Method for manufacturing an ink-jet head having nozzle openings with a constant width

• US 6,238,585 B1
• Filed: 08/10/1999
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Miyata, Yoshinao
• Primary Examiner(s): ALANKO, ANITA KAREN
• Application Number:
  US09/370,923
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 216/2, 216/27, 216/99
• US Class Current: 216/27
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14233 of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1433 Structure of nozzle plates
• 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 2/1628 dry etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1629 wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1631 photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1635 dividing the wafer into individual chips
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14387 Front shooter
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14411 Groove in the nozzle plate

Abstract

A nozzle plate has a plurality of nozzles for discharging ink which is fed from an ink reservoir to ink cavities through ink supply ports and is pressurized by a pressurizing element. In the nozzle plate, nozzle openings are formed in a silicon monocrystalline substrate with a lattice face (110) by anisotropic etching in such a way that through holes have faces (1-11) and (-11-1) in the direction in which the nozzle opening are arrayed as well as faces (111) and (11-1) in the direction of the axis of the ink cavity. The nozzle openings can be formed so as to have the faces (1-11) and (-11-1) normal to the silicon monocrystalline substrate in the direction in which the nozzle openings are arrayed. The width of the nozzle opening becomes constant irrespective of the time required to etch the substrate.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an ink-jet head comprising the steps of:

forming an etch resist film on first and second sides of a silicon monocrystalline substrate having a face (110);

etching part of the etch resist film on said first side of said substrate to expose a first area of the silicon monocrystalline substrate

so as to form cylindrical portions having sufficient diameter to discharge ink droplets;

etching a second exposed area on the second side of said substrate anisotropically to form a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzle openings so as to have faces (1-11) and (-11-1) in the direction in which the nozzle openings are arrayed, wherein said nozzle openings are formed after the cylindrical portions are formed; and

laminating a spacer having a plurality of ink reservoirs, ink supply ports and ink cavities on the side of the second exposed area.

2. The method of manufacturing an ink-jet head according to claim 1, further comprising the step of forming other recesses in the area where the ink reservoir is positioned, on the side of the second exposed area.

3. The method of manufacturing the nozzle plate as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of forming other recesses in the areas where the ink supply ports are positioned, on the side of the second exposed area.

4. The method of manufacturing the nozzle plate as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of forming other recesses in the areas where the ink reservoirs and the ink supply ports are positioned, on the side of the second exposed area.

5. The method of manufacturing the nozzle plate as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

removing all of said etch resist film; and

thermally oxidizing the first and second exposed area of said nozzle plate.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said nozzle openings have maximum diameter portions which are open to ink cavities and minimum diameter portions which are positioned opposite to said maximum diameter portions.

6. A method of manufacturing an ink-jet head comprising the steps of:

forming an etch resist film on first and second sides of a silicon monocrystalline substrate having a face (110);

etching part of the etch resist film on said first side of the silicon monocrystalline substrate to expose a first area of the silicon monocrystalline substrate so as to form cylindrical portions having sufficient diameter to discharge ink droplets;

etching the exposed first area isotropically to form recesses;

forming an etch resist film on the recesses;

etching part of the etch resist film on said second side of the silicon monocrystalline substrate so as to expose a second area of the silicon monocrystalline substrate to form a pattern suitable for anisotropically etching the recesses;

etching the exposed second area of the second side anisotropically to form a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzle openings so as to have faces (1-11) and (-11-1) in the direction in which the nozzle openings are arrayed, wherein said nozzle openings are formed after the cylindrical portions are formed; and

laminating a spacer having a plurality of ink reservoirs, ink supply ports and ink cavities on the second side.

7. The method of manufacturing an ink-jet head according to claim 6, further comprising the step of forming other recesses in the area where the ink reservoir is positioned, on the second side of the monocrystalline substrate.

8. The method of manufacturing the nozzle plate as defined in claim 6, further comprising the step of forming other recesses in the areas where the ink supply ports are to be positioned, on the second side of the monocrystalline substrate.

9. The method of manufacturing the nozzle plate as defined in claim 6, further comprising the step of forming other recesses in the areas where the ink reservoirs and the ink supply ports are positioned, on the second side of the monocrystalline substrate.

10. The method of manufacturing the nozzle plate as defined in claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

removing the all etch resist film; and

thermally oxidizing the overall surface of the resultant.

12. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said nozzle openings have maximum diameter portions which are open to ink cavities and minimum diameter portions which are positioned opposite to said maximum diameter portions.

13. A method of manufacturing an ink-jet head comprising the steps of:

forming an etch resist film on first and second sides of a silicon monocrystalline substrate having a face (110);

etching part of the etch resist film on said first side of said substrate to expose a first area of the silicon monocrystalline substrate so as to form cylindrical portions having sufficient diameter to discharge ink droplets;

etching an exposed second area on the second side of said substrate anisotropically to form a plurality of nozzle openings so as to have faces (1-11) and (-11-1) in the direction in which the nozzle openings are arrayed, wherein said nozzle openings are formed after the cylindrical portions are formed;

laminating a spacer having a plurality of ink reservoirs, ink supply ports and ink cavities on the side of the second exposed area; and

forming other recesses in the area where the ink reservoir is positioned, on the side of the second exposed area.

14. A method of manufacturing an ink-jet head comprising the steps of:

forming an etch resist film on first and second sides of a silicon monocrystalline substrate having a face (110);

etching part of the etch resist film on said first side of said substrate to expose a first area of the silicon monocrystalline substrate

so as to form cylindrical portions having sufficient diameter to discharge ink droplets;

etching an exposed second area on the second side of said substrate anisotropically to form a plurality of nozzle openings so as to have faces (1-11) and (-11-1) in the direction in which the nozzle openings are arrayed, wherein said nozzle openings are formed after the cylindrical portions are formed;

laminating a spacer having a plurality of ink reservoirs, ink supply ports and ink cavities on the side of the second exposed area; and

forming other recesses in the area where the ink supply ports are positioned, on the side of the second exposed area.

15. A method of manufacturing an ink-jet head comprising the steps of:

forming an etch resist film on first and second sides of a silicon monocrystalline substrate having a face (110);

etching part of the etch resist film on said first side of said substrate to expose a first area of the silicon monocrystalline substrate

so as to form cylindrical portions having sufficient diameter to discharge ink droplets;

etching an exposed second area on the second side of said substrate anisotropically to form a plurality of nozzle openings so as to have faces (1-11) and (-11-1) in the direction in which the nozzle openings are arrayed, wherein said nozzle openings are formed after the cylindrical portions are formed,

laminating a spacer having a plurality of ink reservoirs, ink supply ports and ink cavities on the side of the second exposed area; and

forming other recesses in the area where the ink reservoirs and the ink supply ports are positioned, on the side of the second exposed area.

16. A method of manufacturing an ink-jet head comprising the steps of:

forming an etch resist film on first and second sides of a silicon monocrystalline substrate having a face (110);

etching part of the etch resist film on said first side of said substrate to expose a first area of the silicon monocrystalline substrate

so as to form cylindrical portions having sufficient diameter to discharge ink droplets;

etching an exposed second area on the second side of said substrate anisotropically to form a plurality of nozzle openings so as to have faces (1-11) and (-11-1) in the direction in which the nozzle openings are arrayed, wherein said nozzle openings are formed after the cylindrical portions are formed;

laminating a spacer having a plurality of ink reservoirs, ink supply ports and ink cavities on the side of the second exposed area;

removing all of said etch resist film; and

thermally oxidizing the exposed first and second areas of the nozzle plate.