A piezoelectric micro-actuator with extended base-plate for HDD

This paper presented design concepts to improve stroke magnification and to retain high torsional frequencies for piezoelectrically actuated suspension. Flexural rotation is employed to enhance stroke magnification at the dimple point of a load beam. As such, the two piezoelectric push-pull elements can be placed apart to make room for stiffening base portion of the load beam while attaining an adequate level of stroke. As a stiffening structure, an extended base plate is deployed to raise the torsional frequency of the actuated suspensions. The improved performances were verified numerically and experimentally. Also, prototypes in accordance to the present design concepts were fabricated and tested.