Micro-electromechanical device, liquid discharge head, and method of manufacture therefor

• US 6,513,911 B1
• Filed: 05/25/2000
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kubota, Masahiko, Ozaki, Teruo, Imanaka, Yoshiyuki, Yamanaka, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hallacher, Craig
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brooke, Michael S
• Application Number:
  US09/577,979
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 347/50, 347/65, 347/58, 347/63
• US Class Current: 347/58
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/055 Devices for absorbing or preventing back-pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14048 Movable member in the chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14072 Electrical connections, e.g. details on electrodes, connecting the chip to the outside...
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14129 Layer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1604 of the edge shooter type
• 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 2/1642 thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/13 Heads having an integrated circuit

Abstract

A micro-electromechanical device comprises a movable member having a fixedly supporting portion and movable portion, and a substrate for having the movable member which is supported in a state having a specific gap with the substrate. For this device, a metallic layer which provides the gap for the movable portion is covered by the fixedly supporting portion of the movable member, and remains to be used as a wiring layer. The wiring layer is electrically connected with a plurality of wiring provided for the substrate. With the structure, thus arranged, the electric resistance is made significantly small. The electrical efficiency is enhanced accordingly. Also, the apparatus that adopts this device is made smaller, and the costs of manufacture thereof is made lower as well.

Claims

1. A micro-electromechanical device comprising:

a movable member, said movable member having a fixedly supporting portion and a movable portion; and

a substrate, said substrate having said movable member secured to said substrate at said fixedly supporting portion, wherein said substrate comprises a plurality of wiring layers including a wiring layer, a heat accumulation layer, and a resistive layer,

wherein a gap exists between said movable member and said substrate, said gap being opposed to a metallic layer through a first portion of said fixedly supporting portion, said first portion being near said movable portion,

wherein said metallic layer serves as a wiring layer, said wiring layer being connected to the plurality of wiring layers, and

wherein said metallic layer supports said movable member at a position above said substrate, and is covered by a second portion of said fixedly supporting portion which is continuous with said first portion.

2. A micro-electromechanical device according to claim 1, wherein said wiring layer is electrically connected with a plurality of wiring arranged on said substrate.

3. A liquid discharge head comprising:

an elemental substrate, said elemental substrate having said movable member secured to said substrate at said fixedly supporting portion, wherein said substrate comprises a plurality of wiring layers including a wiring layer, a heat accumulation layer, and a resistive layer;

a ceiling plate laminated on said elemental substrate;

a flow path formed between said elemental substrate and said ceiling plate; and

a movable member, said movable member having a fixedly supporting portion and a movable portion, said movable portion being positioned in said flow path,

a gap exists between said movable member and said substrate, said gap being opposed to a metallic layer through a first portion of said fixedly supporting portion, said first portion being near said movable portion,

wherein said metallic layer serves as a wiring layer, said wiring layer being connected to the plurality of wiring layers, and

wherein said metallic layer supports said movable member at a position above said substrate, and is covered by a second portion of said fixedly supporting portion which is continuous with said first portion.

4. A liquid discharge head according to claim 3, wherein a heating element for use in discharging liquid is provided corresponding to said flow path on said elemental substrate, and said wiring layer is electrically connected with said heating element through wiring.