Etching a substrate: processes – Forming or treating thermal ink jet article
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-10
2001-05-22
Gulakowski, Randy (Department: 1746)
Etching a substrate: processes
Forming or treating thermal ink jet article
C347S055000, C347S062000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06235212
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the manufacture of ink jet print heads and, in particular, discloses a method of manufacture of an electrostatic ink jet printer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many ink jet printing mechanisms are known. Unfortunately, in mass production techniques, the production of ink jet beads 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 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 print heads and therefore add substantially to their final cost.
It would therefore be desirable if an efficient system for the mass production of ink jet print heads could be developed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for the creation of an electrostatic ink jet printer.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing an electrostatic ink jet print head wherein an array of nozzles is formed on a substrate utilising planar monolithic deposition, lithographic and etching processes. Preferably, multiple ink jet heads are formed simultaneously on a single planar substrate such as a silicon wafer.
The print heads can be formed utilising standard vlsi/ulsi processing and can include integrated drive electronics formed on the same substrate. The drive electronics preferably are of a CMOS type. In the final construction, ink can be ejected from the substrate substantially normal
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) forming a bottom electrode layer of conductive material on or in the electrical circuitry layer; (c) depositing and etching a first hydrophobic layer on the electrode layer; (d) depositing and etching a first sacrificial layer of sacrificial material on the first hydrophobic layer; (e) depositing and etching a top electrode layer of conductive material on the first sacrificial layer the top electrode layer including predetermined portions interconnecting with the electrical circuitry layer; (f) depositing and etching a membrane layer on the top electrode layer, (g) depositing and etching a second sacrificial layer on the membrane layer, the second sacrificial layer forming a blank for the nozzle chamber walls; (h) depositing and etching an inert material layer on the second sacrificial layer so as to form the nozzle chamber walls surrounding the nozzle chamber in addition to a nozzle fluid ejection hole interconnecting with the nozzle chamber; (i) etching an ink supply channel interconnecting with the nozzle chamber; (j) etching away the sacrificial layers so as to leave an operational device.
The top electrode layer and the membrane layer can include a concertina edge so as to allow for movement of the membrane layer. The bottom electrode layer can be formed from a metal plane layer of the circuitry layer.
The ink supply channel can be formed by etching a channel from the back surface of the wafer. The step (b) preferably can include etching a nozzle rim around the nozzle fluid ejection hole and a series of small holes in at least one wall of the nozzle chamber. The hydrophobic layer can comprise substantially polytetrafluoroethylene.
The steps are preferably also utilized to simultaneously separate the wafer into separate printheads
REFERENCES:
patent: 4737802 (1988-04-01), Mielke
patent: 5072241 (1991-12-01), Shibaike et al.
patent: 5714992 (1998-02-01), Desie
patent: 5872582 (1999-02-01), Pan
patent: 5877791 (1999-03-01), Lee et al.
patent: 5883650 (1999-03-01), Figueredo et al.
patent: 5897789 (1999-04-01), Weber
Ahmed Shamim
Gulakowski Randy
Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
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