Method of manufacture of a paddle type ink jet printer

• US 6,071,750 A
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 06/06/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lattin, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US09/113,111
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 438/21, 347/1, 347/9, 347/20, 347/29, 347/32, 347/68, 347/44, 347/47, 347/54, 347/55, 216/27, 251/129.01
• US Class Current: 438/21
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1629 wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1631 photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1632 machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1639 sacrificial molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1642 thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1643 thin film formation by plating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1645 thin film formation by spincoating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1648 Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 Electromagnetic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 : Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

This patent describes a method of manufacturing a paddle type ink jet print head wherein an array of nozzles are formed on a substrate utilizing planar monolithic deposition, lithographic and etching processes. Multiple ink jet heads are formed simultaneously on a single planar substrate such as a silicon wafer. The print heads can be formed utilizing 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 to the substrate plane.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an ink jet printhead which includes:

providing a substrate;

depositing a doped layer on the substrate and etching said layer to create an array of nozzles on the substrate with a nozzle chamber in communication with each nozzle; and

utilizing planar monolithic deposition, lithographic and etching processes to create a paddle arranged in each nozzle chamber each paddle being pivotally arranged relative to the nozzle and having a current-carrying device therein so that when a magnetic field is applied to the paddle, a lorenz force is exerted on the paddle to cause pivoting of the paddle and ejection of ink from the nozzle.

2. A method of manufacturing an ink jet printhead as claimed in claim 1 wherein multiple ink jet printheads are formed simultaneously on the substrate.

3. A method of manufacturing an ink jet printhead as claimed in claim 1 wherein said substrate is a silicon wafer.

4. A method of manufacturing an ink jet printhead as claimed in claim 1 wherein integrated drive electronics are formed on the same substrate.

5. A method of manufacturing an ink jet printhead as claimed in claim 4 wherein said integrated drive electronics are formed using a CMOS fabrication process.

6. A method of manufacturing an ink jet printhead as claimed in claim 1 wherein ink is ejected from said substrate normal to said substrate.

7. A method of manufacture of an ink jet printhead arrangement including a series of nozzle chambers, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) utilising an initial semiconductor wafer having an electrical circuitry layer and a buried epitaxial layer formed thereon, in addition to a top protecting layer having a series of vias interconnected to predetermined portions of said circuitry layer;

(b) forming on said semiconductor wafer layer a first conductive layer including a first conductive coil interconnected to predetermined portions of said circuitry layer;

(c) depositing and etching, on said first conductive layer, a non-conductive layer including predetermined vias for the interconnection of subsequent layers with lower layers;

(d) forming a second conductive layer on said non-conductive layer, including a second conductive coil and the interconnection of predetermined portions of said coil with said first conductive coil and said circuitry layer;

(e) depositing and etching a second non-conductive layer over said second conductive layer said etching including etching a series of slots in said second non-conductive layer;

(f) etching a series of slots through said first and second non-conductive layer and said first and second conductive layers so as to define a nozzle paddle;

(g) etching said semiconductor wafer under said nozzle paddle so as to define a nozzle chamber;

(h) back etching said semiconductor wafer to said epitaxial layer; and

(i) etching said epitaxial layer to define a nozzle ejection hole therein interconnecting with said nozzle chamber.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said step (g) utilizes said epitaxial layer as an etch stop.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said step (g) comprises a crystallographic etch.

10. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said step (i) includes etching a series of small holes in a wall of said nozzle chamber interconnecting said chamber with the ambient atmosphere.

11. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first conductive layer and said second conductive layer are formed from substantially copper.

12. A method as claimed in claim 7 further including the step of depositing corrosion barriers over portions of said arrangement so as to reduce corrosion effects.

13. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said wafer comprises a double side polished CMOS wafer.

14. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein step (i) is also utilized to simultaneously separate said wafer into separate printheads.