Method and system for applying materials on a substrate

• US 10,026,617 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XJet Ltd.
• Original Assignee: XJet Ltd.
• Inventors: Dovrat, Michael, Peleg, Ran Asher, Hadar, Amir, Gothait, Hanan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thinh H
• Application Number:
  US15/164,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20160307760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/04 Heads using conductive ink
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 25/001 Mechanisms for bodily moving print heads or carriages parallel to the paper surface
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/543 with multiple inkjet print heads B41J2/17503, B41J2/2103 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 1/22 Metallic printing; Printing with powdered inks
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0047 by ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/01 Selective coating, e.g. pattern coating, without pre-treatment of the material to be coated
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/288 from a liquid, e.g. electrolytic deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0504 specially adapted for series or parallel connection of solar cells in a module
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09236 Parallel layout
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/125 by ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method of printing lines. A method may include positioning a plurality of print units according to a predefined spacing parameter. A method may include depositing material on a substrate by a plurality of print units to form a respective plurality of parallel lines according to a predefined spacing parameter. A printing unit may be positioned at an angle with respect to a predefined scan direction such that a predefined width of a printed line is achieved. A substrate may be rotated between scans such that a plurality of lines in a respective plurality of directions is printed in a scan direction.

Claims

1. A metal deposition system, comprising:

a unit configured to position at least one print head including an array of nozzles for depositing metal ink on a substrate; and

a controller for controlling metal deposition from the array of nozzles to form a metal pattern, wherein the controller is configured to;

form a first layer of metal ink on the substrate; and

scan the substrate multiple times under the same array of nozzles in order to form a number of additional layers of metal ink on top of the first layer, wherein the number of additional layers depends on a desired height of the metal pattern.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to wait a period of time after forming the first layer before depositing metal ink to form a subsequent layer.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a length of the period of time depends on a chemical composition of the metal ink.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein a length of the period of time depends on ambient conditions.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the unit is configured to position a plurality of print heads, each print head from the plurality of print heads including a respective array of nozzles arranged along a scan direction.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein each array of nozzles includes hundreds of nozzles.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is enabled to determine a level of overlap to create a partial overlap between the first layer and a subsequent layer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is enabled to determine a level of overlap to create a full overlap between the first layer and a subsequent layer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to form a metal pattern having any geometry.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the metal pattern includes a plurality of parallel lines and the controller is configured to cause the plurality of parallel lines to be printed simultaneously.

11. A metal deposition method, comprising:

positioning at least one print head including an array of nozzles for depositing metal ink on a substrate;

controlling metal deposition such that the array of nozzles is enabled to deposit metal ink to form a metal pattern, wherein metal deposition includes;

forming a first layer of metal ink on the substrate; and

scanning the substrate multiple times under the same array of nozzles in order to form a number of additional layers of metal ink on top of the first layer, wherein the number of additional layers depends on a desired height of the metal pattern.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

waiting a period of time after forming the first layer before depositing metal ink to form a subsequent layer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a length of the period of time depends on a chemical composition of the metal ink.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein a length of the period of time depends on ambient conditions.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein positioning at least one print head includes positioning a plurality of print heads, each print head from the plurality of print heads including a respective array of nozzles arranged along a scan direction.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each array of nozzles includes hundreds of nozzles.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling metal deposition includes determining a level of overlap to create a partial overlap between the first layer and a subsequent layer.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling metal deposition includes determining a level of overlap to create a full overlap between the first layer and a subsequent layer.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the metal pattern includes a plurality of parallel lines, and controlling metal deposition includes causing the plurality of parallel lines to be printed simultaneously.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the metal pattern includes a plurality of parallel lines, and controlling metal deposition includes altering the scan direction between successive scans.