Semiconductor device manufacturing: process – Manufacture of electrical device controlled printhead
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-10
2001-01-09
Booth, Richard (Department: 2812)
Semiconductor device manufacturing: process
Manufacture of electrical device controlled printhead
C347S001000, C347S020000, C347S047000, C347S056000, C216S027000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06171875
ABSTRACT:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide for a method of manufacture of an ink ejection nozzle arrangement suitable for incorporation into an inkjet printhead arrangement for the ejection of ink on demand from a nozzle chamber in an efficient manner. In particular the inkjet printer can comprise a Radial Back-Curling Thermoelastic Ink Jet.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a Radial Back-Curling Thermoelastic Ink Jet print head wherein an array of nozzles are formed on a substrate utilising planar monolithic deposition, lithographic and etching processes.
Multiple ink jet heads are preferably formed simultaneously on a single planar substrate which can be a silicon wafer.
The print heads are preferably formed utilising standard vlsi/ulsi processing and the integrated drive electronics are preferably formed on the same substrate. The integrated drive electronics can be formed utilizing a CMOS fabrication 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 print head arrangement including a series of nozzle chambers, the method comprising the steps of: (a) utilizing an initial semiconductor wafer having an electrical circuitry layer formed thereon; (b) etching the circuitry layer to define a nozzle cavity area; (c) depositing and etching a first material layer, the first material having a high coefficient of thermal expansion, the etching including etching for vias through the first material layer for electrical interconnection of subsequently deposited layers with the circuitry layer; (d) depositing and etching a conductive material layer on the first material layer, the etching resulting in the conductive material layer forming a heater pattern; (e) depositing and etching a second material layer, the second material layer having a high coefficient of thermal expansion, the etching defining a nozzle chamber rim and a rim at the edge of the nozzle chamber; (f) etching the wafer to define the nozzle chamber; (g) etching an ink supply channel through the wafer in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber.
The step (f) can comprise performing a crystallographic etch of the wafer utilizing slots created as a result of etching the second material layer.
The crystallographic etch forms a nozzle chamber having an inverted square pyramid shape. The step (g) can comprise a through wafer etch from a back surface of the wafer.
The first material layer or the second material layer can comprise substantially polytetrafluoroethylene and the conductive material layer can comprise substantially gold, copper or aluminum.
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Lee et al.; “A Thermal Inkjet Printhead with a Monolithically Fabricated Nozzle Plate and Self-Aligned Ink Feed Hole”, Journal of Microeletro-mechanical Systems vol. 8, No. 3 Sep. 1999, pp. 229-236.
Hirata et al.; (“An Ink-jet Head Using Diaphragm Microactuator”, MEMS '96, Proceedings. An Investigation of Micro Structures, Sensors, Actuators, Machines and Systems. IEEE, The Ninth Annual International Workshop on, 1996, pp.: 418-423.
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Booth Richard
Lattin Christopher
Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
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