Etching a substrate: processes – Forming or treating thermal ink jet article
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-10
2001-06-26
Alanko, Anita (Department: 1746)
Etching a substrate: processes
Forming or treating thermal ink jet article
C438S021000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06251298
ABSTRACT:
S
TATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the manufacture of ink jet printheads and, in particular, discloses a method of manufacture of 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 constructed 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 utilized. 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 utilization of the above techniques is likely to add substantial expense to the mass production of ink jet print heads and therefore to 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
The present invention provides an alternative form of ink jet printhead which utilizes a magnetic coil as part of its actuation process.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing an ink jet printhead wherein an array of nozzles are formed on a substrate utilizing planar monolithic deposition, lithographic and etching processes. Preferably, multiple ink jet nozzles are formed simultaneously on a single planar substrate such as a silicon wafer.
The printhead nozzles can be formed utilizing standard vlsi/ulsi processing and can include integrated drive electronics formed on the same substrate. The drive electronics are preferably of a CMOS type. In the final construction, 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 that includes a series of nozzle chambers, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an initial semiconductor wafer having an electrical circuitry layer and a buried epitaxial layer formed thereon; (b) etching a nozzle chamber aperture in the electrical circuitry layer interconnected with a nozzle chamber in the semiconductor wafer; (c) depositing a first sacrifical layer filling the nozzle chamber; (d) depositing and etching an inert material layer including a grill structure over the nozzle chamber aperture and vias for electrical interconnection of subsequent layers with the electrical circuitry layer; (e) depositing and etching a first conductive material layer including a lower electrical coil portion interconnected with the electrical circuitry layer; (f) depositing and etching an inert material layer over the first conductive material layer, the inert material layer including predetermined vias for interconnection of the first conductive material layer with subsequent layers; (g) depositing and etching a second sacrificial layer including etching a mould for a fixed magnetic pole, a pivot, a series of springs and spring posts; (h) depositing and etching a high saturation flux material layer to form the fixed magnetic pole, the pivot, an interconnected shutter grill lever arm and the springs and spring posts; (i) depositing and etching a second inert material layer over the high saturation flux material layer including predetermined vias for interconnection of lower layers with subsequent layers; (j) depositing and etching a second conductive material layer including a side electrical coil portion interconnected with the first conductive material layer; (k) depositing and etching a third conductive material layer including a top electrical coil portion interconnected with the side conductive material layer; (l) depositing and etching a top inert material layer as a corrosion barrier; (m) back etching the wafer to the epitaxial layer; (n) etching a nozzle aperture in the epitaxial layer; and (o) etching away the sacrificial layers.
The steps further can include the simultaneous formation of a shutter grill guard around the shutter.
The epitaxial layer can be utilized as an etch stop in the step (b) which can comprise a crystallographic etch of the wafer.
The conductive layers can comprise substantially copper and the inert layers can comprise substantially silicon nitride.
The steps are preferably also utilized to simultaneously separate the wafer into separate printheads.
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Alanko Anita
Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
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