Method of manufacture of a thermally actuated ink jet printer having a series of thermal actuator units

• US 6,228,668 B1
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zamtec Limited (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LATTIN, CHRISTOPHER W
• Application Number:
  US09/112,833
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 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, 347/56, 347/27, 251/129.01, 216/27
• 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 2/1626 etching
• 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: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• 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

A method of manufacture of an ink jet print head arrangement including a series of nozzle chambers is disclosed, the method comprising the steps of: (a) utilizing an initial semiconductor wafer having an electrical circuitry layer formed thereon; (b) etching the electrical circuitry layer so as to define a nozzle chamber area; (c) depositing and etching a first sacrificial layer, the etching defining a series of nozzle chamber walls and an actuator anchor point; (d) depositing a first heater material layer; (e) depositing an intermediate material layer; (f) etching the first heater material layer and the intermediate material layer to define portions of actuator, ejection paddle and nozzle chamber walls; (g) depositing and etching a second sacrificial layer, the etching including etching a cavity defining a portion of the nozzle chamber walls; (h) depositing and etching a further glass layer to define the roof of the nozzle chamber and the walls thereof; (i) etching an ink supply channel through the wafer to form a fluid communication with the nozzle chamber; (j) etching away remaining sacrifical material.

Claims

1. A method of manufacture of 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 connected to a thermal bend actuator unit and the thermal bend actuator unit comprising a plurality of thermal bend devices arranged in spaced, parallel relationship.

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 formed thereon;

(b) etching said electrical circuitry layer so as to define a nozzle chamber area;

(c) depositing and etching a first sacrificial layer, said etching defining a series of nozzle chamber walls and an actuator anchor point;

(d) depositing a first heater material layer;

(e) depositing an intermediate material layer;

(f) etching said first heater material layer and said intermediate material layer to define portions of an actuator, ejection paddle and nozzle chamber walls;

(g) depositing and etching a second sacrificial layer, said etching including etching a cavity defining a portion of the nozzle chamber walls;

(h) depositing and etching a further glass layer to define the roof of the nozzle chamber and the walls thereof;

(i) etching an ink supply channel through said wafer to form a fluid communication with said nozzle chamber; and

(j) etching away remaining sacrificial material.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said intermediate layer comprises substantially glass.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first heater material layer comprises substantially Titanium Nitride.

10. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said steps further include the step of etching anti-wicking notches in the surface of said circuitry layer.

11. 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.

12. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the etching of layers includes etching vias so as to allow for the electrical interconnection of portions of subsequent layers.

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 said step (j) comprises a through wafer etch from a back surface of said wafer.

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