Patent ID: 7142395

Claim:
A method of manufacturing an integrated lead head suspension flexure of the type adapted to accept a magnetic head and having conductors on a spring metal layer capable of being etched by a first etching process, comprising: forming a patterned layer of dielectric material on a major surface of the spring metal layer, the patterned layer having gaps at one or more flying lead regions at which the spring metal layer is exposed; forming one or more conductive leads on the flexure, including: forming primary lead portions on the layer of dielectric material; and forming a flying lead portion over the gap at each of the one or more flying lead regions; and wherein at least the flying lead portion of the conductive lead is formed from conductive material resistant to the first etching process; and etching a flying lead region of the spring metal layer to remove a portion of the spring metal layer in the flying lead region and expose the flying lead portions of the conductive lead.