Piezoelectric ceramic thick film element, array of elements, and devices

• US 20050104479A1
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Buhler, Steven A., Fitch, John S., Wong, William S., Solberg, Scott E., Xu, Baomin, Littau, Karl A., Elrod, Scott A., Welsberg, Michael C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,091,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/334
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/161 of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1632 machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1634 laser machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1637 molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68368 used in a transfer process involving at least two transfer steps, i.e. including an intermediate handle substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/073 by fusion of metals or by adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/074 by depositing piezoelectric or electrostrictive layers, e.g. aerosol or screen printing
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/081 by coating or depositing using masks, e.g. lift-off
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/435 Solid dielectric type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 Assembling formed circuit to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49133 with component orienting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4981 Utilizing transitory attached element or associated separate material

Abstract

A piezoelectric thick film element array includes at least one piezoelectric element structure having a thickness between 10 μm to 100 μm formed by a deposition process. The at least one piezoelectric element is patterned during the deposition process, and includes a first electrode deposited on a first surface of the piezoelectric elements structure, and a second electrode deposited on a second surface of the piezoelectric element structure. In a further embodiment, several devices are provided using a piezoelectric element or an array having a piezoelectric element structure with a thickness of between 10 μm to 100 μm formed by a deposition process. These devices include microfluidic ejectors, transducer arrays and catheters.

Claims

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21. At least one piezoelectric element comprising:

at least one poled and tested piezoelectric element structure having a thickness of 10 μ

m to 100 μ

m formed by a deposition process.

a first electrode deposited on a first surface of the piezoelectric element structure; and

a second electrode deposited on a second surface of the piezoelectric element structure.

22. The at least one piezoelectric element according to claim 21, wherein the at least one piezoelectric element is an array of elements.

23. The at least one piezoelectric element of claim 22, wherein the thicknesses of each element in the array are substantially identical.

24. The at least one piezoelectric element according to claim 21, wherein the at least one piezoelectric element is patterned.

35. The at least one piezoelectric element according to claim 24, wherein the at least one patterned piezoelectric element is patterned during a deposition process.

36. The at least one piezoelectric element according to claim 21, wherein the pattern may be of any geometric shape.

37. The at least one piezoelectric element according to claim 21, wherein the at least one piezoelectric element is bonded directly to a substrate.

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38. The at least one piezoelectric element according to claim 27, wherein the bonding methods include at least one of nonconductive epoxy bonding containing conductive particles, nonconductive epoxy bonding alone, or thin film metal bonding.

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39. A device comprising:

a piezoelectric element including,

at least one poled and tested piezoelectric element structure having a thickness of between 10 μ

m to 100 μ

m formed by a deposition process,

a first electrode deposited on a first surface of the at least one piezoelectric element structure,

a second electrode deposited on a second surface of the at least one piezoelectric element structure; and

a target system to which the poled and tested piezoelectric element is bonded.

40. The device according to claim 39, wherein the bond between the at least one poled and tested piezoelectric element structure and the target system is by at least one of a nonconductive epoxy bonding containing conductive particles or nonconductive epoxy bonding alone, wherein electrical contact is maintained between the at least one poled and tested piezoelectric element structure and the target system.

41. The device according to claim 39, wherein the target system is a microfluid pump body, and wherein the at least one poled and tested piezoelectric element structure is an actuator of the microfluid pump body.

42. The device according to claim 41, wherein the microfluid pump body is at least one of a jet printhead body or an acoustic ejector body.

43. The device according to claim 42, further including a metal foil such as copper bonded to a second surface of the poled and tested piezoelectric element structure, the metal foil acting as a current return path for the device.

44. The device according to claim 42, wherein the jet printhead body or acoustic ejector body is made from plastic.

45. The device according to claim 42, wherein the at least one poled and tested piezoelectric element structure is bonded to a metal diaphragm which is bonded to the ink cavity body, wherein the at least one poled and tested piezoelectric element and the metal diaphragm forms a bending type actuator for pushing ink out.

46. The device according to claim 45, further including an insulating layer between the at least one poled and tested piezoelectric element structure and the metal diaphragm.

47. The device according to claim 39, wherein the target system is one of a micromachined transducer array or a micromachined annular array.

48. The device according to claim 39, wherein the target system is used in a catheter.

49. The device according to claim 39, wherein the target system has a maximum temperature without damage below temperatures reached in the deposition process used to form the poled and tested piezoelectric element structure.