US Patent 7379271 Multilayer gimbal suspension element manufacture with co-etchable layers

Shaping of a gimbal suspension element for a disk drive suspension using fewer process steps includes disposing an element, precursor assembly of a plastic film layer and a copper layer with an interlayer of a copper seed layer and a Monel alloy for etching, and etching the assembly with an etchant such as cupric chloride for both the alloy and the copper seed layer of the interlayer.