexure bond pads including
• a widened region of a corresponding one of the plurality of electrical traces in the second conductive layer,
• a corresponding one of a plurality of segments in the structural layer, each of the plurality of segments being connected to another by one or more of a plurality of narrow bridges in the structural layer, and
• a corresponding one of a plurality of discontinuous islands in the first conductive layer that is electrically connected to the widened region of the corresponding one of the plurality of electrical traces in the second conductive layer through one of a plurality of conductive vias through the first dielectric layer.