Patent ID: 6590748
Filing Date: 2003-07-08
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A dual-acting disc drive microactuator formed of a stack of adjoining layers comprising:a first layer comprising first and second spaced apart top electrodes; a second layer comprising a first piezoelectric element electrically coupled to the first and second top electrodes; a third layer comprising a center electrode electrically coupled to the first piezoelectric element; a fourth layer comprising a second piezoelectric element electrically coupled to the center electrode; a fifth layer comprising a first bottom electrode electrically coupled to the second piezoelectric element, wherein the first and second piezoelectric elements are expandable and contractible in a common length direction in response to respective electric fields applied between the center electrode and the first and second top electrodes and between the center electrode and the first bottom electrode; and a suspension beam which extends along the stack, is elongated with the stack of adjoining layers in the length direction and is attached to at least one of the first through fifth layers in the stack, wherein the first and second piezoelectric elements have widths measured in a width direction that is perpendicular to the length direction and parallel to the first through fifth layers, and wherein the suspension beam has a width measured in the width direction that is less than the widths of the first and second piezoelectric elements.