Etching a substrate: processes – Forming or treating thermal ink jet article
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-21
2004-07-27
Hassanzadel, P. (Department: 1763)
Etching a substrate: processes
Forming or treating thermal ink jet article
C438S021000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06767473
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for fine pattern formation, a process for producing fine nozzles, and a method for fine pattern formation, and particularly to an apparatus for fine pattern formation, which can be applied, for example, to pattern formation for the production of liquid crystal displays, plasma displays, and flat displays of electroluminescence or the like, and conductor pattern formation and correction of conductor patterns of printed wiring boards, a process for producing fine nozzles used in the apparatus for fine pattern formation, and a method for the fine pattern formation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fine patterns, for example, for color filters for liquid crystal displays have been formed by photolithography, printing, electrodeposition, or the like. Among these pattern formation methods, photolithography is advantageous in accuracy and quality of appearance. The photolithography, which can realize wiring of a pattern with high accuracy, is also used in the formation of conductor patterns in printed wiring boards.
In an example of the production of a color filter by photolithography, a photosensitive resist is coated on a thin film of a metal, such as chromium, formed, for example, by sputtering or vapor deposition, exposure through a photomask and development are carried out to prepare a resist pattern, and the thin metal film is patterned by etching using the resist pattern as a mask to form a black matrix. Next, a color pigment-containing photosensitive resist is coated, followed by exposure through a photomask and development to form a colored layer for a color filter. On the other hand, in the case of a printed wiring board, a photosensitive resist pattern is formed on a copper plating, and the copper plating is etched using the photosensitive resist pattern as a mask to produce a conductor pattern.
The above-described conventional fine pattern formation by photolithography, such as pattern formation for a color filter and conductor pattern formation, however, disadvantageously suffers from a complicated process, which is an obstacle to a reduction in production cost.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Under the above circumstances, the present invention has been made, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for fine pattern formation, which can form a fine pattern with high accuracy by direct writing of a pattern with ink, a production process of fine nozzles provided in the apparatus for fine pattern formation, and a method for fine pattern formation.
In order to attain the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for fine pattern formation comprising: a silicon substrate; a plurality of fine holes which extend through the silicon substrate from the surface of the silicon substrate to the back surface of the silicon substrate and have a silicon oxide layer on the wall surface thereof; fine nozzles which are protruded, integrally with the silicon oxide layer, on the back surface side of the silicon substrate from each opening of the fine holes; a silicon nitride layer provided on the surface and side of the silicon substrate; a support member provided on the surface side of the silicon substrate; an ink passage for supplying ink to the opening of each fine hole on the surface side of the silicon substrate; and an ink supplying device connected to the ink passage.
In this apparatus, preferably, the diameter of the openings in the fine nozzles is in the range of 1 to 100 &mgr;m in a variation within ±1 &mgr;m and the fine nozzles are provided at a pitch in the range of 2 to 1000 &mgr;m.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for fine pattern formation, comprising: a silicon substrate; a plurality of fine nozzles protruded from the back surface of the silicon substrate; a plurality of fine holes which extend at fine nozzle formed sites through the silicon substrate from the surface of the silicon substrate to the back surface of the silicon substrate and have a silicon oxide layer on the wall surface thereof; a support member provided on the surface side of the silicon substrate; an ink passage for supplying ink to the opening of each fine hole on the surface side of the silicon substrate; and an ink supplying device connected to the ink passage, said fine nozzles each comprising a nozzle base provided integrally with the silicon substrate, an inner surface layer of silicon oxide provided on the inner wall surface of nozzle bases in communication with the fine holes, and an end face layer of silicon oxide provided integrally with the inner surface layer of silicon oxide so as to cover the front end face of the nozzle bases.
In this apparatus, preferably, the diameter of the openings in the fine nozzles is in the range of 1 to 100 &mgr;m in a variation within ±1 &mgr;m and the fine nozzles are provided at a pitch in the range of 4 to 1000 &mgr;m.
In the above apparatuses for fine pattern formation, preferably, the protrusion length of the fine nozzles is in the range of 1 to 150 &mgr;m.
In the above apparatuses for fine pattern formation, preferably, the fine holes in their openings on the surface side of the silicon substrate are in the form of tapered concaves which have been widened toward the surface side of the silicon substrate. Alternatively, in the above apparatuses for fine pattern formation, preferably, the fine holes in their openings on the surface side of the silicon substrate are in the form of multistaged concaves which have been widened toward the surface side of the silicon substrate.
In the above apparatuses for fine pattern formation, preferably, fine holes are divided into two or more groups and ink passages are provided separately from each other or one another for respective fine hole groups.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for producing a plurality of fine nozzles, formed of silicon oxide, protruded from one surface of a silicon substrate and in communication with fine holes which extend through the silicon substrate and have a silicon oxide layer on the wall surface thereof, said process comprising: a first step of providing a silicon substrate having on its whole surface a silicon nitride layer and forming a mask pattern having a plurality of fine openings on the silicon nitride layer in its portion located on one surface of the silicon substrate; a second step of forming through fine holes in the silicon substrate by deep etching using the mask pattern as a mask; a third step of removing the mask pattern and oxidizing the inside of the through fine holes of the silicon substrate to form a silicon oxide layer; and a fourth step of removing a part of the silicon nitride layer and a part of the silicon substrate from one surface of the silicon substrate by dry etching to expose the silicon oxide layer by a predetermined length, thereby forming fine nozzles.
In the fourth step, preferably, etching is started with the surface from which the mask pattern has been removed.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for producing a plurality of fine nozzles protruded from one surface of a silicon substrate, said fine nozzles comprising a nozzle base, provided integrally with the silicon substrate, and a silicon oxide end face layer covering the front end face of the nozzle base, said nozzle base being in communication with fine holes, which extend through the silicon substrate and have a silicon oxide layer on the wall surface thereof, and having a silicon oxide inner surface layer on its inner wall surface, said process comprising: a first step of providing a silicon substrate having on its whole surface a silicon nitride layer and patterning the silicon nitride layer in its portion located on one surface of the silicon substrate to form a pattern having a plurality of small openings; a second step of forming a mask thin film so as to cover the pattern of the silicon n
Fujita Hiroyuki
Mita Yoshio
Ohigashi Ryoichi
Tsuchiya Katsunori
Culbert Roberts P.
Dai Nippon Printing Co. Ltd.
Hassanzadel P.
Parkhurst & Wendel L.L.P.
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