Oriented piezoelectric film

• US 6,620,237 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2001
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spectra Inc (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Spectra Inc (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hoisington, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HITESHEW, FELISA CARLA
• Application Number:
  US09/987,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20030089303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 438/689, 117/84, 117/68
• US Class Current: 117/68
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/161 of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1626 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 2/1645 thin film formation by spincoating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14266 Sheet-like thin film type piezoelectric element
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/30 Niobates; Vanadates; Tantalates
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/32 Titanates; Germanates; Molybdates; Tungstates
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 5/00 Single-crystal growth from gels under a protective fluid C30B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/078 by sol-gel deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/8554 Lead-zirconium titanate [PZT] based

Abstract

A piezoelectric device can be prepared by placing an acicular seed crystal on a substrate, orienting the seed crystal on the substrate, and growing a piezoelectric film from the acicular seed crystal.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a piezoelectric film comprising:

placing an acicular seed crystal onto a substrate;

orienting the acicular seed crystal on the substrate; and

growing a piezoelectric film from the seed crystal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein placing the seed crystal onto the substrate includes depositing the seed crystal onto the substrate from a sol.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein orienting the seed crystal on the substrate includes inducing a flow of a precursor including the seed crystal on the substrate.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein inducing the flow of the precursor on the substrate includes spin-coating or dip-coating the precursor on the substrate.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the precursor is a sol.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein orienting the seed crystal includes spin-coating a sol on the substrate.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the acicular seed crystal is a single crystal.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein growing of the piezoelectric film includes forming a gel.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising placing a second acicular seed crystal onto the substrate, orienting the second seed crystal on the substrate, and growing the piezoelectric film from the second seed crystal.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric film has a thickness of 0.1 to 25 microns.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising poling the piezoelectric film.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising annealing the piezoelectric film.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric film includes lead zirconium titanate.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the acicular seed crystal is a platelet.

15. A method of manufacturing an ink jet printing module comprising:

depositing a seed crystal in proximity to a surface, the seed crystal having a length, a thickness and an aspect ratio greater than 1.1;

1;

arranging the seed crystal so that the length is substantially parallel to the surface; and

growing a piezoelectric film from the seed crystal.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the surface is a portion of a substrate.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein arranging the seed crystal so that the length is substantially parallel to the surface includes inducing a flow of a precursor including the seed crystal on the surface.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein inducing the flow of the precursor includes spin-coating or dip-coating the precursor on the surface.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the precursor is a sol.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein inducing the flow of the precursor includes spin-coating of the sol.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein the aspect ratio is greater than 2:

1.

22. An ink jet printing module comprising:

a substrate; and

a piezoelectric film on the substrate, the film including a plurality of acicular seed crystals oriented in substantially the same direction on the substrate.

23. The ink jet printing module according to claim 22, wherein each seed crystal has a length substantially parallel to a surface of the substrate.

24. The ink jet printing module according to claim 22, wherein the seed crystal has an aspect ratio is greater than 1.5:

1.

25. The ink jet printing module according to claim 24, wherein the aspect ratio is greater than 2:

1.

26. The ink jet printing module according to claim 24, wherein the aspect ratio is greater than 2.4:

1.

27. An ink jet module according to claim 22, wherein the piezoelectric film has a thickness in the range from 0.1 to 25 microns.

28. An ink jet module according to claim 22, wherein the piezoelectric film has a thickness of 0.5 to 10 microns.

29. An ink jet module according to claim 22, wherein the piezoelectric film has a thickness of 0.1 to 5 microns.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the ink jet printing module includes an ink channel, electrical contacts arranged for activation of the piezoelectric film and the piezoelectric film positioned to subject ink within the channel to jetting pressure during activation.