Method of fabricating a fluid drop ejector
First Claim
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1. A method of fabricating a fluid drop ejector on a substrate surface, comprising the steps of:
- (a) depositing a SiNix layer;
(b) depositing a polysilicon "0" layer;
(c) depositing a first sacrificial oxide layer;
(d) depositing a polysilicon "1" layer;
(e) depositing a second sacrificial oxide layer;
(f) depositing a polysilicon "2" layer;
(g) depositing a third sacrificial oxide layer; and
(h) depositing a polysilicon "3" layer,the SiNix, polysilicon "0", first sacrificial oxide, polysilicon "1", second sacrificial oxide, polysilicon "2", and third sacrificial oxide layers comprising a containment wall;
the polysilicon "3" layer comprising a nozzle plate layer disposed on the containment wall, the nozzle plate layer including a nozzle opening;
the first sacrificial oxide and polysilicon "1" layers comprising a piston layer including a piston surface facing and substantially aligned with the nozzle opening,the containment wall, nozzle plate layer and piston surface defining a cavity that is arranged for containing fluid,the piston layer arranged for moving towards the nozzle opening when a fluid ejecting electric field is applied between the piston layer and the nozzle plate layer, thus causing fluid to be ejected through the nozzle opening.
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Abstract
The silicon fluid ejector of the present invention includes an electrostatically actuated micromachined positive displacement mechanism consisting of a piston, piston containment structure, piston retraction mechanism and an ejection orifice. These features provide for very low cost of production, high reliability and "on demand" drop size, modulation. The fluid ejector mechanism can be easily produced via monolithic batch fabrication based on the common production technique of surface micromachining.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a fluid drop ejector on a substrate surface, comprising the steps of:
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(a) depositing a SiNix layer; (b) depositing a polysilicon "0" layer; (c) depositing a first sacrificial oxide layer; (d) depositing a polysilicon "1" layer; (e) depositing a second sacrificial oxide layer; (f) depositing a polysilicon "2" layer; (g) depositing a third sacrificial oxide layer; and (h) depositing a polysilicon "3" layer, the SiNix, polysilicon "0", first sacrificial oxide, polysilicon "1", second sacrificial oxide, polysilicon "2", and third sacrificial oxide layers comprising a containment wall; the polysilicon "3" layer comprising a nozzle plate layer disposed on the containment wall, the nozzle plate layer including a nozzle opening; the first sacrificial oxide and polysilicon "1" layers comprising a piston layer including a piston surface facing and substantially aligned with the nozzle opening, the containment wall, nozzle plate layer and piston surface defining a cavity that is arranged for containing fluid, the piston layer arranged for moving towards the nozzle opening when a fluid ejecting electric field is applied between the piston layer and the nozzle plate layer, thus causing fluid to be ejected through the nozzle opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of fabricating a fluid drop ejector on a substrate surface, comprising the steps of:
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(a) depositing a SiO2 mask layer; (b) depositing a SiNix layer; (c) depositing a polysilicon "0" layer; (d) depositing a first sacrificial oxide layer; (e) depositing a polysilicon "1" layer; (f) depositing a second sacrificial oxide layer; (g) depositing a polysilicon "2" layer; (h) depositing a third sacrificial oxide layer; and (i) depositing a polysilicon "3" layer, the SiO2 mask, SiNix, polysilicon "0", first sacrificial oxide, polysilicon "1", second sacrificial oxide, polysilicon "2", and third sacrificial oxide layers comprising a containment wall; the polysilicon "3" layer comprising a nozzle plate layer disposed on the containment wall, the nozzle plate layer including a nozzle opening; the first sacrificial oxide and polysilicon "1" layers comprising a piston layer including a piston surface facing and substantially aligned with the nozzle opening, the containment wall, nozzle plate layer and piston surface defining a cavity that is arranged for containing fluid, the piston layer arranged for moving towards the nozzle opening when a fluid ejecting electric field is applied between the piston layer and the nozzle plate layer, thus causing fluid to be ejected through the nozzle opening. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification