A disk drive apparatus. The apparatus has a platter operably coupled to a servo drive device. The servo drive device is adapted to rotate the platter about a fixed axis. The apparatus also has a support member operably coupled to the platter to move the support member about one or more active regions on a surface of the platter. The apparatus has a read/write head including an active portion and a support portion. The support portion is coupled to the support member. The active portion is operably coupled to the platter to read and/or write information to the surface of the platter. A piezo electric actuating material is coupled between the support portion of the read/write head and the support member. A first electrode is coupled to a first side of the piezo electric actuating material. A second electrode is coupled to a second side of the piezo electric actuating material. A drive device is coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode to actuate the piezo electric actuating material in substantially a shear mode of operation of the piezo electric actuating material to adjust a position of the read/write head within one micron of a selected portion of the one or more active regions on the surface of the platter. The first electrode and the second electrode are configured in a manner substantially parallel to a poling orientation of the piezo electric actuating material to cause the adjustment of the piezo electric actuating material in the shear mode of operation.