Method of manufacture of a surface bend actuator vented ink supply ink jet printer

• US 6,245,247 B1
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zamtec Limited (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Gulakowski, Randy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed, Shamim
• Application Number:
  US09/112,836
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 216/27, 347/54-56, 347/61, 251/30.01, 251/30.03
• US Class Current: 216/27
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry 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 2/1648 Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/15 Moving nozzle or nozzle plate

Abstract

A method of manufacture of an ink jet print head arrangement including a series of nozzle chambers, the method comprising the steps of: (a) utilizing an initial semiconductor wafer having an electrical circuitry layer formed thereon; (b) etching the circuitry layer to define a nozzle cavity area; (c) plasma etching the wafer in the area of the nozzle cavity area to create a nozzle chamber; (d) depositing and etching a first sacrificial layer so as to fill the nozzle chamber; (e) etching the first sacrificial layer to create an actuator end cavity volume; (f) depositing and etching a first material layer over the first sacrificial layer so as to fill the end cavity volume and to form a lower portion of a thermal actuator unit on the sacrificial layer; (g) depositing and etching a conductive heater layer on top of the lower portion, the conductive heater layer forming a heater element on the lower portion, the heater element being interconnected to the electrical circuitry layer; (h) depositing a second material layer; (i) etching the second material layer and the first material layer down to the sacrificial layer so as to form a slot around the surface actuator and a nozzle chamber nozzle; (j) etching an ink supply channel through the wafer in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber; and (k) etching away the sacrificial material.

Claims

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

(a) providing an initial semiconductor wafer having an electrical circuitry layer formed thereon;

(b) etching said circuitry layer to define a nozzle cavity area;

(c) plasma etching the wafer in the area of said nozzle cavity area to create a nozzle chamber;

(d) depositing and etching a first sacrificial layer so as to fill said nozzle chamber;

(e) etching said first sacrificial layer to create an actuator end cavity volume;

(f) depositing and etching a first material layer over said first sacrificial layer so as to fill said end cavity volume and to form a lower portion of a thermal actuator unit on said sacrificial layer;

(g) depositing and etching a conductive heater layer on top of said lower portion, said conductive heater layer forming a heater element on said lower portion, said heater element being connected to said electrical circuitry layer;

(h) depositing a second material layer;

(i) etching said second material layer and said first material layer down to said sacrificial layer so as to form a slot around said surface actuator and a nozzle chamber nozzle;

(j) etching an ink supply channel through said wafer in fluid communication with said nozzle chamber; and

(k) etching away said sacrificial material.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step (i) further includes etching the layer to form a rim around said slot and said nozzle.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wafer comprises a double sided polished CMOS wafer.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step (j) comprises a through wafer etch from a back surface of said wafer.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conductive material layer comprises substantially gold, copper or aluminum.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least step (k) is also utilized to simultaneously separate said wafer into separate printheads.

5. A method as claimed in 1 wherein said first material layer and said second material layer comprise a nonconductive material having a high coefficient of thermal expansion.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said first material layer or said second material layer comprises substantially polytetrafluroethylene.