Patent ID: 7082013

Claim:
A method for embedding a chip in a substrate to form a composite air bearing surface, the method comprising the following operations: securing the substrate in a fixed position; aligning the chip in a first direction with a chip receiving slot in the substrate; depositing adhesive in the chip receiving slot in the substrate; aligning the chip in a second direction with the chip receiving slot in the substrate; pushing the chip into the adhesive in the chip receiving slot in the substrate; detecting when an air bearing surface of the chip is substantially at a desired protrusion in a third direction in relation to an air bearing surface of the substrate; responsive to detecting that the air bearing surface of the chip is substantially at the desired protrusion in the third direction, ceasing pushing the chip into the adhesive; and at least partially curing the adhesive to bond the chip to the substrate with the air bearing surface of the chip substantially at the desired protrusion in the third direction, and with the chip substantially aligned in the first and second directions with the chip receiving slot in the substrate; and wherein the pushing operation further comprises pushing a portion of the adhesive into a first side trough of the chip receiving slot located proximate a first side of the chip receiving slot.