Method for manufacturing a disk drive microactuator that includes a piezoelectric element and a peripheral encapsulation layer

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a microactuator. The method includes providing a sheet of a piezoelectric material having an electrically conductive layer on at least one side of the sheet. The method includes cutting the sheet to form a plurality of piezoelectric elements. Each of the piezoelectric elements includes a first element side with an electrically conductive layer. Each first element side includes a peripheral portion and an exposed portion interior to the peripheral portion. The method includes forming an encapsulation layer over the peripheral portion and not over the exposed portion of at least one of the sides. The encapsulation layer comprises a material of lesser electrical conductivity than the electrically conductive layer. An apparatus for manufacturing the microactuators may also be provided that includes a first fixture and first and second alignment combs.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing microactuators for use in a disk drive, the method comprising the acts of:
 (a) providing a sheet of a piezoelectric material having a first electrically conductive layer on a first side of the sheet;   (b) cutting the sheet to make a plurality of piezoelectric elements, each of the piezoelectric elements including a first element side with a portion of the first electrically conductive layer, each first element side including a peripheral portion and an exposed portion disposed interior to the peripheral portion; and   (c) forming an encapsulation layer over the peripheral portion and not over the exposed portion of at least one of the first element sides, the encapsulation layer comprising a material of lesser electrical conductivity than the first electrically conductive layer, wherein the act of forming the encapsulation layer includes
 (i) providing a first fixture including a fixture base and a plurality of protrusions extending from the fixture base, each protrusion including a distal support surface that is approximately the same size as an exposed portion of a respective one of the first element sides; and 
 (ii) positioning each of the piezoelectric elements upon a respective distal support surface of the first fixture with the respective exposed portion of a respective first element side upon the distal support surface. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each of the piezoelectric elements further includes a second element side that is opposite the first element side, and each second element side includes a second peripheral portion and a second exposed portion disposed interior to the second peripheral portion. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the method further comprises providing a second fixture including a fixture base and a plurality of protrusions extending from the fixture base, each protrusion including a distal support surface that is approximately the same size as an exposed portion of a respective one of the second element sides, and the method further comprises positioning each of the piezoelectric elements upon a respective distal support surface of the second fixture with the respective exposed portion of a respective second element side upon the distal support surface. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the act of forming further includes forming the encapsulation layer over the second peripheral portion and not over the second exposed portion of at least one of the second element sides.