Etching a substrate: processes – Forming or treating thermal ink jet article
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-10
2001-11-13
Gulakowski, Randy (Department: 1746)
Etching a substrate: processes
Forming or treating thermal ink jet article
C347S054000, C347S055000, C347S053000, C347S063000, C347S056000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315914
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of inkjet printers and discloses an inkjet printing system which includes a bend actuator incorporated with a paddle for the ejection of ink through an ink ejection nozzle. In particular, the present invention discloses a method of manufacturing an ink jet printhead.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many ink jet printing mechanisms are known. Unfortunately, in mass production techniques, the production of ink jet printheads is quite difficult. For example, often, the orifice or nozzle plate is fabricated separately from the ink supply and ink ejection mechanism and bonded to the mechanism at a later stage (Hewlett-Packard Journal, Vol. 36 no 5, pp33-37 (1985)). These separate material processing steps required in handling such precision devices often add a substantial expense in manufacturing.
Additionally, side shooting ink jet technologies (U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,181) are often used but again, this limits the amount of mass production throughput given any particular capital investment.
Additionally, more esoteric techniques are also often utilised. These can include electroforming of nickel stage (Hewlett-Packard Journal, Vol. 36 no 5, pp33-37 (1985)), electro-discharge machining, laser ablation (U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,604), micro-punching, etc.
The utilisation of the above techniques is likely to add substantial expense to the mass production of ink jet printheads and therefore add substantially to their final cost.
It would therefore be desirable if an efficient system for the mass production of ink jet printheads could be developed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide for a method of manufacturing of an ink jet printhead for the ejection of ink on demand from a plurality of nozzles in an efficient manner.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacture of an ink jet printhead wherein an array of nozzles are formed on a substrate utilising planar monolithic deposition, lithographic and etching processes.
Multiple ink jet printheads are preferably formed simultaneously on a single planar substrate. The substrate can be a silicon wafer.
The printheads are preferably formed utilising standard vlsi/ulsi processing. Integrated drive electronics are preferably formed on the same substrate. The integrated drive electronics can comprise a CMOS process.
Ink can be ejected from the substrate substantially normal to the substrate.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacture of an ink jet printhead arrangement including a series of nozzle chambers, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an initial semiconductor wafer having an electrical circuitry layer formed thereon; (b) etching a series of slots in at least the circuitry layer to define a nozzle cavity inlet; (c) depositing and etching a first layer of magnetic flux material on the electrical circuitry layer to define a first magnetic plate; (d) depositing and etching an insulating layer on the first layer and the electrical circuitry layer, the etching including etching vias for a subsequent conductive layer; (e) depositing and etching a conductive layer in the form of a conductive coil conductively interconnected to the electrical circuitry layer; (f) depositing and etching a hydrophobic material layer in the region of the conductive coil; (g) depositing and etching a sacrificial material layer in the region of the first magnetic plate and the coil, the etching including defining a cavity for walls of a nozzle chamber; (h) depositing and etching a second layer of magnetic flux material over the sacrificial material so as to substantially enclose the conductive coil; (i) etching away the sacrificial material; (j) etching an ink supply channel through the wafer to be in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber.
The step (g) further comprises etching cavities defining a series of spring posts and the step (h) preferably includes forming a series of leaf springs interconnected with the first magnetic plate for resiliently biasing the magnetic plate in a first direction. The conductive layer can comprise substantially copper. The step (j) can comprise a through wafer etch from a back surface of the wafer.
The method can further include the step of depositing corrosion barriers over portions of the arrangement so as to reduce corrosion effects and the etching of layers preferably includes etching vias to allow for the electrical interconnection of portions of subsequent layers.
The magnetic flux material can comprise substantially a cobalt nickel iron alloy and the wafer can comprise a double sided polished CMOS wafer.
The steps are preferably also utilized to simultaneously separate the wafer into separate printheads.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4214836 (1980-07-01), Wang
patent: 4633267 (1986-12-01), Meinhof
patent: 5877791 (1999-03-01), Lee et al.
patent: 5907339 (1999-05-01), Evans et al.
patent: 2-297446 (1990-12-01), None
patent: 4-368851 (1991-06-01), None
Ahmed Shamim
Gulakowski Randy
Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
LandOfFree
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