Patent ID: 6246552
Filing Date: 2001-06-12
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A read/write head comprising:a slider including an electromagnetic transducer element or an optical module, an actuator, and a suspension,wherein:said slider is supported on said suspension via said actuator, said actuator comprises a planar monolithic piece of piezoelectric or electrostrictive material having a fixed part, a movable part and at least two beam parts for connecting said fixed and movable parts together, at least one of said two beam parts having a displacement generating means that elongates and contracts under an inverse piezoelectric force or an electrostrictive force in a direction connecting said fixed part and said movable part, said fixed part being fixed to said suspension and said movable part being fixed to said slider,upon elongation and contraction of said displacement generating means, said displacement generating means deflects and said movable part displaces linearly, circularly or rotationally with respect to said fixed part, and said electromagnetic transducer element or said optical module displaces in a direction intersecting recording tracks on a recording medium in a linear or circular orbit, andsaid fixed part, said movable part and said beam parts are formed by a hole and/or a cutout in the planar monolithic piece.